Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/855478
53 Q3 2017 / CINEMONTAGE TECH TIPS Aside from all that, there is another truly great thing about Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve and that is how inexpensive it is. DaVinci Resolve is free — you can't get any more inexpensive than that! The price of DaVinci Resolve Studio, which contains additional professional features such as multi-user collaboration, 3D tools and more, has recently been dropped to $299. Considering that the software once cost thousands of dollars, and just a few months ago was $995, I'd say that's a pretty darn good deal. MINI AND MICRO PANELS While both versions of DaVinci Resolve can be operated with a mouse, many professional colorists turn to dedicated control panels to do their work and consider them to be must-have accessories. Control panels allow for simultaneous adjustments to the image as well as more precise control, improved creativity and productivity versus using the humble mouse. In past years, colorists could purchase Blackmagic's Advanced Panel for DaVinci Resolve. At a price of $29,995, this massive panel may not exactly be cheap, but it is comprehensively full-featured and high-quality. While high-end color facilities can easily justify paying for the advanced panel, small one-man shops or freelancers may find it prohibitive to spend that much on a console. Luckily, there were cheaper third-party options available, such as the Tangent Wave panel. Costing around $1,500, the Tangent panel boasts a set of trackballs, knobs and buttons that work with DaVinci Resolve or DaVinci Resolve Studio, and was a viable choice for colorists who couldn't afford the pricier advanced panel. In March, however, the equation changed as Blackmagic introduced two important new compact control panels for DaVinci Resolve and DaVinci Resolve Studio, namely the DaVinci Resolve Micro Panel ($995) and the DaVinci Resolve Mini Panel ($2,995). While both panels include smooth, high- resolution, weighted trackballs, primary correction- control knobs and navigation and transport keys, the Mini Panel adds two LCD screens as well as additional controls. The Mini Panel is what I got to play around with for a couple of weeks. LOOK AND FEEL The DaVinci Resolve Mini Panel came in a heavy- duty box that has a carrying handle on the top and could be used as a carrying case for the console in the event you want to take it with you to your next gig, or even install it on location for on-set color correction. While I wouldn't exactly call the Mini Panel light, it shouldn't be too much of a problem carrying it around providing you are in reasonably good shape. Upon opening the case and inspecting the console for the first time, you will understand what gives the Mini Panel its heft. It is very rugged and sturdy, a good thing if you are a colorist since it will no doubt become the main surface upon which you work. Its metal enclosure feels like it is armored to survive a battle. The Mini Panel is also impressively handsome and will make you look like a color-grading pro while you sit behind it, spinning the trackballs and adjusting the knobs as you bring your images to life. It may even impress your clients, which might be enough to justify you charging a little more than a newbie colorist who The Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve Micro Panel contains many of the same features as the Mini Panel, minus a few things like the two LCD displays. The Mini Panel gives you precise control when adjusting color in your project, especially when working with DaVinci Resolve's scopes such as RGB parade.