Blackmagic Seeds Version 2 of DaVinci Resolve 18 to Beta Users

Blackmagic continues to mine the Beta program on DaVinci Resolve 18 and adds a few more features to this stacked Post Production Suite. Notable additions include the addition of object mask and tracking in the Magic Mask toolset, plus improvements to Dolby Atmos including immersive mixing, and support for rendering Dolby Vision in H.265 clips.

Blackmagic has also expanded support for Linux and further integrated native support for any new Apple PCs running on the M1 Apple Silicon processor. There’s also improved collaboration when working with restrictive firewalls, better proxy indicator status and improved sizing presets support.

Image Credit – Blackmagic Design

Here’s a complete list of changes to date:

• New object mask capability in Magic Mask.
• Improved Dolby Atmos immersive mixing, including Binaural monitoring.
• Native support for Dolby Atmos production for Linux and Apple silicon.
• Support for rendering Dolby Vision compatible H.265 clips.
• Addressed firewall issues with initiating collaboration.
• Addressed a crash when zooming out of the timeline with markers.
• Addressed issue where a newly saved project was not locked.
• Addressed issue with proxy indicators not updating.
• Addressed issue with sizing presets on clips without grades.
• Addressed a duration issue with a place on top for still images.
• Addressed an issue with saving Fusion layouts to workspace presets.
• Addressed a crash with some XML timeline imports.
• Addressed a crash when quickly switching between timelines.
• Addressed crashes on certain Intel graphics systems.
• General performance and stability improvements.

The update that was announced a few days before NAB, was a massive one, which is usually the case for the main number upgrade like 18. The Public Beta has been going on ever since, to iron out any bugs and to get client feedback on how well it’s running.

Resolve 18 Beta 2 is available for those interested in testing the limits of the software and their systems and helping Blackmagic refine it before releasing it to the general public.

Blackmagic warns, however, that those in the middle of a project should not attempt to install Resolve 18 Beta 2, as some features may not work as planned, and it could mess up any existing editing workflow that is active and ongoing.

It’s probably better to install on a “b” computer designed for testing and to always be mindful to back up any work while using it. Any bug reports can be sent to Blackmagic support via email or mentioned in the official forums.

[source: Blackmagic Design]