Editing software

[Runnerman]

Hello all|! After months of not having a laptop capable of video editing I now have a new, powerful |Triton 300 which should run most programs! Please could anyone recommend which software is easy to use for me to edit drone videos and upload to Facebook? Not a bit of experience so any help very welcome! Thank you!!

 

[FLDave]

I use ShotCut. It is very capable and free. I don't think any editing software will be easy to use if you have no experience. You can find a lot of ShotCut tutorials on YouTube. Some are good and some are .... different. You can select pre-set YouTube export parameters and use for Facebook; no need for fancy CODEC changes other than compression amounts.

 

[vindibona1]

Obviously you are new to video editing as I was 18 months+ ago. I had messed around with some "simple" video editors and never quite got them. So before I delve into my recommendation I'm going to share my basic discoveries:
1) THE BASICS OF EDITING ARE ALL PRETTY MUCH ON THE SAME LEARNING CURVE REGARDLESS OF WHICH PROGRAM YOU CHOOSE.
2) Once you get started on one program and learn it's protocols it can be a little painful to switch to another.

And so the above realizations are why I use and recommend Davinci Resolve. Some folks say it's complicated and difficult to learn. But in my experience the BASICS are no more difficult than any other video editor and maybe easier than some. I struggled with Microsoft Movie Maker and couldn't even master the basics. There were one two other's I'd tried but got frustrated with. But with Davinci Resolve, learning the basics (IMO) can be a snap because of the 100's of free tutorials out there that just touch on certain areas. With no (digital) video experience at all, I received my first drone, a Mini 1 at the very end of June, 2020 and by July 15th I had shot, edited and completed my first 3 minute drone video, having made multiple editing revisions.... and I never looked back.

Other reasons for choosing Davinci Resolve?

1) It is FULL featured (so you can grow into it rather than out of it).
2) IT IS FREE!
3) The basics are a snap to learn once you learn where the controls are just like you would with ANY video editor.
4) Never need to upgrade (though there is a paid "studio version" with if you want to go super-pro).
5) This editor (in the studio version) is used a lot in Hollywood.
6) Davinci competes head-to-head with Adobe Premier Pro, but without picking your pocket every month.
7) Again, TONS of tutorials addressing anything and everything from basics to super advanced.

And that's my recommendation

 

[FLDave]

Obviously you are new to video editing as I was 18 months+ ago. I had messed around with some "simple" video editors and never quite got them. So before I delve into my recommendation I'm going to share my basic discoveries:
1) THE BASICS OF EDITING ARE ALL PRETTY MUCH ON THE SAME LEARNING CURVE REGARDLESS OF WHICH PROGRAM YOU CHOOSE.
2) Once you get started on one program and learn it's protocols it can be a little painful to switch to another.

And so the above realizations are why I use and recommend Davinci Resolve. Some folks say it's complicated and difficult to learn. But in my experience the BASICS are no more difficult than any other video editor and maybe easier than some. I struggled with Microsoft Movie Maker and couldn't even master the basics. There were one two other's I'd tried but got frustrated with. But with Davinci Resolve, learning the basics (IMO) can be a snap because of the 100's of free tutorials out there that just touch on certain areas. Other reasons for choosing Davinci Resolve?

1) It is FULL featured (so you can grow into it rather than out of it).
2) IT IS FREE!
3) The basics are a snap to learn once you learn where the controls are just like you would with ANY video editor.
4) Never need to upgrade (though there is a paid "studio version" with if you want to go super-pro).
5) This editor (in the studio version) is used a lot in Hollywood.
6) Davinci competes head-to-head with Adobe Premier Pro, but without picking your pocket every month.
7) Again, TONS of tutorials addressing anything and everything from basics to super advanced.

And that's my recommendation

I started using ShotCut 3 years ago. It wasn't easy but there were a lot of tutorials available. It continues to serve me well.
Your comments do a good job the basic choice of program that they will all have a quite a learning curve for the novice and once a program is learned it will be painful to change.
I haven't used Resolve but I would be interested in comparisons of features in the no-cost version compared to the no-cost ShotCut. I assume the free version of Resolve is not full featured.
I would be interested in comparisons made by someone who uses both software including system requirements and practical feature comparisons. It might help me understand what I am missing just using ShotCut.

