Aman Singh
New member
I am currently in the process of filming some interview/psa's possible commercials. I will be using a dvx, which software is compatible with either laptops or pc's?
Thanks!!
Thanks!!
HELP: Which are generally considered the best editing software?
- Thread starter Aman Singh
- Start date
Kit Hannah
Veteran
Hey Aman, welcome to the forums.
The editing suite of choice differes from person to person. It's all a matter of opinion and what will work for your editing style and budget. the most popular for Mac is Final Cut Pro, PC you have Adobe Premiere, Sony Vegas, Avid, and Edius by Grass Valley seem to be the most popular. There are a few others depending on what you need done.
What you need to do is start researching the heck out of everything that is in your budget. Get a better idea on what you want to do and then form some specific questions. There is no "best" magical software that suits everybody. Utilize the search function and start reading buddy.
Good luck
Kit
The editing suite of choice differes from person to person. It's all a matter of opinion and what will work for your editing style and budget. the most popular for Mac is Final Cut Pro, PC you have Adobe Premiere, Sony Vegas, Avid, and Edius by Grass Valley seem to be the most popular. There are a few others depending on what you need done.
What you need to do is start researching the heck out of everything that is in your budget. Get a better idea on what you want to do and then form some specific questions. There is no "best" magical software that suits everybody. Utilize the search function and start reading buddy.
Good luck
Kit
medeamajic
Carbonite Member
Edius by Grass Valley is not bad but if you want to work with the Red One camera Premiere might be your best bet. PP CS5 can edit the native R3D files form the Red One camera. In the end it is all personal choice.
Kit Hannah
Veteran
What in the hello? Where in the world did you pull RED One from? The guy said he will be using a DVX...
Hidef1080
Well-known member
Agreed...
Plus with some like Sony Vegas, Avid Media Composer and I believe Premiere CS5, you can download a free trial just to see which one you like.
I've jumped from one editor to another and back again... I don't think there is a "best".
Aman the good news is ANYTHING will work with the SD footage that comes from the DVX.
Now Aman the bad news is ANYTHING will work with the SD footage that comes from the DVX.
I have one friend who can shoot and edit "rings around me" and all he works with is a $100 Pinnacle Suite. I have another friend who does documentaries with his wife and all he uses is Premiere Elements. There was one forum board I was on where if you didn't use Vegas, you were dirt! Another forum board I am on, if you don't use Final Cut, you are dirt! DVXUser appears to be one board where I have found Adobe products to be most accepted. So it is almost as if it depends on where you land on the internet, as to which is the best software to use.
I would suggest downloading the trials for Adobe and Vegas if you have a PC and start there. If you have a Mac, Premiere runs on that too. The one big plus for Mac users to go Final Cut, is the amount of online support there is from others Final Cut users available.
The one suggestion I would make to you, unless this is just a passing fancy, go right to the Pro version and skip the Consumer versions of whatever product you decide on. My experiences have shown me the "Pro" version is no harder to learn, just more to learn to as you grow and want to get everything from it.
Now Aman the bad news is ANYTHING will work with the SD footage that comes from the DVX.
I have one friend who can shoot and edit "rings around me" and all he works with is a $100 Pinnacle Suite. I have another friend who does documentaries with his wife and all he uses is Premiere Elements. There was one forum board I was on where if you didn't use Vegas, you were dirt! Another forum board I am on, if you don't use Final Cut, you are dirt! DVXUser appears to be one board where I have found Adobe products to be most accepted. So it is almost as if it depends on where you land on the internet, as to which is the best software to use.
I would suggest downloading the trials for Adobe and Vegas if you have a PC and start there. If you have a Mac, Premiere runs on that too. The one big plus for Mac users to go Final Cut, is the amount of online support there is from others Final Cut users available.
The one suggestion I would make to you, unless this is just a passing fancy, go right to the Pro version and skip the Consumer versions of whatever product you decide on. My experiences have shown me the "Pro" version is no harder to learn, just more to learn to as you grow and want to get everything from it.
Hi Aman, I prefer adobe, as it's cross platform, and it has native support for a lot of options you may consider in the future, as switching platforms is annoying I find. You'll get used to a set of shortcuts and changing those can make you crazy.
I like adobe because going from one app to the other is very simple. CS4 wasn't as smooth a transition from premiere to ae to photoshop etc, CS5 does a good job. I think it's the most future-proof option, nestled in between pro & accesible for video.
Best wishes for the new year
I like adobe because going from one app to the other is very simple. CS4 wasn't as smooth a transition from premiere to ae to photoshop etc, CS5 does a good job. I think it's the most future-proof option, nestled in between pro & accesible for video.
Best wishes for the new year
medeamajic
Carbonite Member
Should they want to expand I am letting them know Premiere Pro can handle the native R3D codecs but Edius can not. I know they are not using R3D now.
