I Need Editing Software Purchasing Advice

[Dopper]

I have a I-Mac computer that I have just started trying some editing on my drone videos. I am using I-Movie. I need to keep my editing to a basic level until I figure out all this technical camera and editing possibilities. No doubt a steep learning curve for me. Anyway, i found that I can't even sharpen my video focus because it doesn't have that feature. At a basic level I would think that would be helpful. So does anybody have any recommendations to what I should purchase as an up-grade. I don't know if I'm ready for anything too technical but i would like to at least beable to do somethings above what I-Movie is currently offering me. I would appreciate any help. BTW I am a fairly dnew owner of a Pro Platinum. Thank you!

 

[RadioFlyerMan]

I have a Mac Pro computer and have just started trying some editing on my drone videos. I am using I-Movie. I need to keep my editing to a basic level until I figure out all this technical camera and editing possibilities. No doubt a steep learning curve for me. Anyway, i found that I can't even sharpen my video focus because it doesn't have that feature. At a basic level I would think that would be helpful. So does anybody have any reccomendations as to what I should purchase as an up-grade. I don't know if I'm ready for anything too technical but i would like to at least beable to do somethings above what I-Movie is currently offering me. I would appreciate any help. BTW I am a fairly dnew owner of a Pro Platinum. Thank you!

Everybody, including me has their favorites that they are use to. I started out with free stuff, then cheap stuff. Not happy with it. However, maybe some free stuff might do you well and I'm sure there will be posts on it. But no matter what you move up to, there will be a learning curve. Since you have a Mac Pro, I'd recommend Final Cut Pro X because it's designed for the MacOS platform. I've been using it to post process my MPP videos for a few months on an iMac Pro. I love it. It's a one time purchase with updates. You can use it at a high level, or dig deep into some pretty fancy stuff.

Just so you know, if video is your main objective, and as you get more skilled at this whole endeavor, the thing you will need lots of is disk space. Especially if you are doing 4K.

 

[Unknown Pilot]

Have you looked at DaVinci Resolve?

 

[Dopper]

Have you looked at DaVinci Resolve?

No, I thought I would get some recommendations before I started researching software.

 

[Essex Ed]

If you do a lot of photography, with the Adobe $10/mo subscription plan, you get Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Bridge and Adobe Premier RUSH (which is a fairly easy program for video editing). The top program in my opinion, as you may know, is Adobe Premier Pro which is an additional $10.00/mo but if you eventually get serious about video, this is the only way to go -- it has so many great features like adding slow motion, increasing speed, color grading, etc. but a steep learning curve.

 

[RedSoxFan42]

If you do a lot of photography, with the Adobe $10/mo subscription plan, you get Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Bridge and Adobe Premier RUSH (which is a fairly easy program for video editing). The top program in my opinion, as you may know, is Adobe Premier Pro which is an additional $10.00/mo but if you eventually get serious about video, this is the only way to go -- it has so many great features like adding slow motion, increasing speed, color grading, etc. but a steep learning curve.

I use Adobe Premier Elements and sometimes I use Photoshop CC. The main problem I have is response time. I have a Lenovo laptog with I& processor and 16 GB of RAM. I have to stop all apps running and the response time is still slow. Often when I move the scrubber during edit, I have to wait several seconds for the image to move to that spot. 10 Minutes of editing takes a half hour. What platform do you run Premier Pro on? Thanks.

 

[Dale D]

If you do a lot of photography, with the Adobe $10/mo subscription plan, you get Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Bridge and Adobe Premier RUSH (which is a fairly easy program for video editing). The top program in my opinion, as you may know, is Adobe Premier Pro which is an additional $10.00/mo but if you eventually get serious about video, this is the only way to go -- it has so many great features like adding slow motion, increasing speed, color grading, etc. but a steep learning curve.

When I transitioned to video (because of time-lapse photograph with my DSLR) I had to learn video editing. Now that I also have drone footage, video editing was a must learn task. I spent the better part of 2 years looking for tutoring in Adobe Premier Pro, including the big community college here in Miami. Even that course did not fulfill my needs. I finally hired a private tutor who sat with me for 3 days from breakfast to dinner, and I managed to learn Adobe Premiere Pro. I subscribed to the their discounted 40% program for Photoshop, Lightroom, Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects and one by one, I learned through trial and error to edit my videos, add sound tracks and adjust their volume, speed up or slow down clips, color grade, etc. It is the most complete program and everything you would ever need but the learning curve is very steep. You can see my results on Vimeo.

(10 minutes length). Now, because of my new skills I have branched out to all forms of video to incorporate iPhone video, Osmo Action video, drone video, and time-lapse video.

 

[Cymruflyer]

Keep your eye open for On1 software's new editing system launching possibly sometime in November.

