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DaVinci Resolve's latest version adds more than 100 new features

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DaVinci Resolve's latest version adds more than 100 new features


Image: Blackmagic

The NAB 2025 show is underway, with plenty of announcements related to broadcasting and filmmaking coming out. Among those was a lengthy livestream from Blackmagic Design that revealed multiple new products and software tools, including the latest version of its video editing platform. Blackmagic calls DaVinci Resolve 20 “a major new update which adds over 100 new features.” Unsurprisingly, many of those new features are AI-related and aimed at speeding up and simplifying the editing process.

The updates cover just about every step of the editing process and touch most aspects of the editing program. You can see all of the update details in the press release below, but there are some standout features worth mentioning. First, AI IntelliScript can automatically create timelines based on the original project script. This is done by first creating an automatic transcription of the video files and then uploading the original script text file. DaVinci Resolve chooses the best takes but provides alternative takes in additional tracks so that you can easily review those as well.

davinci-resolve-20-update-transcript-timeline
Image: Blackmagic

The company says the IntelliScript doesn’t require an exact match to the original script, as similar wording is matched. You can also create a script after the fact by uploading the transcription of the master take and using that as the basis for the timeline. In a similar vein, AI Multicam SmartSwitch promises to automatically switch between multiple camera angles based on the active speaker in each scene.

Also coming to DaVinci Resolve 20 is a tool for animating subtitles. The AI Animated Subtitles feature uses the transcription tool to generate a subtitle track on a timeline, automatically animating them with highlighted text as things are spoken. AI Detect Music Beats will analyze “beat-driven music” and automatically place markers on each beat, making it easier to edit clips to the beat of the music.

davinci-resolve-20-update-animated-subtitles
Image: Blackmagic

Blackmagic also announced AI Set Extender, which sounds similar to Adobe Premiere Pro’s Generative Extend. Blackmagic didn’t provide extensive information on the feature but says it “creates a scene extension to fill an entire frame based on a simple text prompt.”

While many of the standout features are AI-related, there are plenty of updates to hands-on tools as well. For example, Blackmagic Cloud support will now offer better collaboration tools. Blackmagic also changed the cut, edit and color pages when working with a vertical timeline or project, aimed at optimizing the vertical viewer without wasted space or needing to constantly zoom.

davinci-resolve-20-update-voiceover
Image: Blackmagic

The voiceover palette tool makes it easier to record voiceovers directly into the timeline, providing cue, record and stop controls. Plus, there’s quick access to voice isolation and dialogue leveling tools. Blackmagic also added a “full audio mixer with professional loudness metering” to the cut page, allowing users to mix and monitor audio while recording, editing and finishing their content.

“This is a massive update this year, with AI tools and new features that help to speed up every stage of our customer’s workflow” said Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO. “By automating tasks that take a long time manually or are tedious, with features such as keyframe editing, voice over palettes, live overwrite and multi-layer compositing tools, our customers are free to spend more time than ever being creative. The new processing code we’ve been rewriting over the last few years is an amazing base to be able to build these new features on. It’s exciting to see how we can provide tools with DaVinci Resolve to help our customers spend more time exploring their creativity.”

You can see a comprehensive list of all the features on the DaVinci Resolve 20 product page, or in the press release below. DaVinci Resolve 20 public beta is now available for download from the Blackmagic Design website. The standard version is free to download, however you’ll need DaVinci Resolve Studio 20 for $325 to unlock the advanced editing tools.

Press release:

Blackmagic Design Announces DaVinci Resolve 20

Massive update adds over 100 new features including DaVinci AI tools, keyframe editor, voice over palettes, multi-layer compositing tools plus chroma warp, Magic Mask 2 and more!

NAB 2025, Las Vegas, USA – Friday, April 4, 2025 – Blackmagic Design today announced DaVinci Resolve 20 a major new update which adds over 100 new features and AI tools such as AI IntelliScript, AI Animated Subtitles, AI Multicam SmartSwitch and AI Audio Assistant, as well as keyframe editing, voice over palettes, multi layer compositing tools, new optical flow vector tools and major updates to Magic Mask and depth map. DaVinci Resolve 20 public beta is available for download now from the Blackmagic Design web site.

The DaVinci Resolve 20 will be demonstrated on the Blackmagic Design NAB 2025 booth #SL216.

