Blender has officially launched the beta version of Blender 5.0, introducing remarkable updates to the open-source 3D creation suite. Users can now explore extensive support for HDR (High Dynamic Range) and wide gamut colors, which enhances color accuracy and vibrancy in 3D visuals.
Key features of Blender 5.0 include a new color space for Blend files and the addition of new display types such as Rec.2100-PQ and Rec.2100-HLG. The beta version also introduces an innovative "Convert to Display" compositor node and a fresh volume rendering algorithm that utilizes null scattering.
Additionally, a new "Jump Time by Delta" operator has been added to facilitate navigation within animations, while Curve drawing has been revamped to support the new Curves object type. This version comes with a human base mesh bundle aimed at providing more realistic skeleton assets and promises improved support for the Zstd compression algorithm for point caches, along with enhanced Vulkan support.
Blender 5.0 also includes six new Geometry Nodes-based modifiers and introduces a "Curve Data" panel in edit mode to adjust built-in curve attributes effectively.
User interface improvements are plentiful: drag-and-drop support for Shape Keys, sidebar snapping features, a new context menu entry for deleting other workspaces, collapsible paint pressure curves, and customizable overlay colors for per-camera composition guides enhance the usability of the software significantly. Theme settings have also been streamlined to make theme creation easier, and over 300 settings have been removed to unify the design process.
It’s important to note that the HDR and wide gamut display functionalities work exclusively on Linux, requiring users to enable the Vulkan backend in Blender’s system preferences. Users interested in trying out the beta can download it as a binary package for 64-bit systems from the official Blender website. However, it is advised to exercise caution as this version is a pre-release and not suitable for production work. The official release of Blender 5.0 is anticipated by November 5th, 2025.
For more details on the features and updates in Blender 5.0, you can view the release notes or download the beta version from the official website.