FCP vs VEGAS

T

Tim Naylor

Veteran
I've been an FCP user since 2000 and I'm beginning to have doubts about their commitment. After numerous issues with trying to cut old projects that I updated to fcp 6.02. Please, I don't want to hear from the peanut gallery "never update mid project". Guess what, the real world often has clients coming back for changes several updates later. Anyway, the updates and the utterly disappointing workflow (no - flow) of color has me thinking about other NLE's.

I'd love to hear some objective comparisons of people who've used both programs extensively. No fanboys, please. I truly believe Apple has become more invested in selling hardware than state of the art software. Leopard is a huge RAM eating disappointing. Can't think of the amount of BS now on my operating system. The beauty of Apple software has always been its simple elegance. I feel the computers have more horsepower but ironically, there software is getting dated. Background rendering anyone?

That's my rant. Is there a better alternative? Don't post unless you've used both extensively.
 
If you already have a good mac system, maybe you should consider switching to Adobe Premier Pro CS3 for mac.
 
I can run either PC or Mac.
Zak have you used Vegas or not?
I agree no NLE is perfect but the latest issue of FCP 6 has big issues. I updated a multiclip project only to find on output (not in the timeline), some of my cameras would be out of sync. It took me two days to fix. The many issues with Compressor are well documented. ie) why can't I apply destination to everything. I also had Compressor just stop working. The list goes on. Like I said, I've been with FCP since 1.0 and this is by far the most bug ridden update.

I'd like to hear from people who've experience from both.
 
i've worked with most NLEs including Vegas and Premiere. But I primarily use Avid Media Composer, followed closely by FCP. depends on the gig. I don't really have a preference for any of them. they all have flaws. currently i'm doing a lot of work for some behind the scenes featurettes on some upcoming Blu-Ray titles. the HD workflow on the FCP / Kona bays i'm using has worked flawlessly. and Color has been a dream compared to the old FCP 3-way color corrector, despite its flaws.

the appearance that Compressor has "stopped working" probably means you need to launch the Batch Monitor and clear the queue.
 
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What does your end-product need to be? Is it something that Vegas will accomplish?

Like Zak I use primarily FCP and Avid. Avid just had a big price drop to $2500, so that would be worth looking into.
 
The closest, easiest migration path from FCP would be to CS3. It'll have the simplest learning curve, and CS3 runs on both the Mac and Windows, and it also has native P2 support.

Vegas is a brilliant editing program, but if you're concerned about Apple's commitment, you should also be concerned about Sony's commitment; I don't know that I could recommend Vegas to anyone unless they were specifically and exclusively going to be using Sony camcorders. I've been using this program for four or five years now and it's fantastic, but the acquisition by Sony has absolutely affected Vegas' support for camcorders from other manufacturers.

I think the momentum is on Adobe's side right now -- the BBC chose Premiere Pro over Apple FCP, for example, and Adobe doesn't have any "masters" to answer to other than the end user (i.e., they're not owned by any camcorder manufacturer -- unlike Vegas and EDIUS -- and they're not used as a tool to sell hardware -- like Apple). The program looks and acts very much like FCP, it's got great P2 support, and it's got unparalleled integration with After Effects and PhotoShop.

I fled Premiere back on version 6.0, but I'm thinking it's the place to be right now.
 
I completely agree Barry. I've been using Premiere for 7 years now.

I was introduced to FCP 3 years ago via my place of work. Left that job. Bought myself a Mac Pro with Final Cut Studio last month, and now I kind of have the urge to go back to Premiere, especially with CS3!
 
I'm getting that CS3 urge too. Is there anyway I can get the education discount being a high school student instead of college. Apple gives me the discount so I will stay with them unless Adobe will too.
 
For student pricing, shop at www.academicsuperstore.com, the entire CS3 Production Premium package is $596.95. Premiere Pro by itself (outside the full suite) is $346.95, but that's just crazy to get because in the Production Premium, for an additional $250, you get After Effects and PhotoShop and Flash and all the rest.
 
