Video editing and D-log profile ?

[karlblessing]

When choosing software for my hobyist needs few years back, I've tried many. Filmora and DaVinci were final contenders.
Got into bed with Filmora, very happy, didn't outgrow it yet.
It fit best my requirements:
#1: Software required for simple flows (some cut, trim, eddit, add music) for 4k Mavic Air drone shootage -> export for Youtube.
#2: Simple, intuitive flow and interface, for first time user
#3 Efficient HW Encoding support was a must. I had Windows PC with limited CPU & RAM, but with nVidia GPU to utilize.
#4: Budget. That's my hobby, I don't earn money on this. Ready to pay for handy tool, but not willing to sell my kids kidney for it

Why not DaVinci? I liked it. A lot. But at that time:
- free version allowed only FullHD export (now 4k?). Filmora had no resolution limitation (with watermark on free version).
- Don't recall exactly, but on my particular PC setup Filmora did perform better. Might be limitation of free version.
- DaVinci version cost 3-4x more than Filmora.
That was a hefty argument - Pay 3x times more for DaVinci, and hope that all problems will go away after switch from free version? Or go with Filmora - which marked all my checkboxes, allowing fully test all features with free version.

Now tables may have turned. Upgraded PC. Time to upgrade drone.
Maybe will take another look at DaVinci.

Regarding points of Davinci

Since version 16 or so (18 now the current stable) they've really simplified the way the timeline can be set up (but also have a cut page for a different way of laying it out). Though compared to something like iMovie, Windows movie maker, Cyberlink, etc, most NLE are going to feel complicated.

But in the long run using a good NLE is much nicer. The tabs are arranged in a logical order on Davinci Resolve, you have your media tab to import your sources, your cut tab which can be used for quick arrangements of clips (I prefer before that time), the edit tab which is a bit more involved arrangements and tracks, the fusion and color tab for the next steps of grading and effects, and then the delivery tab.

The free version by today's standard has pretty moderate requirements (not widthstanding the price hikes due to cryptominers etc) doesn't utilize as much of the hardware as it could as they want you to purchase the studio license for things like H264/H265 hardware accelerated encoding and decoding. Though you can greatly improve the performance by cutting out highly compressed codecs like H264 by transcoding your footage to something much more efficient on the processor such as ProRes or DNxHR (granted beginners won't know that, but it's worth knowing). Likewise if you export as DNxHR

Your points
- Davinci Resolve for a while now, including in the free version supports 4K in and 4K out, but not greater than consumer 4K (3096x2160, DCI 4K and above 4096x2160 isn't supported on free)
- If you don't have at least 16GB of system ram and a 4GB video card, Davinci Resolve struggles as its much more tuned to utilize hardware rather than rely on CPU/software. (Again by today's standard, that's not as difficult to come by)
- Currently, Davinci Resolve, as it has been since version 9 when BlackMagic bought them is a pay-once-keep-forever, though they don't explicitly state that, they have still not charged for upgrades. IF you paid $300 for Resolve 12 years ago, your dongle/serial still works for Resolve 18.

Also it really depends on what Nvidia GPU you had especially if we're talking about a time where HD (1080p) was a limitation of the free version.