Importing a JPEG into DaVinci

I'm still fairly new to DaVinci having switched over from Premiere. I've used it for several months without any problems. However, I recently tried to import a single JPEG image, but I could'nt do it. I tried to drag and drop the image into the timeline, but no luck. I've tried using different image files and checking the V1 box in the timeline to no avail.

[Peter Chamberlain]

Without the system OS and computers details, nor Resolve version its hard to guess.
Could you start with those and a link to your jpeg?

... I recently tried to import a single JPEG image, but I could'nt do it. I tried to drag and drop the image into the timeline, but no luck. I've tried using different image files and checking the V1 box in the timeline to no avail.

Have you tried dragging them into the Media Pool first rather than dragging them directly onto the timeline?

DaVinci 18.1.4 build 9, Mac OS 10.15.7
Yes, I've tried dragging the image to the media pool, but it doesn't work. Attached is the JPEG.

Go to the Media page. In the Media Storage panel (top left), navigate to the folder with the image file.

If it appears there, Resolve can use it. If it doesn't, Resolve can't use the file.

If it shows, right click and Add into Media Pool.

If there's something about the JPG that Resolve isn't liking then you can try using a tool like Photoshop to open it up and then re-save it.

Go to the Media page. In the Media Storage panel (top left), navigate to the folder with the image file.

If it appears there, Resolve can use it. If it doesn't, Resolve can't use the file.

If it shows, right click and Add into Media Pool.

And therein lies the problem. My jpegs...... and I've tried several of them... won't show up in the media page.

I am able to import TIFF files, so I suspect it has something to do with the file type.

[Dwaine Maggart]

Catalina isn't a supported OS for Resolve 18.1.4. But I seriously doubt that's the issue.

Your JPG works fine for me on macOS 12.6 and Resolve Studio 18.1.4.

However, I wonder if the way you've attached it to the forum thread might have modified it.

If you download the JPG from the forum thread and try that, does it work?

I tried downloading the jpeg from the forum...still doesn't work. I'm able to import certain TIFFs , though.

OK, I think I'm getting closer to figuring this out. I can import jpegs that were processed with Photoshop.
The problem seems to be images processed with Affinity Photo.

May be JPEG is cmyk profiled?
Should be rgb


Inviato dal mio iPhone utilizzando Tapatalk

May be JPEG is cmyk profiled?
Should be rgb


Inviato dal mio iPhone utilizzando Tapatalk

Ho controllato, l'imagine è stato esportato come RGB.

[Dwaine Maggart]

But again, downloading the image from the thread is working for me.

I've discovered that the problem seems to be with images processed with Affinity Photo. The older jpegs where I was using Photoshop work just fine, but the ones I've exported with Affinity are causing problems.
I need to figure out what the difference is. Both are RGB format.

But again, downloading the image from the thread is working for me.

The problem seems to be with Affinity Photo. I am able to import images processed with Photshop, but the ones done with Affinity won't import.

No problem with JPEGs out of Affinity Photo here. But then, it's under MacOS.

I tend to favor PNG exports from image editors. I do use Affinity, so try PNG instead. I've had no issues there.

The problem seems to be with Affinity Photo. I am able to import images processed with Photshop, but the ones done with Affinity won't import.

Any chance you are accidentally saving as JPEG 2000 in Affinity. I just tried this (in Photoshop). These don't import and there is no error message.

The problem seems to be with Affinity Photo. I am able to import images processed with Photshop, but the ones done with Affinity won't import.

Any chance you are accidentally saving as JPEG 2000 in Affinity. I just tried this (in Photoshop). These don't import and there is no error message.

As far as I can tell they are exported as jpegs. In fact, I don't even know how to export as a jpeg 2000.

OK, I think I figured it out. I am able to import jpegs or other image files when I take them directly from a folder on the hard drive or external drive. However, if the images/files are on my desktop, I can't import them from there. Once I move an image from the desktop into a folder on my internal or external drive, I can import into DaVinci.

OK, I think I figured it out. I am able to import jpegs or other image files when I take them directly from a folder on the hard drive or external drive. However, if the images/files are on my desktop, I can't import them from there. Once I move an image from the desktop into a folder on my internal or external drive, I can import into DaVinci.

I don't have any problems dragging a photo from the desktop into Resolve.

Are you sure that it's an actual JPG file on the desktop and not just a shortcut? In Windows, a shortcut will have a arrow overlaid on the the lower-left corner of the icon. A shortcut file is not an actual image, and Resolve won't import it.

Shortcut on the left, actual image file on the right:

Shortcut-vs-JPG.jpg (6.54 KiB) Viewed 3276 times

OK, I think I figured it out. I am able to import jpegs or other image files when I take them directly from a folder on the hard drive or external drive. However, if the images/files are on my desktop, I can't import them from there. Once I move an image from the desktop into a folder on my internal or external drive, I can import into DaVinci.

I don't have any problems dragging a photo from the desktop into Resolve.

Are you sure that it's an actual JPG file on the desktop and not just a shortcut? In Windows, a shortcut will have a arrow overlaid on the the lower-left corner of the icon. A shortcut file is not an actual image, and Resolve won't import it.

Shortcut on the left, actual image file on the right:

Shortcut-vs-JPG.jpg

I'm on a Mac....and yes, they are actual jpegs. If I move the file from the desktop to a folder on the internal or external drive, then I can import it.

If some specific location doesn't work it is probably related to path resolving. Desktop sits under user folder somewhere and if your username contains some special characters for example, it might cause problems. For sanitys sake it is always best to keep all folder paths with ascii characters only, and no spaces. Never know when some command line tool or whatnot starts complaining.

Just ridiculously complicated to do such a simple task.

I too had the same issue where jpegs on an external hard drive would not import into my media pool. So I dragged the jpeg folder to my desktop and, violá, they imported with no issues. Seems that Resolve doesn’t like jpegs on external hard drives.

Thank you for helping solve the problem.

Just yesterday I had to drag a few JPEGs in from an external storage. No problem.

I too had the same issue where jpegs on an external hard drive would not import into my media pool. So I dragged the jpeg folder to my desktop and, violá, they imported with no issues. Seems that Resolve doesn’t like jpegs on external hard drives.

I often warn people "H.264 is bad for post," but a highly-compressed still like JPG files are also bad for post. Many, many times we had to deal with client sessions where because their editor had used JPGs for graphics, we had to first render them in place to something more post-friendly like DPX or even ProRes files (like ProRes 422, more than enough for an 8-bit graphics format). Once we did that, we could media manage the entire session without errors.

My suspicion (not confirmed) is that the lack of timecode and lack of precision in the timeline position throws off the XML list. Plus you have a bunch of JPGs that all "seem" to start with 00:00:00:00. Similar file names could compound the situation. Once we avoided JPGs and H.264, all the conforms went easier and the Media Mangement was flawless. I have not experimented with TIFFs or PNGs, but I'm guessing they might be better (but would have to check it).

For Media Management you are absolutely right.
But not opening at all is kind of weird.

If I move the file from the desktop to a folder on the internal or external drive, then I can import it.

You may not have given DR access rights to your desktop.

"You may not have given DR access rights to your desktop."

I think that was the issue, thanks.

For Media Management you are absolutely right. But not opening at all is kind of weird.

I agree -- that sounds like a drive permissions problem.