 

[RobertR]

You could also look at (free) Minitool Movie Maker:

MiniTool MovieMaker | Easy-to-Use & Feature-Rich Video Editor

MiniTool MovieMaker, a clean and simple video editing software, helps you easily and quickly create cool & attractive movies, vlogs, selfies, etc. up to 1080p.

moviemaker.minitool.com

 

[manutter51]

I like DaVince Resolve (and I say that as someone who has an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription), so I'll second that recommendation, and I'll also add that Louay Zambarakji has a pretty good course on it at udemy.com. It looks pricey, but just keep checking back at udemy.com, they have massive sales every few weeks and you should be able to pick up this course for about $12. Resolve has a ton of features that range from easy to advanced, but I tend to use it mostly for just basic editing stuff. And there are a number of YouTube tutorials on it as well, just search for "davinci resolve tutorial for beginners."

Here's a link to the udemy course if you'd like to check it out:

https://www.udemy.com/share/101WLa3@Tg4MbbU0rehsNWqthfgGDbw_B1teLjNfyHD5Tag4Ma-FaMD1LoXRmjghCY6hf47r/

 

[FLDave]

I decided to check out DaVinci and checked a 30-minute tutorial to see what I could learn, It seemed like a well done tutorial What found (not surprising) was that the features were essentially the same as ShotCut but screen presentation was different. ShotCut could achieve the same results. Key Frames was something I hadn't used so I found a ShotCut tutorial and learned how to use keyframes in Shotcut to add animation even to text.
So, for now I'll stick with ShotCut until I find a compelling reason to learn a new video editing program.

 

[ThatBeardedDroneGuy]

I use Filmora but I already had it.

 

[BrokenAero]

I started using ShotCut 3 years ago. It wasn't easy but there were a lot of tutorials available. It continues to serve me well.
Your comments do a good job the basic choice of program that they will all have a quite a learning curve for the novice and once a program is learned it will be painful to change.
I haven't used Resolve but I would be interested in comparisons of features in the no-cost version compared to the no-cost ShotCut. I assume the free version of Resolve is not full featured.
I would be interested in comparisons made by someone who uses both software including system requirements and practical feature comparisons. It might help me understand what I am missing just using ShotCut.

FREE vs STUDIO

 

[baristabob]

Obviously you are new to video editing as I was 18 months+ ago. I had messed around with some "simple" video editors and never quite got them. So before I delve into my recommendation I'm going to share my basic discoveries:
1) THE BASICS OF EDITING ARE ALL PRETTY MUCH ON THE SAME LEARNING CURVE REGARDLESS OF WHICH PROGRAM YOU CHOOSE.
2) Once you get started on one program and learn it's protocols it can be a little painful to switch to another.

And so the above realizations are why I use and recommend Davinci Resolve. Some folks say it's complicated and difficult to learn. But in my experience the BASICS are no more difficult than any other video editor and maybe easier than some. I struggled with Microsoft Movie Maker and couldn't even master the basics. There were one two other's I'd tried but got frustrated with. But with Davinci Resolve, learning the basics (IMO) can be a snap because of the 100's of free tutorials out there that just touch on certain areas. With no (digital) video experience at all, I received my first drone, a Mini 1 at the very end of June, 2020 and by July 15th I had shot, edited and completed my first 3 minute drone video, having made multiple editing revisions.... and I never looked back.

Other reasons for choosing Davinci Resolve?

1) It is FULL featured (so you can grow into it rather than out of it).
2) IT IS FREE!
3) The basics are a snap to learn once you learn where the controls are just like you would with ANY video editor.
4) Never need to upgrade (though there is a paid "studio version" with if you want to go super-pro).
5) This editor (in the studio version) is used a lot in Hollywood.
6) Davinci competes head-to-head with Adobe Premier Pro, but without picking your pocket every month.
7) Again, TONS of tutorials addressing anything and everything from basics to super advanced.

And that's my recommendation

Perfect answer and exactly why I went with Resolve. Resolve in one window and YouTube in the other when executing new things.

 

[MavicAir2Marc]

There's not much difference between the free version of DaVinci Resolve and the paid version. If you decide to buy the studio version, a lot of times they bundle it with a free speed editor board which makes the price basically free. Black Magic has it's own set of thorough tutorials and certifications that I would choose over You Tube. You can definitely grow into it and not out of it as mentioned before it's used by Hollywood at a very high level.

 

[CorralesDan]

Another vote for Davinci Resolve. Plus, they continue to improve it all the time with updates.

 

[millbah]

You could try to find the old Microsoft Movie Maker. It is still around but not supported, a little simpler than most. I use Wondersoft filmora most of the time.
It's not about just flying the drone, that is only ½ of it. There is a lot of additional tools that are in the workflow.

 

[yankfanp]

Hello all|! After months of not having a laptop capable of video editing I now have a new, powerful |Triton 300 which should run most programs! Please could anyone recommend which software is easy to use for me to edit drone videos and upload to Facebook? Not a bit of experience so any help very welcome! Thank you!!

