Advice on getting started with video editing.

[Steady Eddie]

I am now reasonably capable at flying my Mavic Pro using Go4 and/or Litchi. Just flying around without a purpose can be a bit mindless though, although I'm not knocking it. All great fun.
So i'm now looking to use the capabilities of the camera more to take things to the next level, and get some of that great footage I've seen from the experts.

Can anyone recommend a good starter video editing software package. Also maybe point me to some beginner guidance in drone photography/videography?
Thanks in advance.

 

[mrwagdog]

There are several YouTube instructional videos. Google “flying like a filmmaker” or “drone film techniques” and start from there.

As far as software, hit film express is free and reasonably useful for getting started. Older versions of Vegas pro come up on the humble bundle often. I like Vegas myself, but that’s because I’ve using it for a while.

 

[pogbellies]

I can heartily recommend Blackmagics Davinci Resolve which has a really great free version for mac and pc. Helpful if your computer has a good video card though. Quite a few tutorials on YouTube too.

 

[RickinWaST]

I’m in the same situation. Using YouTube as a resource. Unless you have prior video editing experience my suggestion, start with something free to learn the basics, and with some decent tutorials.

 

[Steady Eddie]

Thanks guys. Been looking at YT videos, some good stuff there, and I'm busy downloading DaVinci. I'll see how things go. I guess the software learning learning curve could be steep for an old brain like mine.

 

[HawkEye76]

I used Filmora in the beginning . Reasonably priced 4k edit sw and easy to learn. However I have taken the jump to Premiere Pro due to more flexibility and advanced features.

 

[4wd]

Da Vinci is good but complicated enough to put you off for ever unless you already have some experience.
Youtube tutorials are your friend, somewhere is one about get started from no knowledge in 20 minutes or something.
It's very rewarding when it all starts to come together.

 

[Gizmo6257]

Divinci is awesome and free. I just started using it. It doesn't crash like Preimer Pro and doesn't cost 23 a month which is ridiculous. A lot of Drone Pilots are switching to Divinci. Easy to learn and does everything, plus more than Adobe Premier Pro.

I can heartily recommend Blackmagics Davinci Resolve which has a really great free version for mac and pc. Helpful if your computer has a good video card though. Quite a few tutorials on YouTube too.

 

[Gizmo6257]

Divinci is easy as any other and free.

Da Vinci is good but complicated enough to put you off for ever unless you already have some experience.
Youtube tutorials are your friend, somewhere is one about get started from no knowledge in 20 minutes or something.
It's very rewarding when it all starts to come together.

 

[pao1os]

Da Vinci is good but complicated enough to put you off for ever unless you already have some experience.
Youtube tutorials are your friend, somewhere is one about get started from no knowledge in 20 minutes or something.
It's very rewarding when it all starts to come together.

Granted if you are going to use it to its full capabilities it is very complex, as is Premier Pro (and others, I used to use Cyberlink Powerdirector and I don't think Resolve is any harder for basic editing). Cutting and editing a few clips together is not difficult on it though and working in it pays dividends as I have personally learnt quite a lot in the short time that I've been using it.

I love the ability to easily scrub forwards and backwards for trim points, its like a breath of fresh air after Powerdirector.

 

[Cymruflyer]

Look up On1 video editing, they are soon to launch a new system that is reputed to have great features and function and extreme ease of use for editing. It is not yet released but coming out soon. Do a google search on the company On1 and then keep checking to see what they offer.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Look up On1 video editing, they are soon to launch a new system that is reputed to have great features and function and extreme ease of use for editing. It is not yet released but coming out soon. Do a google search on the company On1 and then keep checking to see what they offer.

I’ve been looking for a good upgrade from basic editors that I’ve been using since I started a few years back on the drone flying.

Looked at On1 site last night, nothing much about new drone video editor as yet.
It look promising from what I’ve read here on the forum.

In the meantime.
The op makes no mention of device being used for this.
If an i device, maybe just start on iMovie, it’s free, very simple and fast to pick up, lots of help on YouTube if needed.
Seems to only do 1080, for me at least.
You also have the free Go4 editor on the app, easy to use and start adding better music.

Have heard good things about Lumafusion, good for 4K, and a lot simpler than more involved editing suites.
Fairly small cost, seems value.

Filmora as mentioned above also comes up now and then in similar posts here.

Good luck with the new editing aspects of the drone hobby.

 

[Cymruflyer]

I’ve been looking for a good upgrade from basic editors that I’ve been using since I started a few years back on the drone flying.

Looked at On1 site last night, nothing much about new drone video editor as yet.
It look promising from what I’ve read here on the forum.

In the meantime.
The op makes no mention of device being used for this.
If an i device, maybe just start on iMovie, it’s free, very simple and fast to pick up, lots of help on YouTube if needed.
Seems to only do 1080, for me at least.
You also have the free Go4 editor on the app, easy to use and start adding better music.

Have heard good things about Lumafusion, good for 4K, and a lot simpler than more involved editing suites.
Fairly small cost, seems value.

Filmora as mentioned above also comes up now and then in similar posts here.

Good luck with the new editing aspects of the drone hobby.

Yes, I know there is very little on the On1 web site at the moment, regarding their new upcoming video editing software but they did at least send me this bit of info regarding it:

Announcing ON1 Video 2020
ON1 Video 2020 is a new video editing app explicitly designed for the photographer. You no longer need to learn complex videography terminology like other video editors to quickly create stunning clips. ON1 Video will be a simple, yet robust video editor that removes the learning curve of other video editors. It will be the perfect solution for wedding, action, and drone photographers.