I use Final Cut every day at work and Vegas at home. I have sued Vegas since version 2.5 or 3, I think. It was a long time ago.

I love Vegas and constantly make my FCP fanboy friends mad with my rants about how completely fast and easy to use Vegas is. It's true, too. Vegas, at least for me, just makes editing (with its workflow and lack of rendering) incredibly fast to work in.

However, I can't recommend it highly in this situation. If you are worried about Apple's "lack of commitment," then, as Barry said, Sony will disappoint you too.

Ever since aquireing the software from Sonic Foundry, the subsequent versions, although improvements, have seemed to me to be smaller and smaller steps in the right direction. You may not be any happier with Vegas than you are with FCP.

Have you tried the demo? If it has all the features you need, go for it.
 
If you buy CS3 production premium, does include the Mac and PC version or is it one or the other? Having both would be really nice.
 
I just cut two of the same equivalent programs (30 minute concerts/bts/band interviews) one each on FCP6 and Vegas 7. All material came off Sony F350 XDcams.

I cannot wrap my head around FCP. For me it takes so much longer to do anything. I feel like the interface of FCP gets in the way of me being able to be creative.

Vegas lighting fast when it comes to editing material, and XDcam integration is great. The audio blows FCP out of the water, and the general implementation of pan/crop and effects I feel is superior.

The Mac setup I use is a quad 2.5gHz G5, Apple X-RAID, through a Kona card to a 32" Sony broadcast LCD and a 30" cinema display.

The Vegas setup I had was a 2.8gHz P4, one external USB2 drive for media, and a dell 20" display.

Monitoring on FCP was quite superior as you can see, but the pace of my editing was not slowed down because of my computer. On FCP I cut the direct files, which was great, and in Vegas I had to cut the proxies and conform later, which caused some headaches. For rendering I let everything sit overnight anyway so that didn't matter. I plan to continue using Vegas over FCP even on this ancient hardware. To steal a phrase, "it just works."

If you get Cineform Vegas can work excellently with a lot of HD material, but FCP beats it out of the box.
 
Thanks for all the good info out there. I don't buy the notion that all NLE's are about the same. Some suck more than others. Some are better. It's a shame about Vegas support since Sony snatched it up. And Apple, well when FCP 7 doesn't run on your MB Pro you bough a year ago, you know what's up.

The Premier Pro has me seriously interested especially the bargain on CS3.

Any reports on the PP's stability? It it as notorious as FCP for the "FCP has unexpectedly quit......would you like to report this to Apple or punch someone's lights out?"
 
It all comes down to what you like and what you know. There is also the another consideration if you are planning to work as an editor for hire in the industry. In that case you must know FCP or Avid. Premiere and Vegas are every bit as capable in the right hands but you'll be somewhat hard pressed to find either in use on a major studio production. Haven't seen either yet. In home/project studios and in event videography yes.

The only person I know who uses Premiere in the big leagues is Rob Legato- VFX supervisor for flicks like The Aviator but that's only his work, the film itself is cut on other gear. In the case of The Aviator on a LightWorks(!).

Point is different strokes for different folks. I happen to know FCP very well but I'm not blinded to the fact that other NLEs are just as capable for the folks who master them.

Noah
 
Premiere has crashed on me a FEW times, but the main thing that bothers me (I'm spoiled coming from Vegas) is that with Premiere, when you hit L to play, there's a split second pause which is kinda annoying. I'm not sure if it's just my computer but I doubt it, as I am running a dual core overclocked to 3.0GHz and I have 2Gigs of RAM.

But with Vegas, ONCE you hit play, that baby just goes...

Anyone else have this issue with Premiere or is it just me?

With that said, however, all of them are fine. It's really the person behind the software. Vegas may have something that annoys you but FCP might not have that issue and Vice-Versa.
 
Bah. All these arguments are kind of dumb...Give me two 3/4" decks and a switcher and I'll get you somethin' out of it. It's not the tool that's the thing, it's who's using it.
 
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