Stephen Mick
Totally Usable
Calm down, gentlemen.
Chris Fenwick, previously a big Final Cut user, has shifted to Premiere Pro and makes a strong case for it as 'the future' here:
http://my.adobe.acrobat.com/p76136725/?lightning=true
As a user of Premiere since Version 6 it has been interesting to watch the change in attitude towards it, seemed to always be a bit of a poor cousin versus Final Cut and Edius etc.....but just seems to be gaining in respect these days....
Adobe is a big company....the software will continue to grow and develop...and when you put it in the context of the power of the Production suite with After Effects etc...there certainly is a strong argument for it....
just make sure you get a good system that works with it....(Adobe Premiere Pro forums have some good ideas and links on this)
But yes....like Canon vs Nikon, Ford vs Holden (General Motors) etc...all the big players are in an ongoing 'feature' slug fest...and I've no doubt they are all great tools....I just went with Adobe Premiere and have been happy to just keep growing and learning with it as it also grows and develops...
http://my.adobe.acrobat.com/p76136725/?lightning=true
As a user of Premiere since Version 6 it has been interesting to watch the change in attitude towards it, seemed to always be a bit of a poor cousin versus Final Cut and Edius etc.....but just seems to be gaining in respect these days....
Adobe is a big company....the software will continue to grow and develop...and when you put it in the context of the power of the Production suite with After Effects etc...there certainly is a strong argument for it....
just make sure you get a good system that works with it....(Adobe Premiere Pro forums have some good ideas and links on this)
But yes....like Canon vs Nikon, Ford vs Holden (General Motors) etc...all the big players are in an ongoing 'feature' slug fest...and I've no doubt they are all great tools....I just went with Adobe Premiere and have been happy to just keep growing and learning with it as it also grows and develops...
I have not found one that I like, but CS5 so far is the one I don't like the least. Plus it runs fast on relatively inexpensive hardware. Try as many trial versions as you can. I made the mistake of purchasing CS4, and it was pretty bad, but the upgrade to CS5 takes some of the annoyance away. Vegas is certainly full featured, and if I hadn't bought CS5 I would give it another trial.
I prefer FinalCut Studio on a Mac. It is rock solid and allows you to grow with your needs. I started editing linear. For you who do not know what that means, that is tape to tape with really expensive hardware in between to do simple things like dissolves. Then Adobe came along with Premiere. Version 4.2 was workable, then version 5 came along as a total disaster. It shipped with 200,000 KNOWN bugs. They fixed most of them with 5.1c. That is about the time FinalCut appeared. Adobe cannot be trusted with the exception of Photoshop and illustrator, which are their bread and butter. I find everything else problematical.
Remember that every Mac ships with a rather useable video editor included iMovie. It is very adequate for beginning editors. There is a next step into FinalCut Express ending with FinalCut Studio. If you are only going to edit DV footage you do not need more than FinalCut Express, which sells for about $175.00 or less and does AVCHD as well.
Remember these things are only tools, it is the craftsperson who matters. My philosophy is if it works, does what I need and does it consistently that is what I want. I do not want to waste time getting the equipment/software to work, I want to turn out finished product.
You will notice on many forums that posters favor this equipment or software, some are users, some are wannabes, so take everyone's advice, including mine with skepticism. I can only tell you of my experience, which may or may not work for you.
Remember that every Mac ships with a rather useable video editor included iMovie. It is very adequate for beginning editors. There is a next step into FinalCut Express ending with FinalCut Studio. If you are only going to edit DV footage you do not need more than FinalCut Express, which sells for about $175.00 or less and does AVCHD as well.
Remember these things are only tools, it is the craftsperson who matters. My philosophy is if it works, does what I need and does it consistently that is what I want. I do not want to waste time getting the equipment/software to work, I want to turn out finished product.
You will notice on many forums that posters favor this equipment or software, some are users, some are wannabes, so take everyone's advice, including mine with skepticism. I can only tell you of my experience, which may or may not work for you.
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Demistate
Veteran
Anything with the name Pro in it will be good enough 
Editing software is a choice of price vs features. You might be able to get away with really cheap software. Also you can get Premiere Pro standalone for $800. Cheaper than Final Cut studio which require you to buy the entire suite. Vegas Pro 10 is even cheaper at $600 US, and they have more home movie oriented software that does HD for about $100
Pick your poison.
Editing software is a choice of price vs features. You might be able to get away with really cheap software. Also you can get Premiere Pro standalone for $800. Cheaper than Final Cut studio which require you to buy the entire suite. Vegas Pro 10 is even cheaper at $600 US, and they have more home movie oriented software that does HD for about $100
Pick your poison.
I don't think that's entirely fair given that half the motion graphics and visual effects industries rely on After Effects. And Flash is the cornerstone of interactive web content, etc. etc.