Best Way to Import H.265 to Davinci Resolve for Editing

H.265 or HEVC, short for High Efficiency Video Coding, is an increasingly popular video codec built to succeed the already limited H.264 encoding standard by delivering support for 4K and even 8K resolutions, all while making HD video streaming more practical. HEVC is not a friendly video format to Davinci Resolve. Up to now, Davinci Resolve including Davinci Resolve 12.5 doesn't support H.265/HEVC video.

However, HEVC/H.265 video is getting the video standard. If you love to record video files with DJI Phantom 4 Pro or Sony 4K handycam, you will meet H.265/HEVC video files. In addition, Samsung’s NX1 and NX500 mirrorless cameras also user HEVC codec to encode video. So Davinci Resolve doesn't support HEVC codec video, you can't edit your DJI Phantom 4 Pro, Sony FDR-AX1 Camera Recorder footages in Davinci Resolve directly. Is there any way to import H.265/HEVC clips into Davinci Resolve for editing? Fortunately, when Davinci Resolve does not come with support for HVEC, then you could convert the H.265 video files to Davinci Resolve compatible codec video with HEVC Converter.

Best H.265 Video Converter for Davinci Resolve

Pavtube Video Converter for Mac is a lightweight tool that allows you to convert H.265 video files to Davinci Resolve supported DNxHD video files with the least amount of effort on your behalf. It also can convert H.265 video to Davinci Resolve supported Apple ProRes 4444, Apple ProRes 422 (HQ), Apple ProRes 422, Apple ProRes 422 (LT), Apple ProRes 422 (Proxy).

In the Profile Editor you can set up video codes, video frame rate, video bitrate, audio codes, audio bitrate, audio channel. Moreover, you can crop trim the H.265 video before output. While the app's UI is clearly no looker, it does feature an intuitive layout that allows even the most inexperienced users to find their way with ease. Select the input H.265 File, the output location and file name, and that's about it if you choose to go with the default settings.

For Windows users, you can turn to Pavtube Video Converter to convert H.265 to Davinci Resolve accepted video format.

Steps to Convert H.265 to Davinci Resolve

Step 1. Load H.265 files

Here you can directly drag & drop the H.265 files to the converter, or click “Add Video” or “Add from folder” button on the top menu to browse and choose H.265 files. Batch conversion is supported here.

Step 2: Specify output file format for Davinci Resolve

Click "Format" bar, from its drop-down list, select Davinci Resolve best supported editing codec such as "Avid DNxHD (*.mov)" from "Avid Media Composer" main category menu extended list. Click “Settings” button if you’d like to customize advanced audio and video parameters like Video Codec, aspect ratio, bit rate, frame rate, Audio codec, sample rate, audio channels.

Step 3: Edit video. (Optional)

Before loading your video into Davinci Resolve for professional video editing, you can complete some basic video editing task with the program's built-in video editing function. Check an item to active the "Video Editor" function, then click the pencil like icon on the top tool bar to open the "Video Editor" window, you can trim video length, crop video black bars, add watermark, apply sepcial rendering effect, remove/replace audio in video, etc.

Step 3. Start H.265 to Davinci Resolve conversion

After all the settings are done, simply click the Convert button to start transcoding H.265/HEVC files to DNxHD mov for Davinci Resolve on Mac.

When the conversion is done, click "Open Output Folder" button to pop out the folder with converted files, then you can add those files into DaVinci Resolve Media Pool without any issues.

What's Next? Price: $35