When you think of editing videos on an iPad, what comes to mind? Perhaps it's Apple's built-in iMovie, offering simple yet effective video editing with a variety of templates. Or maybe it's other apps like LumaFusion, known for its user-friendly sound effects and templates. But Blackmagic Design recently introduced DaVinci Resolve for iPad, taking the "professional" aspect of iPad video editing to a new level. This software is renowned for its professional video editing capabilities, ranging from basic edits to advanced color correction and video effects. So, how does it perform on the iPad? This article delves deeper into DaVinci Resolve for iPad
Detailed Project Settings
After some hands-on experience, it's clear that DaVinci Resolve resembles video editing software commonly used on PCs. DaVinci Resolve for iPad retains detailed video file management and an inspector, allowing users to access a wealth of video details. It offers global project settings, including customizable timeline resolution, frame rates, and more.
Projects can be sourced locally, shared over a network, or accessed from the Blackmagic Cloud. The local project database is stored by default in the "DaVinci Resolve" folder under "My iPad," which can be accessed via the "Files" app. However, managing project files, including importing and exporting, and connecting to remote servers must be done within the DaVinci Resolve app and cannot be carried out directly through the file manager. The official word is that DaVinci Resolve for iPad is compatible with project files created on DaVinci Resolve 18 on desktop.
Asset Management
DaVinci Resolve for iPad offers powerful asset management, including material import, file link management, material organization, and material timeline synchronization. You can import materials from your iPad's storage, iCloud, third-party cloud storage, photo libraries, and even from USB-C external hard drives. Different video materials from various times can be easily located in the asset view, and you can choose to include selected clips in the video track on the timeline.
If you need to use video from multiple angles in your editing and want them to synchronize during the editing process, DaVinci Resolve also offers video material synchronization. It's a straightforward process: just click the "Sync" button at the top of the page to start synchronizing.
Timeline
The timeline, essential for video editing, is quite user-friendly in DaVinci Resolve, allowing easy dragging and dropping of materials from the media pool directly into the timeline. Common transitions and effects can be easily superimposed on video tracks by simply dragging them.
DaVinci Resolve offers efficient timeline management with features such as trimming videos at specific frames, enabling/disabling magnetic snapping, creating markers, and more. Additionally, the video operation in the timeline is somewhat adapted to the iPadOS cursor operation. When you move the cursor to the start and end of a video clip, the cursor automatically changes shape to indicate that you can drag to change the clip's length.
Keyframes and Effects
Similar to PC-based video editing software, DaVinci Resolve for iPad comes preloaded with many customizable animation effects, transitions, and titles. What sets it apart from most simple video editing apps on the iPad is its ability to change detailed properties of effects, titles, and more over time using custom keyframes. By enabling "keyframes" for a specific effect's property in the effect inspector, you can make numerical adjustments and preview the effect's changes in real-time in the video window.
For example, if you want to apply a gradual blur effect to your video and make it clearer over time, you can do so easily with DaVinci Resolve on your iPad while controlling the blur intensity. You can also add advanced effects such as scaling, displacement, and image compositing, all with keyframe animations to achieve more sophisticated video effects.
Color Correction
DaVinci Resolve's other standout feature is color correction. This feature isn't left out of the iPad version, allowing you to adjust colors in your videos. Currently, DaVinci Resolve offers tools such as curves and a color wheel for color correction and allows real-time preview of the color adjustments through waveform monitors and video windows.
The effects of video color correction can be presented and gradually reversed using a flowchart. It offers tools like the primary color wheels for balancing colors and brightness in shadow, mid-tone, and highlight regions. You can also use offset wheels to make global image adjustments. Secondary color correction tools allow for more subtle color adjustments, including the use of color bars and logarithmic color correction.
The color correction tools on DaVinci Resolve for iPad are quite similar to those on a PC. They enable comprehensive color adjustments while providing a more accessible interface for tablet use.
Video Export
For video export, DaVinci Resolve provides presets, including H.264, H.265, and Apple ProRes, among others. The resolution and frame rate used during export match the project settings by default and currently do not offer extensive customization options.
Compatibility on the iPad
DaVinci Resolve for iPad supports iPadOS 16 or later. Some features, such as 4K export, are only available on iPad Air and iPad Pro devices equipped with M1 or higher processors. Blackmagic Design specially optimized the interface for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, especially the fifth and sixth generations with Liquid Retina XDR displays. Consequently, on the 11-inch iPad, DaVinci Resolve appears somewhat cramped.
Many reports suggest that DaVinci Resolve for iPad is built on mostly the same code as the Mac version, resulting in high similarity. However, there are various iPad-specific adaptation issues. For instance, in the Stage Manager view, DaVinci Resolve doesn't adapt to the window resolution of an external monitor but runs at a fixed iPad resolution. Button labels within the app lack screen tooltips, which may lead to confusion for users unfamiliar with DaVinci Resolve. Moreover, many elements in the app have not been completely translated into various languages.
Additionally, DaVinci Resolve for iPad currently provides only two tabs, "Edit" and "Color," with the option to unlock other workspaces using keyboard shortcuts. However, these workspaces disappear when DaVinci Resolve is opened the second time. Many areas of the app still require further debugging.
How Xenx Can Enhance DaVinci Resolve for iPad
Xenx is a dedicated productivity tool tailored for the iPad, designed to make the creative process more streamlined for content creators. Its main purpose is to provide creators with a seamless and efficient workflow, putting all essential shortcuts and tools at their fingertips.
When it comes to video editing with DaVinci Resolve for iPad, Xenx offers a range of advantages. You can customize the Xenx interface to include the specific functions you need, aligning it with your editing habits. This not only enhances your overall efficiency but also makes video editing a smoother and more user-friendly experience.
By incorporating Xenx into your creative toolkit, you gain access to an array of tools that can significantly improve your workflow. Whether you're a professional editor or an aspiring content creator, Xenx can help you achieve your creative goals with ease."