 

[Essex Ed]

If you do a lot of photography, with the Adobe $10/mo subscription plan, you get Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Bridge and Adobe Premier RUSH (which is a fairly easy program for video editing). The top program in my opinion, as you may know, is Adobe Premier Pro which is an additional $10.00/mo but if you eventually get serious about video, this is the only way to go -- it has so many great features like adding slow motion, increasing speed, color grading, etc. but a steep learning curve.

I'm using an HP desktop with 32 GB RAM, Intel i7-4790 CPU @3.6 GHz and have my files on an external 8TB WD drive. If you are having trouble scrubbing through videos, you should try using "proxies"--- to find out more, just go on YouTube and search for Matt who is Johnson and watch his video on using proxies. Not sure if you can use this process with programs other than Premier Pro however - so may not be a solution for you but Proxies essentially render your video at 540p (or a low resolution of your choice) and allow quick scanning of videos but will export at HD or 4K.

 

[Dale D]

Not to be a pest, but seriously, in my humble opinion, Adobe Premiere Pro is the industry standard, except for the Hollywood professionals like my daughter who works at this for a professional living on real Hollywood movies, and she uses the Avid, a massive machine that costs thousands) and takes a year of training in film school. I know because I paid her tuition. Aside from the Avid, and Premiere Pro, I would imagine, with no experience whatsoever, that Final Cut Pro is equal to Premiere Pro, but that is what I gather from viewing tons of You Tubers.See attachments.First 2 attachments are from Avid web site.
I am also attaching a screen shot of the project I am presently working on so you can see the interface.Essentially 4 windows- 1) lower left=sources e.g.: video, still, video, audio. 2) upper left- editing window (3) lower right- time line. (4) upper right- actual product.

 

[Dale D]

I'm using an HP desktop with 32 GB RAM, Intel i7-4790 CPU @3.6 GHz and have my files on an external 8TB WD drive. If you are having trouble scrubbing through videos, you should try using "proxies"--- to find out more, just go on YouTube and search for Matt who is Johnson and watch his video on using proxies. Not sure if you can use this process with programs other than Premier Pro however - so may not be a solution for you but Proxies essentially render your video at 540p (or a low resolution of your choice) and allow quick scanning of videos but will export at HD or 4K.

For EssexEd; I had to use proxies I=on my Mac Book Pro because it was so puny, but so far, I have not had to use proxies and have no delay with my wonderful iMAC. - I am attaching specs. Am also getting a new more powerful Mac Book Pro with I7 processor and more RAM and hope it will help while traveling and editing.

 

[Harold Morgan]

I have seen a substantial number of YouTubers posting about how they quit Premier Pro and moved to Davinci Resolve. Resolve is 100% free and very capable. If nothing else, I recommend you download it and make use of the tutorials you can get from their site and from dozens of YouTube instructors. It'll cost you nothing and you'll learn a lot. I'm using it now, and I also use Premiere Pro. Both are capable. Pro has more plug ins and such, but as a learner you won't need that for awhile.

 

[cyeung]

I am a whole-hearted DaVinci Resolve fan. The free version is very, very capable. Pick up a book called "The Definitive Guide to DaVinci Resolve 15: Editing, Color, Audio, and Effects (The Blackmagic Design Learning Series)" for $55 and go through it.

If you ever want the full version, it's $300, one time, forever.

 

[Harold Morgan]

I am a whole-hearted DaVinci Resolve fan. The free version is very, very capable. Pick up a book called "The Definitive Guide to DaVinci Resolve 15: Editing, Color, Audio, and Effects (The Blackmagic Design Learning Series)" for $55 and go through it.

If you ever want the full version, it's $300, one time, forever.

I don't know if that book is necessary with all the free help available (it has exploded lately). Also, version is now 16.1.1, and the 15 version may leave a lot of features out.

 

[cyeung]

I don't know if that book is necessary with all the free help available (it has exploded lately). Also, version is now 16.1.1, and the 15 version may leave a lot of features out.

I have the "Color Correction with DaVinci Resolve 15" book in addition to that other book. Sure, it's one version off, but it establishes the fundamentals. Call me old (I'm 33), but I find it easier to read steps from a book.

 

[Harold Morgan]

I have the "Color Correction with DaVinci Resolve 15" book in addition to that other book. Sure, it's one version off, but it establishes the fundamentals. Call me old (I'm 33), but I find it easier to read steps from a book.

Yeah, I guess I favor video. To each their own!

 

[Dale D]

Nobody has mentioned Pinnacle Studios editing software for video which is a Windows based program that is fairly reasonable. Google it and check it out. I don't use it (have a MAC) but my brother in law does and is happy with it. It runs less than $100 depending on which package you get.