DaVinci Resolve 20 introduces more than 100 new features including powerful AI tools designed to assist customers with all stages of their workflow. Use AI IntelliScript to create timelines based on a text script, AI Animated Subtitles to animate words as they are spoken, and AI Multicam SmartSwitch to assemble a timeline with camera angles based on speaker detection. The cut and edit pages introduce a dedicated keyframe editor and voiceover palettes, and AI Audio Assistant analyzes the timeline audio and intelligently creates a professional audio mix. In Fusion, explore advanced multi layer compositing workflows. The Color Warper now includes Chroma Warp, plus Magic Mask and Depth Map have huge updates.

New features in Blackmagic Cloud include Cloud folders, which lets customers easily share extra clips, images or graphics for a project with other collaborators. All cloud content appears as virtual clips and folders until used in a project, after which it is synced locally. Customers can access large amounts of media while keeping their media pool organized.

Customers can also now review projects in Presentations with clients who don’t have a Blackmagic Cloud account. To activate guest access simply generate a URL link of the Presentation customers want to review and share it with clients. Customers can review clips, make notes on the timeline using markers and even group chat.

Cloud storage has also been updated with an icon view that displays thumbnails of all clips so customers can visually identify them and manage their media. Hovering over thumbnails lets customers scrub through the content for quick media preview. The inspector panel displays camera and clip metadata, as well as production notes.

On the cut, edit and color pages, when a vertical timeline or project is loaded, the page layouts automatically rearrange to optimize working with a vertical viewer. Tools and palettes are moved to ensure that customers have maximum use of the screen without wasted space and without the need to constantly zoom.

The voiceover palette on the cut page records a voice over track during timeline playback. Customers get cue, record, and stop controls, plus quick access to voice isolation and dialogue leveling tools. A dedicated track is added automatically. Customers can load and work with a prompter script and a countdown.

A dedicated keyframe editor in the cut and edit pages allows for finer parameter animation. Use the keyframe curves and parameter modes to edit keyframes and customize animation shape with ease controls. Customers can also use the keyframe tray below the timeline to review and navigate timeline keyframes.

The Text+ tool has been updated to include the layout’s point, text box, circle or path styles giving customers more refined control over the layout of their text graphics. When working with PSD files on a timeline, customers can choose to split the PSD layers in place in order to work with each individual layer.

The MultiText tool creates multiple text layers in one place for greater flexibility. Customers can use the inspector tabs to set individual style parameters within each text layer, including appearance, layout, warping and keyframe animation. The text list lets customers navigate, rearrange, lock, and delete layers.

On the cut page, customers can now drag directly in the viewer to live overwrite a camera angle directly into the timeline. With the sync bin active, or when in multi source mode, customers can drag horizontally to live paint at the playhead, or drag down to turn the angle into a draggable clip.

The cut page now also has a safe trimming mode to prevent crucial edits from being accidentally overwritten. Customers can drag trim points to quickly fill gaps in the timeline. When they reach a cut point, DaVinci Resolve will pause. If they do want to overwrite the edit, just keep dragging to trim the adjacent clip.

A full audio mixer with professional loudness metering has also been added to the cut page. Each channel strip has a left-right pan slider, fader, solo, and mute buttons, plus professional panning, EQ, Dynamics, and FX controls. Now customers can mix and monitor audio while they record, edit and finish their show.

On the edit page, the voiceover tool lets customers record directly into the timeline. There are quick controls to set file name, audio input and destination track. With automatic track selection and customization options like countdown and input monitoring, creating a voice over has never been easier.

On the color page, new chroma warp lets customers intuitively adjust color and saturation with a single motion in the viewer. The stroke control moves colors in one direction, while the point to point mode isolates regions for more precise hue correction. Customers can add pin points to isolate regions customers do not want to affect.

When streaming remotely, customers can choose to display power windows and other overlays on the reference monitor. This is helpful for remote workflows where the grading system is in a separate location from the colorist, or their client, and their local monitor. Customers can also now stream H.265 4:2:2.

Fusion now offers deep image compositing tools, so customers can access the depth data found in deep image EXR files. A range of new nodes allows customers to merge, transform, resize, crop, recolor, and generate holdouts. Render from Fusion’s 3D environment and export deep EXR’s with the Fusion saver node.

Support has also been added for multi-layer images across all nodes. Fusion can read multi-layer EXRs or photoshop files, preview the layers in the viewer, and access and manipulate any layer in any node. Now artists have seamless layer interaction without needing independent renders of a source file.

