DaVinci Resolve Clone Tool alternative
Resolve's Clone Tool is the cost-free-looking answer many shooters already have installed: clone a card to several destinations with a checksum check. For small jobs it can be enough. The question is what you get beyond the copy itself.
DaVinci Resolve Clone Tool vs Olycen at a glance
| Olycen | DaVinci Resolve Clone Tool | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $129 once, two Macs, 14-day full trial | Resolve has a free download; Resolve Studio was listed at $236 (was $295) in the US. Whether the Clone Tool is in the free version is not stated on the pages we read. |
| What it is | A dedicated offload and verification app | A tool inside a full editing and grading application |
| Checksum verification | xxHash (XXH3, XXH64), MD5, SHA-256, C4 | Checksum verification "like XXHash64"; other methods not stated |
| Multiple destinations | Yes, read once, read-back on every destination | Yes, multiple copies to different destinations at the same time |
| ASC MHL | ASC MHL v2, written and re-verifiable | not stated on the product page |
| Reports | PDF, CSV and ALE | not stated on the product page |
| Safe-to-erase evidence | Format offered only with proof on at least two physical devices | not stated on the product page |
| Platform | macOS 13+, Apple Silicon and Intel | Resolve runs on Mac, Windows and Linux; clone tool platforms not stated separately |
Where the table says "not stated", Blackmagic's pages did not mention it. That is different from saying the feature does not exist.
Sources: DaVinci Resolve, Blackmagic Design, DaVinci Resolve Media page. "Not stated" means the page did not say, not that the feature is missing. Vendors change prices often; check theirs before you decide.
Who should pick which
Stay with DaVinci Resolve Clone Tool if
- You already live in Resolve and the job is a few cards with no MHL or report requirement.
- You are on Windows or Linux.
Pick Olycen if
- Anything where a production asks for ASC MHL, a per-card report or a chain-of-custody sheet.
- Eject protection, reel naming, a journal that survives a power cut, and a card that is only called safe once the proof is in.
Switching: what to expect
- No migration: offload with Olycen, then import the verified footage into Resolve as usual.
- Run both on one card and compare the checksums if you want a second opinion.
Try it on a real card, next to DaVinci Resolve Clone Tool.
$129 once, two Macs, no subscription, and a full 14-day trial. Run it beside what you use now and compare the checksums.