I would suggest looking at Cyberlink Power Director. I tried Premiere Pro but found it complex and expensive. Cyberlink is affordable and easy to use.

 

[lookout]

There's always ffmpeg.

 

[theDRONEranger]

Obviously you are new to video editing as I was 18 months+ ago. I had messed around with some "simple" video editors and never quite got them. So before I delve into my recommendation I'm going to share my basic discoveries:
1) THE BASICS OF EDITING ARE ALL PRETTY MUCH ON THE SAME LEARNING CURVE REGARDLESS OF WHICH PROGRAM YOU CHOOSE.
2) Once you get started on one program and learn it's protocols it can be a little painful to switch to another.

And so the above realizations are why I use and recommend Davinci Resolve. Some folks say it's complicated and difficult to learn. But in my experience the BASICS are no more difficult than any other video editor and maybe easier than some. I struggled with Microsoft Movie Maker and couldn't even master the basics. There were one two other's I'd tried but got frustrated with. But with Davinci Resolve, learning the basics (IMO) can be a snap because of the 100's of free tutorials out there that just touch on certain areas. With no (digital) video experience at all, I received my first drone, a Mini 1 at the very end of June, 2020 and by July 15th I had shot, edited and completed my first 3 minute drone video, having made multiple editing revisions.... and I never looked back.

Other reasons for choosing Davinci Resolve?

1) It is FULL featured (so you can grow into it rather than out of it).
2) IT IS FREE!
3) The basics are a snap to learn once you learn where the controls are just like you would with ANY video editor.
4) Never need to upgrade (though there is a paid "studio version" with if you want to go super-pro).
5) This editor (in the studio version) is used a lot in Hollywood.
6) Davinci competes head-to-head with Adobe Premier Pro, but without picking your pocket every month.
7) Again, TONS of tutorials addressing anything and everything from basics to super advanced.

And that's my recommendation

Vindobona1 made an excellent choice. DaVinci Resolve, Filmora 11, and Adobe Premiere Elements give you three great choices.

 

[theDRONEranger]

3 Excellent choices for video production:

DaVinci Resolve is one of the top programs on the market, and yes it is free. The only heavy down side is if one has never used such a program one may find it very intimidating, available at:

DaVinci Resolve 19 | Blackmagic Design

Professional video editing, color correction, visual effects and audio post production all in a single application. Free and paid versions for Mac, Windows and Linux.

www.blackmagicdesign.com

. Sticking with it, however, will be richly rewarding!

Wondershare Filmora 11 Another excellent video editing program is the, Lifetime plan $79.99,

Buy Wondershare Filmora - Official Online Shop

Purchase Wondershare Filmora online via different payment methods.

filmora.wondershare.net

. Yes, it does a learning curve, albeit not as steep as DaVinci. Expandable via add-ons and plenty of video assistance from Wondershare and YouTube End Users such as Daniel Batal and Salih Ali alike.

Adobe Premiere Elements 2022 Finally, the down and dirty Adobe Premiere Elements 2022,

Easy video editing software | Adobe Premiere Elements 2024

Tell your stories and share your memories in creative ways. Have fun transforming your video clips into great-looking movies with automated editing and step-by-step guidance. It’s never been easier to edit, create, organize, and share your videos just the way you want.

www.adobe.com

, $99.99, is an easy to understand and use video production program supported by useful help from Steve Grisetti (Books and/or YouTube).

Each has their own individual learning curve and each will give the end user a rewarding video compilation.

 

[zeusfl]

Another vote for Davinci Resolve. I own the Studio version with the speed editor.
I also own Premiere Pro and both are excellent.

For the money or free i will go with Resolve.

 

[lookout]

Has this question been resolved with Davinci?

 

[vindibona1]

Another vote for Davinci Resolve. I own the Studio version with the speed editor.
I also own Premiere Pro and both are excellent.

For the money or free i will go with Resolve.

I was perfectly happy with the free version of Resolve, but was SO impressed at what they provided FOR FREE that I felt at some point I owed them, for no substantial functional reason, to some day upgrade to the Studio version just as my way of supporting them. The around a year or so ago, they had a promotion where they sent you FREE "speed editor" (hardware) if you buy a one-time (lifetime) license for Davinci Resolve Studio. $300 for both! So they created another win-win and, depending on how you look at it, BMD upgraded the software when you purchased the editor (though crazily they reversed how it worked). The editor is no joke and is one healthy piece of equipment. The Studio software just adds some bells and whistles and some convenience features. The advanced features (Fusion) are still over my head, but when I have time and head-space I'll certainly make it a point to learn more. But as I said, the basics are no harder or easier on any of titles mentioned in this thread.

Again... Free software that you can keep updating for ever and if you go Studio, only one lifetime license fee.