Editing Video on a Mac

[bmoore1118]

I just moved into the Mac ecosystem and looking for the best video editor that will not break the bank.

I know about IMovie and I pay for lightroom so I get Adobe Rush.

Only problem is sometimes I shoot 10bit HLG files and those platforms don't support 10 bit files.

FInal Cut is nice but cant drop 300 dollars.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

I just moved into the Mac ecosystem and looking for the best video editor that will not break the bank.

I know about IMovie and I pay for lightroom so I get Adobe Rush.

Only problem is sometimes I shoot 10bit HLG files and those platforms don't support 10 bit files.

FInal Cut is nice but cant drop 300 dollars.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

I did the switch from Windows to Mac a few years ago. And I’m convinced that the Mac handles video much better. I have created numerous HDR videos on my iMac Pro using Final Cut Pro. I shoot exclusively in HLG and it handles it perfectly. If you can get past the initial cost of FCPX, Apple provides new advancements in capabilities for free.

if you’re interested, here’s my channel videos all produced in FCPX, most of which I rendered as HDR using the HLG transfer function…

https://youtube.com/@radioflyerman3788?si=vRjlm0x2-BB5TRH0

 

[Cafguy]

DaVinci Resolve ! Some will tell you its hard to use BUT its actually pretty nice with all the video tutorials and forum advice out there
I have been using Macs for more than a decade and resolve is one of the best free editors I have ever seen

 

[bmoore1118]

DaVinci Resolve ! Some will tell you its hard to use BUT its actually pretty nice with all the video tutorials and forum advice out there
I have been using Macs for more than a decade and resolve is one of the best free editors I have ever seen

What are you not able to do in the free version compared to the paid?

 

[Grandpa]

What are you not able to do in the free version compared to the paid?

Probably nothing that you will ever come across unless you are a video editing expert. I’ve been using it since version 12 and there is nothing better for the price. Period.

 

[Grandpa]

If you go this route, learn the Cut page to start with. It has everything you need to start. When you gain more experience, you can branch out to the Edit, Color Correction, Fairlight(sound) and Fusion (3D motion graphics) pages for more in-depth tools.

 

[mavic3usa]

What are you not able to do in the free version compared to the paid?

Probably nothing that you will ever come across unless you are a video editing expert. I’ve been using it since version 12 and there is nothing better for the price. Period.

Agreed, while you are learning DR, there isn't anything to worry about regarding the paid version. This is your chance, not many people get this opportunity to get the best advice from forum member recommendations starting from day ONE particularly when first starting out on a new OS as well. Don't fail to download and start fresh with free Davinci Resolve and I promise you a year later when you revisit this thread, you will be most thankful. Other software is tempting because it is also free and super simple but please don't fall for that. Not only because you get powerful free DR software to help you crank out nice videos honestly for the rest of video-producing life but also because there is endless help and knowledge instantly available to you particularly from Youtube. You'll never have to worry about switching again.

I've been using DR for years and I still have yet to dive into the Fairlight and Fusion page.

 

[SethB]

…Only problem is sometimes I shoot 10bit HLG files and those platforms don't support 10 bit files…

DaVinci Resolve free won’t handle your 10-bit content, nor anything above 4k60 UHD. It also won’t use GPU hardware acceleration, which may be available on your Mac, depending.

What’s the difference between DaVinci Resolve and DaVinci Studio?
…The main difference is DaVinci Resolve’s free version does not work with 10-bit footage and you are limited to the 4K UHD (3840×2160) 60fps output. It is also important to note that the free version can only use some GPU acceleration for playback but for rendering it relies on the CPU…

What's the Difference Between DaVinci Resolve Free and Studio? | Artgrid

DaVinci Resolve 17 is free, but what does the paid studio version have to offer? Let’s measure up DaVinci Resolve Free vs. Studio.

artgrid.io

 

[mavic3usa]

If you want to buy the paid version of DR and offset the cost, I recommend you buy the combo which includes the speed editor. You won't be able to use this editor to it's fullest on day one but you'll get there eventually and the speed editor will end up being one of your best purchases. I know it has changed the way I make videos and has helped me tremendously. Back in the day, this combo was $295 so it offset the cost 100% but hopefully not too much more today:

Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor with Studio Software

 

[bmoore1118]

If you want to buy the paid version of DR and offset the cost, I recommend you buy the combo which includes the speed editor. You won't be able to use this editor to it's fullest on day one but you'll get there eventually and the speed editor will end up being one of your best purchases. I know it has changed the way I make videos and has helped me tremendously. Back in the day, this combo was $295 so it offset the cost 100% but hopefully not too much more today:

Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor with Studio Software

Agreed, while you are learning DR, there isn't anything to worry about regarding the paid version. This is your chance, not many people get this opportunity to get the best advice from forum member recommendations starting from day ONE particularly when first starting out on a new OS as well. Don't fail to download and start fresh with free Davinci Resolve and I promise you a year later when you revisit this thread, you will be most thankful. Other software is tempting because it is also free and super simple but please don't fall for that. Not only because you get powerful free DR software to help you crank out nice videos honestly for the rest of video-producing life but also because there is endless help and knowledge instantly available to you particularly from Youtube. You'll never have to worry about switching again.

I've been using DR for years and I still have yet to dive into the Fairlight and Fusion page.

Looks like free version doesn’t support 10bit. Will not work

 

[SethB]

If you have an M1 or M2 Mac it’s worth checking out Lumafusion. Handles 10-bit, it really does a lot for $30. I occasionally use it on iOS, my main editor is Premiere, sometimes Resolve free.
LumaFusion for iOS - LumaTouch

Articles

lumatouch.clickhelp.co

 

[Grandpa]

Depending on how involved with video editing you want to get, unless you need resolution higher than 4K/60 or super fast rendering, I would convert your HLC to Prores and process through Resolve. Tremendous opportunity.

 

[bmoore1118]

Looks like Imovie for the mac just got updated to support Log files from the iphone 15. Might work now