Vector warp, vector transform, and vector denoise are new optical flow vector tools integrated within Fusion. These tools enable intricate temporal effects by leveraging motion vectors. Utilizing a clip’s natural movement for warping and denoising presents a powerful time saving solution for artists.

Fusion’s PanoMap, spherical stabilizer, LatLong patcher, 3D VR camera and the 3D viewers have been updated to support 180-degree angle of view to allow production of immersive content. Customers can also render 3D scenes to VR180 using a spherical camera and Renderer3D for a simplified production process.

The enhanced Dome light is a 3D tool that simulates natural ambient lighting in a 3D scene. It allows the integration of 360 HDRI images for accurate reflections and global illumination. Now customers can create more realistic environments, ensuring their 3D models respond convincingly to light conditions.

Customers can now preview color page clip grades directly in the Fusion page viewer through the MediaOut node. This will give customers a better representation of their final composition and save customers time by not requiring customers to leave the Fusion page every time customers need to review the final look of a clip.

Clip EQ now features 6 bands on the cut, edit and Fairlight pages. This allows for more tonal control at the clip level, and matches the track EQ in the mixer. So now customers can easily copy and paste settings between the clip, track and EQ plug-in for more consistent, flexible and precise control.

Fairlight has two new clip processing options that lets customers adjust a target clip’s audio to match a reference clip’s level or tonal spectrum. EQ match is dynamic and is automatically automated across their clip to maintain a tonal match. Level Matcher lets customers seamlessly intercut clip sections without manual changes.

If customers have a favorite group of plugins that they need to apply together, customers can now build a Chain FX to include them, each with customized settings and saved as presets. Customers can have up to six effects within a chain and also combine Chain FX plugins for longer chains in the channel effects slots.

Fairlight now features per-channel automation mode selection allowing for more flexibility and creative control when mixing their projects. In a single pass customers can now dynamically adjust multiple individual tracks and have some channel automation settings in Snap, some in Latch, and others in Trim.

The AI Set Extender creates a scene extension to fill an entire frame based on a simple text prompt. Highlight the area customers want to extend, and missing regions caused by limited clip angles, blanking and cropping will be auto generated. Customers can even create new backgrounds behind foreground objects.

DaVinci Resolve Studio 20 also introduces powerful new features for Apple Immersive Video on Apple Vision Pro. Filmmakers can effortlessly edit, color grade, mix Spatial Audio, and deliver Apple Immersive Video captured using the new Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive camera, which is starting to roll out to an initial set of customers. Customers can pre-order URSA Cine Immersive here.

Customers can use AI IntelliScript to automatically generate timelines based on the original project script. AI IntelliScript will match the transcribed audio in media clips to the script and construct a timeline of the best selected takes, with any alternative takes placed on additional tracks for editor review.

AI Dialogue Matcher is a powerful tool that automatically matches the tone, level, and room environment of dialogue. Customers can match audio from two totally different clips for audio consistency. Match dialogue recorded in different environments, on different devices, or on shoots spanning several days.

Automatically adjust a music track’s length to fit a video using AI Music Extender. The audio clip is analyzed and a music edit is extended or shortened to match. Customers get four versions to chose from, visual edit indicators, and the ability to decompose sections. It’s a fast, flexible way to tailor music to visuals.

Keep a viewer’s attention in videos with subtitles that are animated as words are spoken using AI Animated Subtitles. Use the transcription tool to generate a subtitle track on their timeline and then drag the animated Fusion title templates onto the track header to change the appearance and animation style of the text.

In the edit page, AI Multicam SmartSwitch automatically switches multi-cam angles based on the active speaker in a scene. After creating a multi-cam clip, click SmartSwitch in the multi-cam viewer. SmartSwitch analyzes and automatically selects clip angles based on audio, and lip movement in the video.

The revolutionary AI Voice Convert tool applies a pre-generated voice model to an existing voice recording, retaining its inflections, pitch variation, and emotion. Improve their own voice if recorded in a noisy environment, or create perfect ADR using the original actor’s own voice.

DaVinci Resolve’s SuperScale now features 3x and 4x enhanced upscaling, ensuring the highest visual quality of all media in a project, regardless of source resolution. Perfect for working with archival material or stock footage that needs to be matched to the deliverable resolution.

AI Magic Mask has been updated for even more accurate tracking within a single mode. Use points to select people, objects and regions, and paint tools to refine the selection faster than ever. Magic Mask intuitively tracks the motion of a selected area, even around obstructions and in low quality clips.

