Open question to BM: How would you feel if you just bought Resolve?

[Rob Ruffo]

And, like most users, never did 3D or 4K finishes. Would you be upset? Be honest now.

Also, what is your thinking? Please explain.

As a last question, can you see how your moves will inevitably bring down the income of most pro colorists (I am not one, I am a director/DP primarily but many colorists are good friends)? We can say it's all about the art, but the reality is if producers have copies of DaVinci on their desktops for free, they are going to try and get their daughters to do it. This will not kill the high-end jobs, but it will reduce the total number of paying jobs by wiping out a huge chunk of the middle to low end, which will bring down even high-end rates, with so many colorists out of work, to the point where making a living at grading will become impossible for all but a select few. Do you think this is "wonderful democratization?"

[Dave Blackham]

Its a great product. No regrets and Id buy another licence.

[Alan Gordon]

I'm just really hoping BM has some tricks up their sleeves for paying customers.

I'm not so sure that I regret it, because I have made the money I spent back, but at this middle-low end, it does kind of hurt.

But for now, until I have a 4K job, I'm keeping Lite installed because I don't need to bring my valuble dongle on-set for DIT looks.

[jake blackstone]

Its a great product. No regrets and Id buy another licence.

I'm sure Rob would gladly sell you his:-)

[Rob Ruffo]

Yes I would. PM me with an offer or tomorrow I am phoning B&H to try and get a refund. In the few weeks I've had it, I've obviously made no R.O.I. yet, and upcoming paying jobs can be done 100% with free version. Neat Video is better for noise reduction, so that feature is a bit useless.

I rant about this for similar reasons to why I ranted about DSLRs - (although DaVinci is admittedly great, I have no complaints about functionality at all - whereas DSLRs are sub-par). "Democratization" is sometimes great, but taken too far it is simply a race to the bottom where no one can make a living and standards are non-existent.

[jake blackstone]

When original iPhone was sold for $699, I bought one. I think, 6 weeks later they dropped the price to $299 and Apple refunded the price drop to the original purchasers. I got mine. Love Apple:-)
But I'm sure, users of original Final Touch don't share my affection for Apple:-)

[Tom.Wong]

I think I've made my money on my resolve license over 10x over already in under a year. The price of the license i negligible in my opinion. The price of one of my GPU's alone is only 200 dollar less than the license. My rocket card cost 4x more, and tower cost 6x more. hell, even the control surface costs more than the license. You buy these thing so you can work, you work and make your money back, and than it's profit. It's a pretty standard business practice in this industry, just because the software is free doesn't mean they don't have to spend all that money in equipment either. Being locked down to 1 gpu alone, I'd lose half my clients, they want to see the performance. Being locked into 1080p resolution output only, hurts me too because I'm asked for 4k quicktimes and dpx all the time because they want the resolution to be able to pan and scan and punch in with the color already baked.

I really don't so see the big deal, that thousand dollars you're saving for sticking with the lite version can only go back to the color suite in a very minor way, and you're still limited in what you can do. and finally, I'm sure Jake can attest. If people are coming to you simply cause you have a Resolve, and not because they love your work, and want you to work for them and give them a great looking piece... well I think I've said enough.

[Rob Ruffo]

The fact that others have done it does not make it right. Other people are mugging tourists right now - does that mean I can do that too and it's fine? Besides, Apple Color at least cost SOMETHING.

[Rob Ruffo]

I think I've made my money on my resolve license over 10x over already in under a year. The price of the license i negligible in my opinion. The price of one of my GPU's alone is only 200 dollar less than the license. My rocket card cost 4x more, and tower cost 6x more. hell, even the control surface costs more than the license. You buy these thing so you can work, you work and make your money back, and than it's profit. It's a pretty standard business practice in this industry, just because the software is free doesn't mean they don't have to spend all that money in equipment either. Being locked down to 1 gpu alone, I'd lose half my clients, they want to see the performance. Being locked into 1080p resolution output only, hurts me too because I'm asked for 4k quicktimes and dpx all the time because they want the resolution to be able to pan and scan and punch in with the color already baked.

I really don't so see the big deal, that thousand dollars you're saving for sticking with the lite version can only go back to the color suite in a very minor way, and you're still limited in what you can do. and finally, I'm sure Jake can attest. If people are coming to you simply cause you have a Resolve, and not because they love your work, and want you to work for them and give them a great looking piece... well I think I've said enough.

I'm not talking about me - CC for me was merely a holistic add-on to my DP skills - but I can't see how this will not hurt the little guy - who, as as I specifically said, RECENTLY bought Resolve, or is already struggling. Some of those little guys are good friends.

[Alexis Vanier]

Please everyone realize that there is a huge psychological impact to taking something from a nearly negligible cost to making it free. How am I supposed to explain to a producer that I'm working on his stuff with something that's actually free... and I'm charging him for it.

Free is still a F word. It should be used sparingly.

I'm personally outraged by BlackMagic's move. I believe it's simply irresponsible towards the business as a whole.

If anyone starts a class action, I'm in.