Adobe unveils major updates to Premiere Pro focusing on colour & speed

Adobe has introduced major updates for its video editing software, Adobe Premiere Pro (beta), focusing on colour management and performance enhancements.

The updates aim to provide faster and more efficient workflows for video editors, addressing longstanding community requests.

The latest beta version includes a new colour management system designed to handle raw and log formats from almost any camera, transforming footage instantly upon import without the need for LUTs. Adobe's new system automatically converts raw and log footage into high-quality images, aiming to simplify colour management for editors of all experience levels.

"We are beyond thrilled to deliver an entirely new colour management system in Premiere Pro that transforms raw and log formats from nearly every camera into stunning, consistent footage instantly upon import — without requiring LUTs," stated the press release. Adobe emphasises that this new system will make professional colour workflows more powerful and accessible, providing a seamless starting point for video projects.

The new updates also include an enhanced Properties panel meant to improve the user experience for both beginners and seasoned professionals. The context-sensitive panel shows relevant tools based on the media type selected, reducing the need to navigate multiple panels and allowing for more efficient adjustments.

The press release explained, "With the Properties panel, editors can do things they've never been able to do before in Premiere Pro, like crop video directly from the Program monitor, or highlight and adjust the properties of multiple clips or graphics at the same time." This consolidation of frequently used tools into a single panel aims to streamline the editing process.

In terms of performance, the new version of Premiere Pro boasts additional hardware acceleration, providing faster playback for codecs such as AVC, HEVC, and ProRes. According to Adobe, ProRes exports are now up to three times faster, allowing editors to deliver projects more quickly. The update also includes support for additional formats from Canon, Sony, and RED cameras, enabling users to start editing immediately after importing native files.

"We've been working hard at making Premiere Pro faster and more reliable for every job," said the press release. These performance enhancements are part of Adobe's ongoing efforts to improve the software's reliability and efficiency, benefiting editors working under tight deadlines.

Additionally, Adobe has introduced a fresh design for Premiere Pro, offering two dark modes, a light mode, and a high-contrast accessibility mode. These new visual options aim to improve legibility and consistency across Adobe's Creative Cloud apps, allowing users to spend less time adjusting to different tools.

"Lastly, we're proud to deliver a fresh, new design that's modern and more consistent. With two dark modes, a light mode, and high-contrast accessibility mode, editors can customise the look and feel of Premiere Pro," stated the press release. This new design is expected to enhance user experience by aligning more closely with other Adobe applications.

The beta version of Adobe Premiere Pro with these new features is available now, with general availability planned for later in the year. Adobe encourages users to provide feedback and express what additional features they would like to see in future updates.