DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor: faster video editing at your fingertips

If you’ve ever done any video editing you’ll know it can be a labour-intensive process. Calvin Jones explains more in this in-depth review.

Scrubbing through your source clips, selecting the scenes you want, adding them to your timeline, trimming and rearranging them, adding audio, transitions and titles all takes time. If you’re producing video content regularly, anything that makes the process quicker, easier and more intuitive will be a real boon.

The DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor from Blackmagic Design is designed to do exactly that. It works exclusively with DaVinci Resolve 17 editing software (see my DaVinci Resolve 17 review here), and works with Resolve’s Cut Page to help you put your video content together in record time.

First impressions

The first thing you notice when you take the Speed Editor out of its box is how compact and solid it is. The body is plastic, but it doesn’t feel in any way flimsy or cheap. On the contrary, it has a reassuring weight and solidity that gives it a premium feel in the hand. That premium feel extends to the metal jog wheel and the 43 dedicated function buttons that press with a very tactile click, and work alongside the jog wheel to perform a bewildering array of video editing tasks. The console looks and feels a bit retro (in a good way), like a mini mechanical keyboard from back in the day, compressed laterally. Don’t let its looks deceive you though: the Speed Editor is a thoroughly modern bit of kit.

The Speed Editor’s buttons are arranged into convenient groups according to their function, and their position makes it easy to work seamlessly with the controls using both hands. The jog wheel and navigation/transport related controls are on the right hand side of the panel, the in/out point selectors and various clip insertion and editing options on the left, with additional functions and multicam options in the middle. It’s a logical layout that helps you quickly familiarise yourself with the various speed editor functions.

The Speed Editor connects to your PC or Mac using a USB C connection (there’s a USB C to USB C cable included in the box — if your computer doesn’t have a USB C connector you’ll need either a USB A to USB C adapter or any standard USB A to USB C cable on hand) or via Bluetooth. The internal battery is charged via the USB C port and once charged lasts for ages (I never managed to run it down during the review period). Bluetooth connection works well — there’s no way to turn it on or off — you just go to pair a new device on your computer, it should detect the Speed Editor. Pair it and you’re good to go.

1. The Speed Editor will only work/become active when DaVinci Resolve 17 is open. It will only work with Resolve and is completely unresponsive in any other application.

Using the Speed Editor

At first the sheer array of function buttons available is a bit overwhelming, but as with the DaVinci Resolve software itself, as soon as you start using the Speed Editor to move through your clips, select scenes using the jog wheel and adding them to your timeline, it all starts to make sense.

I was surprised at just how quickly and intuitively I could pull selected scenes from my combined source material (using the “Source Tape” feature on DaVinci Resolve 17’s Cut Page) to build a basic timeline. Lengthening or shortening clips and moving them around on my timeline was also remarkably precise using the jog wheel/function key combinations. The process quickly becomes second nature, so much so that switching back to a keyboard and mouse after using the Speed Editor for any length of time feels slow and unwieldy.

I’m not sure I’d go so far as to say the Speed Editor will revolutionise your video editing workflow, but the experience of editing with the Speed Editor is certainly more fluid, intuitive, tactile, much faster… and, dare I say it, fun.

There’s no physical manual in the box, but if you choose Help->Reference Manual from the DaVinci Resolve 17 menu a PDF manual opens up. You’ll find everything you need in relation to using the Speed Editor in Chapter 33, starting on page 524 of that manual. There are also plenty of video tutorials on the Speed Editor online to help get you started.

Here’s one of my favourite’s from professional editor and colourist Darren Mostyn covering pretty much everything you need.

Click here.

The best way to learn the speed editor though, is to use it. Open up Resolve, import some footage and play around. Using the jog wheel, Source and Timeline buttons, selecting In- and Out-points and adding clips to your timeline is incredibly easy to get to grips with. Trimming, rolling and slipping clips already on your timeline is as simple as holding down the appropriate key and rolling the jog wheel. You can move clips around, insert new clips, add and change transitions, alter audio levels, drop B-Roll clips in above your main timeline and lots more… all without ever taking your hands off the Speed Editor.

Some of the main functions of the DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor include:

• Dedicated buttons to switching seamlessly between your source tape and timeline
• Effortlessly navigating clips using the jog wheel and selecting in and out points with precision using the jog wheel
• Adding selected clips into your timeline in a variety of ways (append, insert, smart insert, place on top, ripple overwrite, source overwrite)
• Rearranging and Modifying clips in the timeline (move, trim in, trim out, roll, slide, slip source, slip destination)
• Apply and modify transitions
• Split/Cut clips
• Synchronise clips from multiple sources and switch between them effortlessly using the “Sync Bin” feature
• … and more besides.

The Speed Editor: built for the Cut Page

The DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor is designed to work primarily with the Cut Page in DaVinci Resolve 17. It will work in the Edit Page and other Resolve pages, but you can only realise its full potential when you use it in conjunction with the Cut Page.

The cut page is a simplified editing interface in Resolve 17 with “smart” features designed to help editors cut their source footage and get clips organised on their timeline quickly, before moving on to other pages in Resolve to apply more advanced editing techniques, colour grading, audio mixing, visual effects, etc.. The Speed Editor integrates seamlessly with the Cut Page, making it the ideal hardware partner for those who want to speed up their editing workflow.

How much is the DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor

The DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor retails at €255. However, Blackmagic Design is currently running an introductory offer of a free Speed Editor with any purchase of a DaVinci Resolve Studio license (which is the same price).

If you use the free version of DaVinci Resolve, and are thinking about an upgrade to the paid Studio Version, now’s the perfect time, as you’ll get a Speed Editor thrown in for free with your Studio license. Even if you’re just getting started with DaVinci Resolve, investing in a lifetime Studio license might make sense as you’ll get the Speed Editor thrown in for free.

Conclusion

The DaVinci Resolve speed editor is a well made, well thought out piece of hardware that delivers a significant speed-boost to your video editing workflow in DaVinci Resolve 17. It provides an intuitive interface that helps you pull together an initial timeline from your source material efficiently and effectively, before moving on to Resolve’s other pages to apply more advanced editing techniques, colour grading and audio and visual effects.

At its regular RRP of €255 the Speed Editor represents great value for a dedicated video editing console. Bundling the Speed Editor for free with a lifetime license for DaVinci Resolve Studio represents insane value.

In Ireland you’ll find the DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor available at CameraKit.ie, or for the same price get a licensed copy on DaVinci Resolve Studio here, and you’ll get a Speed Editor included for free (as long as Blackmagic Design keeps the offer going).

About the Author

Calvin Jones is an author and online content specialist based in West Cork Ireland. Alongside his writing projects, he runs Ireland’s Wildlife, helps small business clients improve their websites and reviews the latest tech gadgets.

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Prepared by Ebony Ximines-Parke