Features include tools for trimming, enhancing, adding audio tracks, grading and sharing video clips using tools, adjustment sliders, and techniques typically found in a photo editing workflow. Additional features will include the ability to create professional time-lapse videos, slideshows, high-quality still-frame captures, and seamless integration with ON1 Photo RAW. A public beta for ON1 Video will be available mid-November with the final release in early 2020.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Yes, I know there is very little on the On1 web site at the moment, regarding their new upcoming video editing software but they did at least send me this bit of info regarding it:

Announcing ON1 Video 2020
ON1 Video 2020 is a new video editing app explicitly designed for the photographer. You no longer need to learn complex videography terminology like other video editors to quickly create stunning clips. ON1 Video will be a simple, yet robust video editor that removes the learning curve of other video editors. It will be the perfect solution for wedding, action, and drone photographers.

Features include tools for trimming, enhancing, adding audio tracks, grading and sharing video clips using tools, adjustment sliders, and techniques typically found in a photo editing workflow. Additional features will include the ability to create professional time-lapse videos, slideshows, high-quality still-frame captures, and seamless integration with ON1 Photo RAW. A public beta for ON1 Video will be available mid-November with the final release in early 2020.

That sounds brilliant doesn't it ?
I will probably wait for it to be released, been a few years just mucking about with iMovie and DJI editor, so a little longer won't hurt.
I think there are some LUT capability on that too, as I understand it's just like a range of various colour filters you can apply and slide adjust to brighten up different scenes.

 

[Cymruflyer]

That sounds brilliant doesn't it ?
I will probably wait for it to be released, been a few years just mucking about with iMovie and DJI editor, so a little longer won't hurt.
I think there are some LUT capability on that too, as I understand it's just like a range of various colour filters you can apply and slide adjust to brighten up different scenes.

I think I read somewhere else that they will be having a bunch of LUTs available as well. Plus, the good thing is that you will be able to get a free Beta version to play with first, around November time. I have been using their photo software for years and it has always been excellent, so I am optimistic that the video editor will be just as good.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I think I read somewhere else that they will be having a bunch of LUTs available as well. Plus, the good thing is that you will be able to get a free Beta version to play with first, around November time. I have been using their photo software for years and it has always been excellent, so I am optimistic that the video editor will be just as good.

I wonder if approached they might allow beta sign up.
Although I think they'd probably just use their photo editing customers if they were keen, rather than non customers.

I'll hunt around their site a bit more and maybe email them to ask about it.

 

[passedpawn]

Look up On1 video editing, they are soon to launch a new system that is reputed to have great features and function and extreme ease of use for editing. It is not yet released but coming out soon. Do a google search on the company On1 and then keep checking to see what they offer.

Why would anyone choose a brand new software over one of the mature offerings? Video editing software is fairly complex, and I assume a new software like this will be missing lots of key features and be delivered with bugs. I could be 100% wrong, but there's no benefit to being the test animal for them.

Also, for a beginner, I'd think software with a ton of users out there and associated youtube tutorials would be much better.

 

[Cymruflyer]

Why would anyone choose a brand new software over one of the mature offerings? Video editing software is fairly complex, and I assume a new software like this will be missing lots of key features and be delivered with bugs. I could be 100% wrong, but there's no benefit to being the test animal for them.

Also, for a beginner, I'd think software with a ton of users out there and associated youtube tutorials would be much better.

This company is not new, they are a well respected, long time, well know company for photo editing and a very good alternative to Photoshop, for users who have had enough of Adobe's rental system. Therefore, as and when they bring out a video editing programme, even at a Beta stage, I feel comfortable that it is going to be a good and user friendly product.

With that said, even a long time, well known programme like Premier Pro has teething troubles, from time to time, when they bring out a new version of an existing product. So, it can be expected that there will be tweaks to their new On1 video system, once launched. The beauty (hopefully) of this new addition of video editing, to the existing large offering from On1, is that it will help all of us, new and old to video editing, to tackle that job with the least amount of technical jargon and steps to go through. Hopefully, thereby making the task of editing, a less daunting one, which has always been the problem with new users getting into video editing.

Time will tell, but in the past with all that On1 has released regarding photo editing, it has been an easy transition to learn the new features and functions that they have continually released, over the years. And that... is why someone might start using a "new" video editing programme, as you asked.

 

[passedpawn]

This company is not new, they are a well respected, long time, well know company for photo editing and a very good alternative to Photoshop, for users who have had enough of Adobe's rental system. Therefore, as and when they bring out a video editing programme, even at a Beta stage, I feel comfortable that it is going to be a good and user friendly product.

With that said, even a long time, well known programme like Premier Pro has teething troubles, from time to time, when they bring out a new version of an existing product. So, it can be expected that there will be tweaks to their new On1 video system, once launched. The beauty (hopefully) of this new addition of video editing, to the existing large offering from On1, is that it will help all of us, new and old to video editing, to tackle that job with the least amount of technical jargon and steps to go through. Hopefully, thereby making the task of editing, a less daunting one, which has always been the problem with new users getting into video editing.

Time will tell, but in the past with all that On1 has released regarding photo editing, it has been an easy transition to learn the new features and functions that they have continually released, over the years. And that... is why someone might start using a "new" video editing programme, as you asked.

Nice detailed response. I guess we'll just have to wait to see if the marketing promises match the actual product. Have they made any price announcements?

 

[Cymruflyer]

Nice detailed response. I guess we'll just have to wait to see if the marketing promises match the actual product. Have they made any price announcements?

No pricing that I have found yet, but they will be offering a Beta to the public, which may well be a free thing. I will keep looking around.