MICRO COLOR PANEL Hands On Review - Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve 19 iPad Pro NAB Show 2024

this is black Magic's new D Vinci resolve micro color panel it's smaller lighter Wireless and has new features that you won't even find on black Magic's mini panel it also has this interestingly shaped slot yes that's for an iPad this is our first look [Music] we'll deal with the new feature shortly first for those already familiar with black Magic's color grading panels let's see what's similar it's most similar to the original micro panel it has the same basic layout and functionality the same three track balls and Rings the same 12 resettable knobs transport controls are on the right and finally the assorted buttons that were in the top right of the original micro panel are now distributed across the top and left hand side give or take this is where things start to depart excluding the reset controls the previous panel had 18 buttons the new panel has 37 that's more than double additionally thanks to two shift Keys each button has up to three functions associated with it so it's time to talk about what's new Blackmagic has packed so much functionality into this panel we will break its new features down into five categories connectivity iPad compatibility new controls shift Keys rings and track balls so first connectivity like before you can connect the panel using a USBC cable or usba a to USBC cable it's so frictionless to use it this way as no installation is required but here's where it gets exciting Blackmagic have added an internal battery and Bluetooth connectivity not only does this mean you could use it wirelessly with your desktop or laptop computer but it's opened the way to use this panel with resolve on iPad hit the button on the back to make the panel discoverable and head to your Bluetooth preferences to pair it with your iPad Mac OS or Windows computer once that's done the wireless experience is just as smooth as the wired experience moving on iPad compatibility iPad resolve has excellent features parody with the desktop version of resolve the same is true of the panel to talk about how the panel works with the desktop version of resolve is to talk about how it works with an iPad it's the same experience the slot clearly shows Blackmagic has iPad users in mind but this doesn't feel like an iPad only device it's equally at home in front of a laptop or desktop computer we appreciate the design how the slot is so subtle that it doesn't call attention to itself when an iPad is not present we've tested Ted the slot with two iPads a 12.9 in Pro M2 and an air M1 it's stable on a desk which is super important when working with the touchcreen it needs to be able to resist the Jabs to the top of the screen to demonstrate stability for reference here's a little tip test with a typical iPad trifold case which isn't so great and then the panel with a 12.9 in Pro and thin in air it does really well also notice the shape in the center of the slot it's wider so you can use your finger to perform swipe gestures although your experience might vary depending on the size of your fingers just so you know it's just a stand it doesn't connect to the iPad so if you carry your iPad in a case that's difficult to remove or you just don't want to remove it the iPad doesn't need to be placed in the slot we'll talk more about the iPad experience with this panel later for now let's talk about the new controls Blackmagic has rounded the functions that can be accessed on this panel without using a mouse or keyboard to the point where you can legitimately color grade without your hands having to leave the panel this is obviously important if you're using an iPad for example previously you could capture and view Stills but you couldn't change the wipe in your viewer you'd have to use a mouse or keyboard or you can navigate between existing nodes but you couldn't make a new node that meant there's previously no choice but to work with a mix of panel keyboard and mouse now we not only have keys for wiping the still in the viewer or making new nodes but also keys for creating Windows making key frames tracking Windows building qualifications toggling highlight mode and much more new buttons like copy and paste improve the grading experience for users without a keyboard for example people working on an iPad but they are equally as useful for a desktop user as moving from panel to a keyboard affects efficiency there's new keys for navigating key frames they've been grouped with the transport controls as have the previous and next still buttons it feels intuitive to have all the navigation keys in the same place but wait there's more let's talk about the shift Keys most of these Keys have three functions that's because there are three different ways to use each key push the key by itself hold shift up and push the key hold shift down and push the key each key only has its primary function labeled you'll need to use the reference manual to learn their additional functions but some of them are pretty intuitive for example copy copies the entire Clips grade shift up and copy copies the selected node now you might have noticed the new panel only has one reset control for each ring track ball combo the original panel had three reset buttons for each for us those nine dedicated buttons always felt a little over the top on the new panel want to guess how you reset just the RGB or just the level adjustments shift up and reset does RGB shift down does levels here's one more example the node button adds a Serial node shift up plus the node button adds a parallel node and shift down adds a layer node these shift assignments are so intuitive and even if other shift assignments aren't as obvious they're still fairly easy to discover if you don't want to read the manual just start stabbing at buttons but wait it gets even better let's talk about the ring and track balls in previous panels the ring and track balls could only be used to control the primary Wheels log Wheels offset and color temperature you're going to love this change want to adjust your image wipe hold down on wipe still and rotate the gain ring or how about this add a window with the add window button then hold shift up and move the gain ring to change its size use the lift ring while still holding shift up to change its softness and then use the gain track ball to position it here's another cool thing you can do pull shift down and use the track balls and Rings to adjust the image input sizing what about building a qualifier adding a magic mask or picking a color warper control Point hit the cursor button and now the game track ball works as a Color Picker position it over the part of the image you'd like to sample and hit select there's also a user button we understand that in a future update you'll be able to assign up to three keyboard hotkeys to this function because remember there's shift up and shift down modifiers and finally as with the other panels certain buttons toggle different modes on and off like the offset control those buttons change color to indicate their status before we continue we have something special to tell you if you're considering making the move to Da Vinci resolve there's never been a better time we're thrilled to launch our brand new course D Vinci resol for editors it's primarily aimed at those who already have experience in programs like Pro but are looking to transition to resolve but if you are a frequent viewer of our Channel you know that whenever we tackle a topic we do it thoroughly in a manner that doesn't leave anyone behind therefore we think you'll love this course even if you new to editing YouTube is full of amazing trainers and incredible videos but when