Blackmagic Design announced the release of DaVinci Resolve 21.1, a major update featuring artificial intelligence assistant integration, expanded camera support, and enhanced multi-camera workflows. The software update, unveiled at the IBC 2026 exhibition in Amsterdam, aims to streamline complex post-production tasks for video editors and colorists, according to the press release titled BlackmagicDesignPR-20260908-03.pdf and a review by the YouTube channel Onlinor. The release introduces over 100 new tools and controls, along with 25 new graphic tools for the Fusion page.
This direct integration of artificial intelligence represents a significant shift in traditional post-production workflows.
The most prominent feature of the update involves direct integration with AI assistants, including Claude and ChatGPT Codex. Users can utilize everyday conversational language to prompt the software to analyze projects, organize media files, and create highlight edits from extensive raw footage. The AI system can also remove unwanted clips and manage batch rendering. Blackmagic Design Chief Executive Officer Grant Petty stated that delegating repetitive technical tasks to artificial intelligence will allow creators to dedicate more time to artistic decisions. The Onlinor review noted that while the AI integration offers immense potential for speeding up workloads, professional users might require active premium subscriptions to access the full capabilities of external language models.
In addition to artificial intelligence tools, the software introduces native support for several new camera formats within the photo workspace. Editors working with Fujifilm GFX and X series, Leica SL, and Sony A7R V cameras can now import their media without requiring prior file conversions. The update provides extensive image adjustment controls through physical color panels and features enhanced sky replacement capabilities on the color page.
The editing interface received substantial upgrades, particularly for multi-camera productions. A new multi-cam mode button allows seamless switching between camera angles, and keyboard shortcuts now support up to 25 different angles simultaneously. Audio waveforms automatically scale to match the track height, improving visibility for editors working with varied audio levels. Furthermore, the media management system preserves the original aspect ratio of source files regardless of whether the timeline orientation is vertical or horizontal.
For visual effects professionals, the update incorporates over 25 new Krokodove tools in the Fusion 3D environment, enabling advanced shape creation and depth-based distortion. Colorists can execute independent multimaster trim passes for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HDR Vivid formats, eliminating the need to share a common trim across different deliverables. DaVinci Resolve 21.1 is currently available as a free download from the official Blackmagic Design website
