Video editing software capable of 10 bit 4K60: which to purchase?

[BenThe]

Hello all,

I am looking to purchase a video editing software that is capable of editing 10 bit 4k60 footage from an Air 3S. I am not looking to make a Hollywood film out of it, just trying to see what color grading and time-lapses are all about.

I tried Davinci Resolve, and while I could edit Mini 4K footage with it, it looks like 4K60 10bit video is for the paid Studio only, which is rather expensive $299 USD / about $450 CAD and probably way too much for a random dude not yet doing this professionally. I see Vegas Pro Suite is $175 CAD on sale, is that any good? Should I stick with Davinci Resolve and get their Speed editor for an extra $100 CAD (total $550 CAD) which includes DR Studio licence, or I look or something much cheaper or even free?

I do want the software to be subscription free, and does not have any T&C that e.g. claims copyright to my videos etc.


Any advice is much appreciated!

 

[AeroJ]

Yes it's understandable but frustrating that DVR free won't do 10 bit. But DaVinci Resolve full version is actually priced very reasonably, and in a world increasingly heading in the direction of subs-only it remains rare that they are not doing that ! So that is still my primary recommendation for anyone editing video. I believe there are other less expensive options though (no free ones that can immediately think of that cope with 10 bit H.265 etc) but have no XP with those I will leave it to others to recommend any specifically.

 

[Felix le Chat]

Yes it's understandable but frustrating that DVR free won't do 10 bit. But DaVinci Resolve full version is actually priced very reasonably, and in a world increasingly heading in the direction of subs-only it remains rare that they are not doing that ! So that is still my primary recommendation for anyone editing video. I believe there are other less expensive options though (no free ones that can immediately think of that cope with 10 bit H.265 etc) but have no XP with those I will leave it to others to recommend any specifically.

Agree 100%.
For what you get under the hood: Resolve is by far the best bang for buck. Especially when you compare it dollar for dollar with the likes of Adobe bloatware. The fully licensed version will earn it's keep.

 

[Ridgeback65]

Agreed. DR is the best bang for the buck and the easiest to use/learn IMO. Also, what you are using for a computer matters. Processing power. Mac Mini Studio for me.

 

[MavicAir2Marc]

To echo what everyone else has said, Da Vinci Resolve is on of the best values out there for what it does. If you buy many of the Black Magic accessories or cameras, you get it for free, like their speed editor or Black Magic 6k cinema camera so you get to add hardware and get the full studio software for free.

 

[Cafguy]

Resolve is quickly becoming the industry standard the price tag will make you hesitate a little but its worth every penny!

 

[mavic3usa]

Your timing might also be good since if there is any time DR Studio would ever get discounted, tomorrow would be it!

 

[Harro]

DaVinci Resolve Studio is the way to go. Something that no one has mentioned, the future upgrades are all free, not like other software where upgrades to a new version are paid for again.

 

[BenThe]

Yes it's understandable but frustrating that DVR free won't do 10 bit. But DaVinci Resolve full version is actually priced very reasonably, and in a world increasingly heading in the direction of subs-only it remains rare that they are not doing that ! So that is still my primary recommendation for anyone editing video. I believe there are other less expensive options though (no free ones that can immediately think of that cope with 10 bit H.265 etc) but have no XP with those I will leave it to others to recommend any specifically.

I agree 100%. I did some research before downloading DR, and the subscription free model really speaks to me. I am okay with paying an upfront cost for it, but at $299 USD, it is not a small pill to swallow for someone who is not working on video editing professionally. Heck, my only video editing experience is me downloading DR and stitching two drone videos front to back, that's it. I am what you would call, super novice.

Would i even use 10% of DR's potential? Not currently, I am learning one Youtube video at a time. Is the software worth the cost? 100%

I have not tried other video editing software, although I did look up Vega once i saw it has a sale going on.

Agree 100%.
For what you get under the hood: Resolve is by far the best bang for buck. Especially when you compare it dollar for dollar with the likes of Adobe bloatware. The fully licensed version will earn it's keep.

I flat out refuse to buy into Adobe's ecosystem due to the subscription model, especially for an occasional user like me. For photos like panorama, I am into the Affinity software recently after they went "free".

Agreed. DR is the best bang for the buck and the easiest to use/learn IMO. Also, what you are using for a computer matters. Processing power. Mac Mini Studio for me.

I think i should be okay on power, I am running DR on a desktop with a recent gen i7 and GPU.

To echo what everyone else has said, Da Vinci Resolve is on of the best values out there for what it does. If you buy many of the Black Magic accessories or cameras, you get it for free, like their speed editor or Black Magic 6k cinema camera so you get to add hardware and get the full studio software for free.

The speed editor is the cheapest hardware that bundles the software licence, it's about $100 CAD more on top of a bare licence. That was what I was thinking I would go for, but no sale on that one.

Resolve is quickly becoming the industry standard the price tag will make you hesitate a little but its worth every penny!

The more I search/ask around online, the more I am coming to that realization as well.....

Your timing might also be good since if there is any time DR Studio would ever get discounted, tomorrow would be it!

Oh no! For real? I thought DR should be pretty safe on the non-subscription front...

DaVinci Resolve Studio is the way to go. Something that no one has mentioned, the future upgrades are all free, not like other software where upgrades to a new version are paid for again.

Do you mean e.g. if DR releases a DR 21, me holding a DR 20 licence can upgrade to the new one free of charge?



Thank you all for your advice! I may pick up a speed editor some day this year.

 

[mavic3usa]

I think it was already mentioned but your best bet is to buy a combination of DR software and hardware together so you take advantage of the discount. A new user doesn't need the speed editor on Day One but as you mentioned, one day you will want it. Why not spend a little bit more now so you don't have to revisit in about 18 months:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1690029-REG/blackmagic_design_dv_res_bbpnlmleka_davinci_resolve_speed_editor.html

In the meantime, I like to provide these (my favorite) tutorials on DR because the YT world has thousands of good DR videos and you might not know where to start, this should keep you busy for about the first 6 months:

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[EricJT]

Resolve is quickly becoming the industry standard the price tag will make you hesitate a little but its worth every penny!

Especially in the past when they bundled it with the Speed Controller.

 

[Riptide]

Especially in the past when they bundled it with the Speed Controller.

Looks like you still get a license when you buy a speed editor.

 

[EricJT]

Looks like you still get a license when you buy a speed editor.

Then that is the same type of offer I got when I decided to go from DR free to Studio......the Speed Controller is quite useful and you get DR Studio upgrades (i.e. V19 to V20) free forever......for me it was a no brainer.

 

[anotherlab]

If my employer wasn't paying for my Creative Cloud subscription, I would buy the speed controller. I have a Tourbox, and I map the jog wheel to the apps that I use.

 

[dangerd]

Get the Davinci Resolve, it's the best deal on earth. There's no subscription. It will do way more than you will ever need, and is easy to use, especially if you have edited before. Plus it has the the best color tools of any suite available.

 

[edgley]

Get a USB dongle off ebay. Each BMD camera ships with one so they do come up.

BMD do not make Resolve for profit, so to speak, thats what their hardware is for. Resolve is what ties it all together.

I have been using it since v12 with no additional charge.

As for hardware, given that its "all about the colour", I would invest in a grading panel over a Speed Edit - after all it only really works on the Cut Panel.

A better open might be that the price of the Editing Keyboard has been dropped. Wont be long before this affects the ebay prices