FCP or Avid express Pro for user friendliness

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airforceguy

Active member
The only editing software I have used is Vegas and find it very user friendly, especially with my limited knowledge/experience. I am leaning towards buying a Mac to replace my 2 aging PC's. If a Mac is in my future I would like to know for all around performance and user friendliness should I go with FCP or Avid Express Pro. I plan to edit a variety of projects. Thanks...Paul
 
Neither is as user-friendly as Vegas, by a considerable margin.

But FCP is quite a bit more user-friendly than Avid.

Unless you're looking to become a professional editor-for-hire, you MIGHT consider the Adobe CS3 package, now that it offers Premiere for the Mac again. Premiere will probably work more like you're used to, especially after you've tweaked the interface some, and it offers its excellent integration with the rest of the CS3 package. And Premiere is actually very similar to FCP, so if you want to end up on FCP eventually, it's an excellent intermediate step.
 
Thanks David. With that said, should I maybe stick with PC's and stay Vegas or maybe go to Premiere? How does Vegas stack up to Premiere or visa versa?

Back when I joined this site a couple of years ago I was hearing a lot of negaives about PP and how Vegas was more user friendly and I must agree, even with my limited experience Vegas really is. Do I need to re-look PP or does Vegas offer more?
 
I'd say, if Vegas is doing what you want, then there's no reason to change. If it no longer suits your needs, then look at other options.

I mentioned CS3 because you seemed to want to go to a Mac platform.
 
FCP is VERY easy to learn. You could learn how to cut with it in two hours. I would go Avid or FCP since most jobs fall within those two programs. I never see editing jobs for Vegas, and rarely see one's advertised for Premiere.

I just think if you're going to invest the learning time into an editing program it makes sense to build knowledge that will pay you down the line.
 
Isaac_Brody said:
FCP is VERY easy to learn. You could learn how to cut with it in two hours. I would go Avid or FCP since most jobs fall within those two programs. I never see editing jobs for Vegas, and rarely see one's advertised for Premiere.

I just think if you're going to invest the learning time into an editing program it makes sense to build knowledge that will pay you down the line.
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+1 I was going to respond but this post sums it up perfectly. If you are just editing your own projects and NEVER plan on working for anyone else, then edit on what you want.

if you want to develop a marketable skillset, learn Avid or FCPro, preferably BOTH.
 
I switched to FCP frome Premiere 6.5. Even though I was used to Premiere and the photoshop style set-up, the transition to FCP was very easy.

Never used Avid though.
 
My vote is go for FCP, but it never hurts to know Avid. (again, that is if you are going for that "editor-for-hire" skillset.)

Once I was trained on an Avid system, it changed the way I edited on FCP, for the better, IMO.
 
You can't go wrong with either FCP or AVID. I started with AVID and it was hard at first but the production facilities in my area were pro-Avid at the time and I stayed with AVID ever since. AVID is not friendly to the needs of small time productions with entry level equipment and formats. FCP is more friendly and complete....but AVID puts you in the right company over here.....
 
Not everyone's looking to be a freelance editor, guys. If airforceguy is looking for that, then sure. Otherwise, don't fix what ain't broke.
 
I will never cut for any other projects other than my own (my features, my television projects, my commercials, etc.). I have only used Vegas for 2 shorts, and thought I find it very user friendly I do not feel I have invested a whole lot of time in it. With that said, where do I go from here? Stick with Vegas, or...?
 
Do what works.

Like David said, if it ain't broke....

If you decide that you enjoy editing well enough to try and freelance later, you can learn another platform and software a lot easier than you can learn HOW to edit.
 
Jim Brennan said:
Do what works.

Like David said, if it ain't broke....

If you decide that you enjoy editing well enough to try and freelance later, you can learn another platform and software a lot easier than you can learn HOW to edit.
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and if and when that times comes, learn Avid first. being highly proficient at it will force you into good working habits that make you more efficient on other platforms. personally, i'm platform agnostic and comfortable on anything.
 
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