The AI Depth Map effect has been updated for faster scene analysis and more practical mattes. Quickly isolate foreground characters to make them pop against their environment or apply lens blur to the background of a shot. Customers can refine the resulting matte and isolate specific depths for grading.

AI IntelliCut provides powerful clip-based audio processing, automating time consuming tasks in seconds. Remove silence removes low level or silent areas for a cleaner audio track. Customers can split dialogue into a separate track per speaker for individual mixing and create an ADR list to replace dialogue.

When a timeline has audio elements that are not mixed or balanced, AI Audio Assistant can automatically create a professional audio mix. Audio Assistant organizes tracks, evens out dialogue levels, adjusts sound effects and music to the dialogue track, and automatically creates a mastered final mix.

When editing to the beat, customers can use the AI Detect Music Beats function to analyze audio clips containing beat-driven music and automatically place markers to indicate beats. Customers can use these as visual indicators for cut points, or drag to snap clips to the beat’s markers at the nearest frame.

“This is a massive update this year, with AI tools and new features hat help to speed up every stage of our customer’s workflow” said Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO. “By automating tasks that take a long time manually or are tedious, with features such as keyframe editing, voice over palettes, live overwrite and multi-layer compositing tools, our customers are free to spend more time than ever being creative. The new processing code we’ve been rewriting over the last few years is an amazing base to be able to build these new features on. It’s exciting to see how we can provide tools with DaVinci Resolve to help our customers spend more time exploring their creativity”

DaVinci Resolve 20 Features

  • Import Blackmagic Cloud Shared folders to media pool.
  • New optimized UI layouts option for vertical videos on cut, edit and color pages.
  • Voiceover palette with cue, voice tools and teleprompter.
  • Improved keyframing with dedicated curve view and timeline drawer.
  • Text+ paragraph, line wrapping and bounding tools.
  • MultiText tool with layers and easy transform, clip and wrap controls.
  • Live overwrite now supports edit keys and search dial.
  • Mouse drag to live overwrite multi source and sync bin.
  • Trim with safe edit avoids overwriting adjacent clips.
  • Full featured audio mixer added to cut page.
  • Voiceover tool with record and monitor options in edit page.
  • Chroma Color Warper grading.
  • Display viewer overlays for remote monitoring.
  • Stream and monitor H.265 4:2:2 on supported hardware.
  • Deep image compositing toolset.
  • Multi layer pipelining for OpenEXR, PSD and stereoscopic 3D.
  • Vector warping toolset for image patching and cleanup.
  • Fusion support for 180 VR.
  • 3D Scene Dome Light.
  • View color page grade in media out node on Fusion page.
  • Clip EQ now features 6 bands.
  • EQ and Level Matcher processes match tone and clip levels.
  • EQ and Gain now also available as Fairlight FX plugins.
  • Fairlight Chain FX to create and restore frequently chained plugins.
  • Resolve FX AI Set Extender.
  • AI IntelliScript creates timelines with a user provided script.
  • AI Dialogue Matcher matches clip tone, level and reverberance.
  • AI Music Editor automatically edits music to desired length.
  • AI animated subtitles highlights or animates spoken words.
  • AI Multicam SmartSwitch for automatic angle switching.
  • AI Voice Convert with built-in and user trainable models.
  • AI SuperScale now includes 3x and 4x enhanced upscaling.
  • AI Magic Mask v2 with paint brush.
  • AI Resolve FX Depth Map v2.
  • AI IntelliCut to remove silences.
  • AI IntelliCut to checkerboard dialogue by speaker.
  • AI IntelliCut to generate ADR Cues using transcription speaker info.
  • AI Audio Assistant automatically creates a finished mix.
  • AI Detect Music Beats displays and allows beat snapping.

Availability and Price

DaVinci Resolve 20 public beta is available now for download from the Blackmagic Design web site.



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Accessory Roundup: flashes, picture frames and more

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Accessory Roundup: flashes, picture frames and more


Images: Godox, Fujifilm, Aura and Sony

It’s been a busy week here at the DPReview offices, but we’ve still been able to comb through the accessory releases to find some new and interesting products. We’ll be taking a look at an upgraded digital picture frame, some new flashes and more. But first, as always, the deals!

