Video Editing Software

[Ron Caballero CAP]

I have a fairly powerful PC and am reluctant to pay for Adobe premier and need something between Microsoft Photo and Davinci Resolve. I just want to make good drone videos ... your thoughts.

I use Corel Video Studio. It does everything you would want. For very limited cropping and photo captures, I have Snagit and use that. Snagit, of course, is excellent for full or partial screen captures.

 

[Coco 60]

Thanks for all your suggestions guys but will some output 4K format for free ??? That is the question?

 

[Mavic Mac]

I know my licensed version of VSDC does - not sure about the free version. Download it and if it doesn't just delete it

 

[jwilk805]

Check out iMovie...

 

[wxperson]

You will get numerous answers and opinions. Just like vehicles everybody will have their favorite brand.

VSDC - both a free and a licensed version - tons of tutorials on YouTube - Running it in my Windows 10 PC laptop w/o a problem
HERE is the link to their download page

Thanks for the reference to VSDC. Just what I was looking for.

 

[Tomcat043]

I have a fairly powerful PC and am reluctant to pay for Adobe premier and need something between Microsoft Photo and Davinci Resolve. I just want to make good drone videos ... your thoughts.

Hi, I'm trying to learn Adobe PR, likely to take a couple of years. In the mean time, I'm using Cyberlink PowerDirector. Great inexpensive video editor. I also use their audio editor, also great little editor. All are affordable.

 

[keio]

In the past, i used to work with Premiere + AE combo, but i'm now working with Resolve + AE which gives me more satisfaction and the process is easier and faster.

 

[chiangmaicharlies]

I've been using SHOTCUT for some time now and find it more intuitive than many paid for apps. Yes, that means SHOTCUT is completely free and there are numerous tutorials and examples on YouTube.

Do give it a try, you may well never look back. I haven't. Here's my set-up when film making.

 

[alexbrown]

Earlier this year I asked around on forums and went for Filmora. For a novice first time video editor with limited knowledge of computers I got the hag of it very easy and produced an acceptable result.

Only to be let down by the fact it makes a water mark on the video unless you pay monies for the “free” software

Last night I downloaded Fastreel (for your convenience here is the link https://www.fаstreel.com/video-maker.html ) , it looks a bit more effective. Let me to play around with it and keep you posted

 

[Mile_high]

I seem to be late to this thread but being fairly new to video editing it is what it is. I downloaded DaVinci 16. It runs a little slow on my lay top but not so much I can't live with it. The problem I am having is nothing will come up after I download videos. It will show as being there but no picture on the thumb nail. The video was made using my MA2 and shows up great on my phone or computer just not in DaVinci. Any help will be greatly apprieated. TIA

 

[keio]

I seem to be late to this thread but being fairly new to video editing it is what it is. I downloaded DaVinci 16. It runs a little slow on my lay top but not so much I can't live with it. The problem I am having is nothing will come up after I download videos. It will show as being there but no picture on the thumb nail. The video was made using my MA2 and shows up great on my phone or computer just not in DaVinci. Any help will be greatly apprieated. TIA

Just a question : codec of the footage was H265 ?

 

[cyeung]

It seems as though DaVinci Resolve can be strange with H.265 footage. I have a friend who has the free version and couldn't get his H.265 footage from his Canon EOS R5 to show up. He sent me a sample, I put it into my copy of DaVinci Resolve Studio (paid version), and it showed right up.

 

[keio]

It seems as though DaVinci Resolve can be strange with H.265 footage. I have a friend who has the free version and couldn't get his H.265 footage from his Canon EOS R5 to show up. He sent me a sample, I put it into my copy of DaVinci Resolve Studio (paid version), and it showed right up.

I think it has either to do with the way DJI is encoding the said H.265 footage (have the non-trial version of DVR) as i have for my part either to shoot in H.264, or to re-encode first with handbrake to get the video to read correctly (both in windows as in DVR, and yes, i have the proper Win10 codec fixes installed etc, and can read any other H.265 videos except if shot with my MA2). Feel free to check my thread about it here. Might be something else in case of the OP, he'll have to check if his codecs are installed and make few tests with other H.265 footage samples.

