Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve

Essential Settings

Preferences / System

• Memory and GPU
  • Memory Configuration -> use as much as possible
  • GPU Configuration -> make sure your GPU is visable
• Media Storage -> choose a drive/location which is fast and has a lot of room
• Audio/Video Plugin -> make sure that all your required plugins are configured
• Control Panels -> make sure your external control panaels are configured
• General
  • LUT Locations -> make sure all your LUT's are configured

Preferences / User

• Project Save and Load
  • Save Settings
    • Live save -> checked
• Color
  • General Settings
    • Always perfom copy and paste on selected nodes -> checked

Project Settings

• Master Settings
  • Timeline Format
    • Timeline resolution -> to your desired output format
    • Timeline frame rate -> to your desired output format! (Note: it can't be changed when there is media in your timeline)
  • Video Monitor -> only important when using external Monitors
  • Optimised Media and Render Cache
    • Proxy media resolution -> Half
    • Proxy media format -> H.264
• Image Scaling
  • Input Scaling
    • Mismatched resolution files -> 'Scale entire image to fit' or 'Center crop with no resizing'
  • Output Scaling
    • Mismatched resolution files -> use the same setting as for Input Scaling
• General Options
  • Color
    • Use S-curve for contrast -> unchecked

Links

• Product Page
• DaVinci Resolve 18 Reference Manual
• Mastering Audio for Soundcloud, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music and Youtube