Sales of the week

om-5-in-hand
Photo: OM System

OM System’s OM-5 is a small, lightweight camera that comes with a bunch of computational photography features and an IP53 weather resistance rating. It’s currently on sale for $300 off, which means you can pick it and a lens up for under $1000.

panasonic-g9ii-in-hand
Photo: Panasonic

Like the OM-5, Panasonic’s G9 II uses a Four Thirds sensor, though it packs it into a much larger body. It can shoot at much faster burst rates and has an extremely capable suite of video features, and it’s currently $200 off.

Bring on the light

This week, both Sony and Godox each unveiled updated versions of their flash units. Sony quietly released replacements for its HVL-F46RM and HVL-F28RM units, adding an A to the name of both, while Godox announced the third iteration of its TT520.

sony-flash-units
On the left is the HVL-F46RMA with the HVL-F28RMA on the right.

Image: Sony

The HVL-F28RMA is a compact and relatively affordable unit. Sony says it redesigned the flash head and internal layout, resulting in a smaller flash that suits compact mirrorless cameras. It offers wireless radio communication and a dust- and moisture-resistant design.

Pre-order at B&H
The HVL-F46RMA is a wireless radio flash that supports the a9 III’s ultra-fast sync speeds, syncing up to 1/80,000 sec. It also offers intelligent communication with compatible cameras, allowing you to control various parameters within the camera itself and it works with the camera’s face detection autofocus.

Pre-order at B&H

godox-TT520-III
Image: Godox

Godox’s updated flash, the TT520 III, features an LCD screen, which the previous model lacks. It offers eight levels of power control in 1/3 stop increments and Godox promises up to 400 full-power flashes with a 1.8 sec recycle. The flash also supports 433MHz wireless triggering for flexible off-camera use. Godox didn’t provide specifics on when it would be available or how much it’ll cost, and retailers – including the Godox website – currently don’t have it listed.

Show off your work

aura-Aspen-Clay
Image: Aura

Digital picture frame company Aura recently announced its latest model, the Aspen. It offers a 12-inch anti-glare HD display with a paper-textured mat around it. Even with the built-in stand, it’s just 1.1 inches thick, so it won’t take up much space on an end table or bookshelf. A built-in speaker allows you to play videos, and the app provides unlimited storage and simple sharing tools.

Buy at Aura

Buy at Amazon

A pricing update

person-shooting-with-fujifilm-instax-mini-41
Image: Fujifilm

On April 8, Fujifilm announced the Fujifilm Mini 41, but at the time, it didn’t reveal US pricing for its latest instant camera. Fujifilm recently informed us that the camera will cost $130, though B&H has it listed at $100. B&H may be behind on updating the pricing, but it isn’t clear at this time.

Pre-order at B&H

The most adorable cameras

Nikon mini cameras
Image: Bandai Namco

While not a broad release that you can purchase online, a fun find this week was broader access to Nikon gashapon. Nikon announced a collaboration with Bandai Namco last year, bringing a set of miniature Nikon cameras to gashapon capsule vending machines in Japan. Now, they’ve made their way to the US. If your local store has the Nikon machine*, you can put some money into it, and it’ll spit out either a Nikon F, Z Fc, SP or Z9, complete with a matching lens that can actually be removed from the camera and placed onto another one.

* – We here at the DPReview office took a field trip to our local Uwajimaya to try and find one and were partially successful – the machine was there, but the capsules were sadly out of stock.

A surprising use for the Sony a9 III

Finally, for this week’s video, we’re sharing a unique use of the Sony a9 III. Arc Eye is using multiple a9 IIIs along with ILX-LR1 industrial box cameras to create 3D photogrammetry & 4D volumetric content for both creative and industrial use. The video only shows the setup, not the final results, but it is a wild contraption and fascinating to see the broad application of the camera.

Read last week’s roundup



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Firmware Friday: Nikon and Sony headline this week's updates

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Firmware Friday: Nikon and Sony headline this week's updates


Photo: DPReview

This week brought a wave of firmware updates from Sony and Nikon, targeting full-frame and APS-C models. Sony released new software for the a7C, a7 III and ZV-E10, delivering stability improvements and minor tweaks. Nikon released updates for its flagship mirrorless Z9 and the newer Z50II, aiming to refine performance and fix a few lingering bugs. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s new.

Sony

a7C updates for Version 2.01 (Mac) and (Windows)

a7 III updates for Version 4.02 (Mac) and (Windows)

ZV-E10 updates for Version 2.02 (Mac) and (Windows)

  • Allows the camera to display a notification when new software is available
    WPA and WEP functionalities are no longer supported.
  • You can no longer select WPA or WEP when connecting to Wi-Fi. Please use the more secure WPA2 moving forward.
  • Improves the operational stability of the camera.
  • Note: This update is only available for Windows and macOS. A memory card version is not provided.