 

[Severian]

Premeire Pro is sooo good. I know it's expensive. But I've tried Filmora, DaVinci, and even Final Cut Pro. Nothing compares. Premeire pro is so powerful and feature rich. What's money for but to buy really nice stuff. ?

 

[vindibona1]

Premiere Pro is sooo good. I know it's expensive. But I've tried Filmora, DaVinci, and even Final Cut Pro. Nothing compares. Premiere pro is so powerful and feature rich. What's money for but to buy really nice stuff. ?

I'm glad you're happy with Premier Pro. One has to recognize that (IMO) familiarity is 95% of the satisfaction when comparing software. Having tried all of these other programs it would be helpful if you would provide more information on why you think Premier is better than the others you've tried in addition to stating how wonderful you think it is. Perhaps you might convince some folks that it's truly the way to go (in spite of the costs).

FCP is a whole different approach and requites a different "brain space" compared to other programs, much like back in the early desktop publishing days when someone using Quark XPress the defacto premier DTP program would turn their nose up at Aldus Pagemaker (which ironically morphed into Adobe InDesign). The familiarity is largely based on availability. Someone just starting out in video is most likely going to go with something easier to learn and low in cost, perhaps like Filmora- which I never took a liking to.

My biggest problem with Premier Pro isn't the program itself, but Adobe. They pick your pocket every month- forever, with their software rental scheme, whether you use the product every day, once a month, once a year... or never as long as you still allow your account to be charged.

Since you mentioned Davinci, have you tried their latest version, Davinci 17 which is free with no restrictions or limitations? Have you ever tried their studio version which is a ONE TIME $300 cost that you'll never have to pay again? Is there ANY program out there to learn fully blown video editing FOR FREE? And learning a video program is just as important as having one that can do all the stuff. I cannot believe the amount of free tutorials on Davinci. Some folks find Davinci daunting to learn but I stuck to the basics and actually found it fairly intuitive. I suspect Premier Pro is no harder or easier to learn than Davinci Resolve- or vice versa. But knowing Davinci Resolve now as I do, I find it difficult to believe that Premier Pro is any more powerful than Davinci, but if so only marginally. A lot of Holllywood guys use Davinci which says something right there.

I'm sure there are as many tutorials for Premier Pro as Davinci. But the basic Premier Pro costs $21/mo. If you want After Effects which is pretty much required beyond the basics, it's another $21/mo. So Premier Pro + After Effects costs $500 per year EVERY year. Its not that I have a problem with Premier Pro, which I'm sure is a fine program. My problem is with Adobe. I have a big beef with them about Photoshop licensing with legacy versions that I *PURCHASED*, which I cannot activate on my slower older computers yet those computers choke on the newer versions. So I am stuck with a subscription that I don't use that often any longer but often enough that I have to have some version of Photoshop. Their new version(s) which has many features I don't need but have the "privilege" for paying for every month anyway. If you do still photographs professionally you're pretty much stuck using Photoshop (even though earlier versions can do 99% of what the latest updates can- and more elegantly). However, with video editing software, there are other fish in the sea.

Sorry for the long sermonette.

 

[Tomk_]

Thanks for all your suggestions guys but will some output 4K format for free ??? That is the question?

I use VSDC mainly because it is free and I have an old, low power laptop. It seems to use less resources. However, it still is very laggy working with 4k so I make low grade copies with handbrake and do all editing on those clips, I then substitute back in the 4k clips before finalizing and output the 4k finished product. It's called using proxies.

 

[Severian]

I'm glad you're happy with Premier Pro. One has to recognize that (IMO) familiarity is 95% of the satisfaction when comparing software. Having tried all of these other programs it would be helpful if you would provide more information on why you think Premier is better than the others you've tried in addition to stating how wonderful you think it is. Perhaps you might convince some folks that it's truly the way to go (in spite of the costs).

