How to Add Keyframes on Dynamic Zoom in DaVinci Resolve

DaVinci Resolve's Dynamic Zoom tool offers a fast way to create smooth push-in or pull-out effects on clips — but knowing how to add keyframes on top of that effect opens up a much wider range of motion control. Whether you want a subtle slow zoom that accelerates mid-clip or a complex multi-point camera move, understanding how keyframes interact with Dynamic Zoom is the key to getting precise results.

What Is Dynamic Zoom in DaVinci Resolve?

Dynamic Zoom is a built-in feature found in the Inspector panel within the Edit page. It works by defining two rectangles on your clip: a start frame and an end frame. Resolve then automatically interpolates a smooth zoom between those two positions over the duration of the clip.

It's a two-point system by default — start and end. The motion between them uses Resolve's Smooth or Linear easing options, which you can toggle directly in the Dynamic Zoom settings.

This is fast and effective for simple moves. The limitation comes when you need the zoom to pause, reverse, change speed mid-clip, or interact with other transform properties. That's where keyframes become essential.

How Dynamic Zoom and Keyframes Work Together 🎬

Dynamic Zoom doesn't use the standard keyframe track the way Zoom, Position, or Rotation parameters do in the Inspector. It operates somewhat independently. However, there are two main approaches to adding keyframe-based control to zoom motion in Resolve:

Approach 1: Use the Standard Transform Parameters Instead of Dynamic Zoom

If you need full keyframe control, the most reliable method is to bypass Dynamic Zoom entirely and use the Zoom and Position parameters in the Inspector directly.

Here's how:

1. Select your clip on the timeline.
2. Open the Inspector panel (top right of the Edit page).
3. Find the Zoom parameter under the Transform section.
4. Move your playhead to the start of the clip.
5. Click the diamond icon (keyframe button) next to the Zoom parameter — or right-click and choose Add Keyframe.
6. Move the playhead to a later point in the clip.
7. Adjust the Zoom value to your desired end state. A second keyframe is created automatically.
8. Repeat for Position X/Y if you need the zoom to shift toward a specific part of the frame.

This gives you full, editable keyframes visible in the timeline keyframe track below each clip.

Approach 2: Keyframe Dynamic Zoom Start and End Points via the Inspector

If you specifically want to use the Dynamic Zoom workflow:

1. Select your clip and open the Inspector.
2. Enable Dynamic Zoom by clicking the toggle switch.
3. You'll see the green (start) and red (end) overlay rectangles on the viewer.
4. To keyframe the Dynamic Zoom properties themselves, right-click on the Dynamic Zoom section header in the Inspector.
5. Choose Add Keyframe at the playhead position.
6. Move the playhead and adjust the start/end zoom rectangles to create a new keyframe state.

⚠️ Note: Keyframing Dynamic Zoom this way affects the entire Dynamic Zoom block as a parameter group. It's more limited than keyframing individual transform values, and behavior can vary depending on your version of Resolve.

Opening the Keyframe Editor for Fine-Tuning

Once keyframes are set, you can refine them using the Keyframe Editor:

1. Click the small keyframe icon at the far right of the clip in the timeline to expand the keyframe track.
2. Alternatively, go to View > Show Curve Editor in the Edit page.
3. In the Curve Editor, you can adjust the easing handles on each keyframe to control acceleration and deceleration — making a zoom feel gradual, punchy, or elastic depending on the curve shape.

Variables That Affect Your Approach

The right method depends on several factors specific to your project:

• Clip length — Very short clips leave little room for multi-keyframe sequences. Dynamic Zoom's two-point system may be sufficient.
• Complexity of the move — A simple push-in needs two keyframes at most. A zoom that pauses, then continues, needs three or more with manual curve editing.
• Whether you're also animating position — Combining zoom and position keyframes requires working in the Transform parameters, not Dynamic Zoom, to keep everything synchronized.
• Your Resolve version — Keyframe behavior in the Inspector has evolved across versions. Some older builds handle Dynamic Zoom keyframing differently than recent releases.
• Fusion vs. Edit page — For highly complex zoom animations, some editors move the work into the Fusion page, where keyframes on transform nodes offer surgical precision with full curve control.

The Difference Between Edit Page and Fusion Page Keyframing

On the Edit page, keyframes are clip-level and tied to Inspector parameters — fast to set up, straightforward for most zoom work. On the Fusion page, every node has its own Spline editor with independent keyframe tracks, making it more powerful but significantly more technical.

Most zoom keyframing tasks — including Dynamic Zoom customization — can be handled entirely on the Edit page. Moving to Fusion is typically only warranted when the motion complexity exceeds what Inspector keyframes can express, or when the zoom needs to interact with compositing layers.

What that threshold looks like in practice depends heavily on the type of content you're editing, how the zoom functions within your overall cut, and how much control you need over the motion path between frames.