Resolve on a Mac, first impressions

[jake blackstone]

Jake, we surely agree that RT grading is not only desirable for client supervised but also for "private" sessions because keeping the pace up is a vital part of a successful grading session.

Apple Color is not RT if SDI monitoring is used. But Resolve on the Mac seems to be, isn't it? A big reason to invest the 1k, IMO. Funny how ridiculous cheap Resolve on the Mac is if it holds up to the peoples expectations, great times.

Hans

Resolve indeed is a real time device. But to be honest, real time performance is not the real deal breaker for me. I still use my old trusty Lustre, where any grades and effects I apply have to be rendered for real time playback. If needed, for a quick event preview, I can always use RAM cache playback.
Personally, any one single feature of Resolve, including real time performance or the incredible tracker wouldn't been enough to persuade me to consider it. It is the performance of all of the components in the whole package, that I need to see. If Resolve can do all of these great things, but, for example, is a lousy color grading device or it has lousy conforming tools (I'm not saying, that any of this applies to Resolve), then it all doesn't really matter, right?
Actually, come to think of it, that is the very reason why I stuck with Lustre for so long. It has incredible color grading capabilities and interface, everything else is ... no comment...

 

[Hans von Sonntag]

Actually, come to think of it, that is the very reason why I stuck with Lustre for so long. It has incredible color grading capabilities and interface, everything else is ... no comment...

Love Autodesk/Discreet, too.

Hans

 

[Shawn Nelson]

Jake, thanks for posting.

Can Resolve work with R3Ds directly?

I am also extremely curious about editing proxies in FCP, then conforming and getting into Resolve. Any success in getting a FCP sequence into Resolve?

 

[M Most]

Didn't know that Pablo is such a wide tool. Good to know.

Pablo is essentially iQ with a very sophisticated color module added. The Quantel iQ is a full online finishing platform that also has a very capable VFX toolset (it was intended to basically replace Henry and Editbox).

As I said, though, power comes at a price.

 

[jake blackstone]

Jake, thanks for posting.

Can Resolve work with R3Ds directly?

I am also extremely curious about editing proxies in FCP, then conforming and getting into Resolve. Any success in getting a FCP sequence into Resolve?

It does work with R3D, as well as QT, MFX, DPX and whole bunch more, all in real time, up to HD resolution. You can still work with higher resolutions, just not in real time, yet I tested it with an EDL, that was edited in FCP with Prores transcoded files from H264 (Canon) and R3D files. I was able to conform mixed sourced timeline with R3D files and transcoded Prores files. There was a little more work involved, as Resolve presents you with a "Conflict" dialog every time it's not sure on the proper file, that you have to click trough to manually resolve it.Once that is done, you just start grading and everything happens in real time, no render needed.
Speaking of render. I just rendered R3D timeline as DPX sequence, with each event in a separate folder to a remote FC drive, connected to Windows 7 computer over GbE ethernet at full HD resolution and I was getting 4.5 FPS during the render. Not too bad for a system rendering over the ethernet with no Red Rocket.
Tonight I'm going to try to import this project into Mac Book Pro and see what happens
Just installed Resolve on my Macbook Pro. Unfortunately, the GPU is an ATI. So, Resolve says 0 CUDA found and immediately crashes. So, no CUDA, no joy...