Updates in Nuke 15.1 continue to expand the USD-based 3D compositing system introduced in Nuke 14.0. In this latest release, the focus remains on time-based operations, aiming to integrate existing workflows with the new 3D system. Nodes such as GeoImport and GeoReference, used for importing and instancing USD objects, have received new Time remapping controls for retiming or shifting parts or the entire USD scene.
The GeoUVProject node, designed for texture projection, now includes a new Reference Frame control allowing textures to adhere to moving geometry. Additionally, TimeOffset and FrameHold nodes, used for shifting or holding specific frames within video clips, have introduced a Fractional Time mode for sub-frame accuracy when aligning geometry.

Other changes across all editions of Nuke include updates to BlinkScript, the internal coding structure of Nuke. The BlinkScript node now accepts input data of up to four channels of any image layer type, simplifying the integration of RGBA channels into custom BlinkScript effects. OpenAssetIO support has been expanded, Foundry's open standard for data exchange between DCC and asset management software.
File directories in Nuke can now reference OpenAssetIO objects instead of direct file paths, enabling linkage to data within asset management systems. The user interface of the Viewer A/B comparison tools has been redesigned to streamline workflows when reviewing shots.

The release of Nuke 15.1 also "begins the journey towards its own Multishot compositing workflow." The update appears to focus more on laying the groundwork for this new workflow rather than full production use, with the user interface for new features initially hidden. New features include Graph Scope Variables (GSVs), described as the foundation for Multishot, which store data needed for multiple contexts within a single Nuke script. Additionally, the new Group View feature allows viewing and editing multiple Group nodes without needing to switch tabs, while a new Variable mode for the Switch node "enables a split and join style similar to that used in the Views system."

CopyCat, a neural network training system in Nuke designed to automate repetitive tasks, has received a new contextual menu in its render table. This change allows users to resume or create outputs from previous precomputes, not just the latest one, and delete processes without manually removing files. Additionally, CopyCat now supports mixed precision training on NVIDIA GPUs, enabling the use of half-precision floating-point operations in certain tasks while maintaining full precision where necessary, thereby boosting performance "up to 2 times."

Nuke Studio now supports a complete input-output cycle with OpenTimelineIO (OTIO) for exchanging timelines using editing tools that adhere to the OpenTimeLineIO standard. The timeline viewer in the software has introduced a saturation slider to adjust the saturation of shots based on context. When using NDI for monitor output, resolution management allows limiting the NDI stream resolution while maintaining full resolution on the local display.

Nuke 15.1 is compatible with Windows 10 and above, Rocky Linux 9.0, and macOS 12.0 and above. The software is now available only through subscription. The annual subscription cost is $3,469 for Nuke, $4,729 for NukeX, and $5,779 for Nuke Studio, which is $170-280 more compared to the release of Nuke 15.0. Licenses for Nuke Render, intended for use in render farms, now cost $419 per year. A subscription to Nuke Indie, a commercial edition with limited features and resolutions for artists earning less than $100,000 annually, now costs $499 per year.