Please note: the firmware updates are identical across these three camera models.

Nikon

Z9 updates for Version 5.20 (Mac) and (Windows)

  • Added support for “NX Field,” a remote shooting system for corporate users. Note: “NX Field” app for smart devices may not be available in some countries and regions.
  • Renamed d14 [Display on during burst] in [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU].
  • Fixed the following issues:
    • Pressing the playback button after repeatedly shooting bursts would in rare cases corrupt the display of all images.
    • In rare circumstances, optimal exposure could not be achieved during burst shooting after changing the exposure in mode M.
    • In synchronized release, pressing the shutter-release button of the master camera halfway initiated autofocus on the remote camera with the following setting selected. ▸ [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU] > a6 [AF activation] > [AF-ON only]

Z50II updates for Version 1.01 (Mac) and (Windows)

  • Pre-Release Capture is now available using a SmallRig SR-RG2.
  • Added “русский” (Russian) to [Language] in [SETUP MENU] for Z50II cameras sold in the Middle East region.
  • Renamed d13 [Display on during burst] in [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU].
  • Fixed the following issues:
    • In rare cases, the camera would stop responding when it was reconnected to SnapBridge after it was connected to Nikon Imaging Cloud while connecting to SnapBridge.
    • In synchronized release, pressing the shutter-release button of the master camera halfway initiated autofocus on the remote camera with the following setting selected:
      ▸ [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU] > a6 [AF activation] > [AF-ON only]

That’s it for this week. Make sure to check in every Friday, from here on out, for a round-up of firmware updates on all major camera models. Have a great weekend!



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Photography industry embraces change and innovation, Zenfolio's 2025 report finds

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Photography industry embraces change and innovation, Zenfolio's 2025 report finds


The photography industry has weathered economic uncertainty, technological disruption and rising operational costs. However, according to Zenfolio’s newly released 2025 State of the Photography Industry report, conducted in partnership with other creative businesses including Format, ShootProof and Professional Photographers of America (PPA), it’s also finding strength through adaptability, community and more thoughtful business strategies.

Now in its 6th consecutive year, the report draws on insights from more than 4,500 photographers in 70 countries. North Americans accounted for 79% of the participants, while photographers from Korea and Bolivia chimed in for the first time. The findings reveal an industry in transition but not in retreat.

One of the standout trends is the return to personalized service. Photographers who conduct viewing appointments after a shoot see as much as 20% more revenue than those who rely on online delivery alone. “Clients value the personal touch,” the report notes, adding that face-to-face sessions create opportunities to upsell prints and foster long-term relationships.

Zenfolio State of Photography
A sign of the times? Full-time, self-employed work is on the rise compared to part-time.

Copyright: © Zenfolio

As it turns out, adaptability pays off. Photographers who expanded their service offerings by pivoting to additional genres such as corporate headshots, drone photography, newborn portraits or sporting events were often rewarded with lucrative revenue streams. The report highlights that being open to last-minute gigs and unfamiliar styles that breach one’s comfort zone is now a competitive advantage instead of a compromise.

Nevertheless, the financial pressure is real. Between 65 and 70% of photographers reported increased business costs in 2024, including equipment and insurance. Zenfolio encourages professionals to revisit their pricing strategies and delivery models. Many new photographers still rely on selling digital files, but seasoned pros continue to profit from print sales. Print credits and tiered packages are recommended methods for boosting margins.

Technological change, particularly AI, is also reshaping the industry. Rather than replacing photographers, AI tools are helping them streamline their workflows. From culling and editing to delivering final images, that efficiency frees up more time to focus on the creative vision and client service that can’t be automated.

AI Zenfolio State of Photography Survey
AI tools help with workflow so photographers can focus on other aspects of the business, especially creative vision.

Copyright: © Zenfolio

Drone photography was introduced to the survey for the first time this year. The findings include that it is not only gaining traction but outpacing smartphone use among professional photographers. While the adoption of mirrorless cameras saw a slight dip, traditional cameras remain dominant.

Finally, the report underscores a less tangible but perhaps more critical theme: the value of community. From online forums to local peer groups, photographers who engage with one another are more likely to grow in business, confidence and creativity. State of the Photography Industry 2025 is free to view and includes helpful advice and actionable tips.



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