How To Create Slow-Motion Effects In Davinci Resolve 2026

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Creating slow-motion effects in Davinci Resolve 2026 can add dramatic emphasis to your videos. This guide will walk you through the steps to achieve smooth slow-motion footage, whether you’re working with footage shot at high frame rates or want to manipulate existing clips.

Understanding Slow-Motion in Davinci Resolve 2026

Slow-motion involves playing footage at a slower speed than originally recorded. Davinci Resolve 2026 offers advanced tools to control playback speed, ensuring high-quality results. The key is to work with high-frame-rate footage or to interpolate frames for smooth motion.

Preparing Your Footage

For optimal slow-motion effects, shoot your footage at a high frame rate, such as 120fps or higher. This provides more frames to work with, resulting in smoother slow-motion playback. If your footage was shot at standard frame rates, you can still create slow-motion effects but may experience less smoothness.

Importing and Setting Up Your Project

Start Davinci Resolve 2026 and create a new project. Import your footage by dragging it into the Media Pool. Drag the clip onto the timeline to begin editing.

Applying Slow-Motion Effect

Follow these steps to create slow-motion effects:

  • Select the clip on the timeline.
  • Right-click the clip and choose Change Clip Speed.
  • In the dialog box, reduce the speed percentage (e.g., 50% for half speed).
  • Check the box for Ripple Sequence if you want the timeline to adjust automatically.
  • Click Change to apply the effect.

For clips shot at high frame rates, this method preserves smoothness. For standard frame rate footage, consider using optical flow or frame interpolation for better results.

Using Optical Flow for Smoother Slow-Motion

Davinci Resolve 2026 includes an optical flow feature that creates intermediate frames for smoother slow-motion. To enable this:

  • Right-click your clip in the Media Pool or on the timeline.
  • Select Retime and Scaling.
  • Choose Optical Flow from the Retime Process options.
  • Adjust the speed as needed.

This process interpolates frames, resulting in more natural slow-motion effects, especially with footage shot at lower frame rates.

Finalizing Your Slow-Motion Effect

After applying the slow-motion effect, review your footage. Adjust the speed percentage or optical flow settings if necessary. You can also add motion blur for more realism.

Exporting Your Video

Once satisfied, proceed to the Deliver page. Choose your preferred format and resolution. Export your project to share your slow-motion masterpiece.