you're piecing together your education 10 minutes at a time you don't know what you're missing and it's easy to get lost let us be your guide we get straight into resolve demonstrating features in work work flows as we build out a short documentary together there's 9 hours of training spread over 52 lessons it covers the media edit color air light and deliver page and the course comes with 2 hours of practice media for you to follow along as you learn we're offering a launch discount for a limited time follow the link in the description to learn more enjoy the rest of the video and thanks for listening what's it like to use we'll deal with iPad specific parts of the The Experience first the panel makes grading on such limited screen real estate a lot nicer as you don't need to constantly have your hands obscuring the screen we love popping in and out of full screen mode while grading or viewing with the viewer button the inclusion of an iPad stand is excellent we like the distance and the angle but depending on what kind of case you keep your iPad in your usage will vary but we have to say the power size and convenience of the iPad screen and M series process processor combined with resolve is frankly amazing moving on let's talk about the overall experience of using this panel but first a comment about working with all panels in general they won't make you a better colorist but they might make you a quicker colorist for example adding a new window with a mouse would typically require three clicks with the panel it's one click when you have hundreds of shots to grade a panel streamlines the process this panel is small enough and light enough to carry it in a bag but not so small that it's uncomfortable to use controls are close enough that you can use it one-handedly and also far enough apart that two hands fit comfortably a thought that crossed our minds Blackmagic could have added labels to each button to show its shift functions but we're really pleased they didn't it would have overwhelmed the panel with text that's difficult to read and it's completely unnecessary after you've developed some muscle memory I'm using a gear wrap to protect mine whilst in transit here's five of our favorite features these are small things but they make a difference number one the WIP still feature is genius makes match grading a breeze because each shot usually needs the wipe to be repositioned two copy and paste is such a great addition to the panel we've got our left hand on copy and paste right hand on previous clip and next clip it's easy to move grades around a short timeline three the viewer button makes it painless to jump in and out of a full screen viewer four we love all of the functions that use the Rings and track balls like the cursor or window tools and finally five the fact that it's wireless makes it easy to switch your desk between different modes writing emails editing and color grading let's compare it to Black Magic's other panels the original micro and mini panels all share the same track ball and ring mechanism the rings on those panels are made of metal the new micro panels rings and track balls are slightly smaller and lighter the Rings are a composite plastic but this is not a negative we don't prescribe to the notion that metal is premium and plastic is cheap just different materials these new track balls and rings are fit for purpose and feel just fine the Rings and track balls can still be removed for cleaning also note the size and quality of this bearing that gives the Rings their smooth feel in terms of function the new micro panel is a big improvement over the original panel it's not as capable as the mini but it upgrades narrow the Gap they can do similar things but slightly differently for example as discussed the new micro can create and adjust Windows you can do that on the mini but instead of using the wheels and track balls it's accomplished with the soft dials and keys around its two screens there's a whole bunch that the mini can do though that the new micro definitely cannot for example those screens give you full control over things like your hsl qualifiers they also make it easier to discover features thanks to the helpful onscreen labels now the heavier track balls and rings on the original micro mini and Advance are nicer to use they have more weight when you push them around which in a way helps you to make better adjustments for example a light touch is less likely to result in an undesired slip because the track ball offers more initial resistance to movement however despite being lighter the new micr track balls and Rings still have inertia once they get moving so you can flick them and they won't stop stop the moment you lift your hand in this regard they're very similar to the existing micro the knobs and buttons feel great they provide the same functionality as the original micro and mini panels but are physically different they are shorter which makes them a little less ergonomic but it's an acceptable compromise to make for the sake of portability imagine how difficult it would be to reach your iPad screen with huge dials in the way the buttons are also different not as soft as the existing micro and mini but no less Pleasant to use use and talking about the heft of the entire unit well you could use the old micro mini for things like demolition they're heavy they're very solid the new micro might not work as well for construction FAQ time can you use it on your lap yes naturally it's not as stable though as being on a desk but it's good enough can it be used on other pages and resolve yes but the only buttons that will work on other pages are the basic transport controls it doesn't replace devices like the speed editor can it be used to control the software no it cannot it's resolve only will it make me look cooler when coloring potentially has the original micro panel been discontinued no it has not it is still available for those who prefer the larger and heavier rings and track balls is there anything we don't like no not really it's hard to reasonably criticize a product that offers this much value if anything all these extra button ring and back ball features have given us ideas for additional functionality we'd love it if the Rings could move the playhead perhaps if you held down on the stop start button and move the gain ring perhaps some user assignable knobs or more user assignable buttons too with built-in screens similar to a stream deck so you can change their labels but no doubt that would increase the cost of this panel making it less accessible and there's Beauty and function and this device is Simplicity more isn't always better finally after using this panel we'd love to see an update to the speed editor that mirrors elements of this panel's design this panel is an easy recommendation for D Vinci resolve users looking to buy their first color panel or if you already have a panel and are looking for something to take on the road or on set you'll love how familiar this feels and in all likelihood you'll start wanting to see some of this panel's features implemented on your other panels the new D Vinci resolve microc color panel from Black Magic design is available right now price and details are in the description below black magic resolve 19 is also out and if you've not yet watched our coverage of its amazing new features there's links on screen and down in the description I hope you found this video helpful please give it a like if you did and make sure you subscribe so you don't miss out on future videos thanks for watching

Channel: Team 2 Films

Views: 120,192

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Id: B62OMXbzrgU

Length: 15min 59sec (959 seconds)

Published: Sat Apr 13 2024