FCP is a whole different approach and requites a different "brain space" compared to other programs, much like back in the early desktop publishing days when someone using Quark XPress the defacto premier DTP program would turn their nose up at Aldus Pagemaker (which ironically morphed into Adobe InDesign). The familiarity is largely based on availability. Someone just starting out in video is most likely going to go with something easier to learn and low in cost, perhaps like Filmora- which I never took a liking to.

My biggest problem with Premier Pro isn't the program itself, but Adobe. They pick your pocket every month- forever, with their software rental scheme, whether you use the product every day, once a month, once a year... or never as long as you still allow your account to be charged.

Since you mentioned Davinci, have you tried their latest version, Davinci 17 which is free with no restrictions or limitations? Have you ever tried their studio version which is a ONE TIME $300 cost that you'll never have to pay again? Is there ANY program out there to learn fully blown video editing FOR FREE? And learning a video program is just as important as having one that can do all the stuff. I cannot believe the amount of free tutorials on Davinci. Some folks find Davinci daunting to learn but I stuck to the basics and actually found it fairly intuitive. I suspect Premier Pro is no harder or easier to learn than Davinci Resolve- or vice versa. But knowing Davinci Resolve now as I do, I find it difficult to believe that Premier Pro is any more powerful than Davinci, but if so only marginally. A lot of Holllywood guys use Davinci which says something right there.

I'm sure there are as many tutorials for Premier Pro as Davinci. But the basic Premier Pro costs $21/mo. If you want After Effects which is pretty much required beyond the basics, it's another $21/mo. So Premier Pro + After Effects costs $500 per year EVERY year. Its not that I have a problem with Premier Pro, which I'm sure is a fine program. My problem is with Adobe. I have a big beef with them about Photoshop licensing with legacy versions that I *PURCHASED*, which I cannot activate on my slower older computers yet those computers choke on the newer versions. So I am stuck with a subscription that I don't use that often any longer but often enough that I have to have some version of Photoshop. Their new version(s) which has many features I don't need but have the "privilege" for paying for every month anyway. If you do still photographs professionally you're pretty much stuck using Photoshop (even though earlier versions can do 99% of what the latest updates can- and more elegantly). However, with video editing software, there are other fish in the sea.

Sorry for the long sermonette.

No worries about the sermon. I get it. And I certainly understand the antagonism to Adobe's pricing structure. No, I have not tried the latest DaVinci program. For now I'm invested in PPro, so it's unlikely that I will try a new program. Full disclosure, my investment in Adobe goes way back to the mid to late 80s when they began releasing software for the MAC. I've used (PageMaker) Indesign, Photoshop, Acrobat, and Lightroom since they were released. I've been an advanced amateur photographer for decades. So, yeah, I'm in the system, if you will. I did, however, try those other apps before I wet with PPro. But now that I've learned the program and am financially invested, there's no need for going back. One thing: I don't believe After Effects is needed to go beyond the basics (unless you are editing for movie production or TV), especially for the kind of arial photography we do with drones. I'm sorry if I made the case for PPro too enthusiastically. I should have made it clear that there is other software that works. Thank you for your clarification.

 

[vindibona1]

No worries about the sermon. I get it. And I certainly understand the antagonism to Adobe's pricing structure. No, I have not tried the latest DaVinci program. For now I'm invested in PPro, so it's unlikely that I will try a new program. Full disclosure, my investment in Adobe goes way back to the mid to late 80s when they began releasing software for the MAC. I've used (PageMaker) Indesign, Photoshop, Acrobat, and Lightroom since they were released. I've been an advanced amateur photographer for decades. So, yeah, I'm in the system, if you will. I did, however, try those other apps before I wet with PPro. But now that I've learned the program and am financially invested, there's no need for going back. One thing: I don't believe After Effects is needed to go beyond the basics (unless you are editing for movie production or TV), especially for the kind of arial photography we do with drones. I'm sorry if I made the case for PPro too enthusiastically. I should have made it clear that there is other software that works. Thank you for your clarification.

No worries about your enthusiasm. I just wanted to learn more even if I've got time, and now money in Davinci Resolve Studio.

Not to digress, but I've been a pro photographer for about 35 years, having started in digital photography as early as 1996 before Photoshop really even emerged. My studio went 100% digital around 2001 and was all Mac at the time.

My beef with Adobe is that the last license that I purchased was Photoshop CS3. It's fine for 98% of my projects as I just had to learn to do stuff that Adobe automated in subsequent versions. CS3 will work fine even with Windows 10, but I had to reformat one of my older laptops and Adobe closed their activation portal and refused to activate manually. I've got a 12 year old Sony Vaio that I use every day for light stuff that still has CS3 as Photoshop versions after 2015 just choke it in spite of having 8GB of ram and a SSD. Adobe's Creative Cloud f'd up the registry, so when PSD's want to open PS 2017 and I cannot change in the default programs setting nor can I uninstall! If I ever have to reformat or reinstall software on this machine I'll no longer be able to use Photoshop and will be limited to my big desktop machine, even though my license would permit me to install it on one of my laptops. Besides, I don't even like the newer Photoshop interface compared to the older ones. As for Lightroom, there's another product that is bested by so many others. I've been using Capture One Pro since it came out around 2001, I think and have been tinkering with On1 Raw, which is more like Lightroom, only better in many ways. Adobe has soured me. Can you tell?

Aerial filming has reinvigorated my enthusiasm for photography and once again video. I dropped video to go into still photography full time in 1984 so other than shooting, video is all new to me. I feel so fortunate to have had a platform like Davinci Resolve that I could learn on for free. I appreciated it so much that I promised myself to buy the studio version and when they came out with the promo of Davinci Studio+ Speed Editor package for $300 I had to jump on it. Is that promotion still going on? It was one heck of a deal.

I would have loved to try Premier Pro and might have... had it been by any other company other than Adobe.

 

[Severian]

I have many friends and acquaintances that have the same problem with Adobe. I understand. I think my appreciation for Adobe products is only because I've stuck with them for so long, mostly because financing my Adobe fix has not been a major concern. It's kinda like the Apple Mac addiction I have. I bought a Mac from the first shipment to arrive in St. Louis in 1984, and have kept up to date since then. Even today, now that my kids are all out of the house and it's just my wife and me, we have 4 Macs in the house and 3 iPads. I only wish I would have invested more in Apple stock back in the day.

 

[vindibona1]

I have many friends and acquaintances that have the same problem with Adobe. I understand. I think my appreciation for Adobe products is only because I've stuck with them for so long, mostly because financing my Adobe fix has not been a major concern. It's kinda like the Apple Mac addiction I have. I bought a Mac from the first shipment to arrive in St. Louis in 1984, and have kept up to date since then. Even today, now that my kids are all out of the house and it's just my wife and me, we have 4 Macs in the house and 3 iPads. I only wish I would have invested more in Apple stock back in the day.

Ahh... Apple... Another one of my favorite companies.

My photography studio was all Mac for quite awhile. got my first one around 1987, I think. I had two with the B/W 9" screens before they came out with separate monitors. You remember when they were sold without keyboards which were sold for and additional $200, right? I installed one of the first DIY networks on my Macs. Appletalk (remember that?). I abandoned Macs for the most part between 2003 and 2005. In spite of Macs being 3x the cost of a similar PC I never had a Mac last more than 5 years. I typically get 12+ years with PC's. When I had to outfit my studio with three new computers I didn't want to support 2 platforms so went PC and never looked back. When updating I could always use the spare PC as a server. I still have an older Macbook pro which was a hand-me-down from my daughter, and in spite of only being 7 years old now required $500 in repairs and still isn't perfect. I won't bore you with my bitching about how my iPad no longer updates and the wonders of iTunes and how iCloud scrambled all my neatly arranged photo folders that I used to show clients my work. My 12 year old Vaio is hammering away with an Instacart order as we speak. It required a screen replacement for $130 a few years ago, but even with a Duo core, still does all but the most intensive work without issue.

I guess I must have my curmudgeon hat on today. Sorry.