Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Motion & Video => Topic started by: Chris L on February 19, 2010, 04:25:51 pm

Title: simply good + easy video editing software
Post by: Chris L on February 19, 2010, 04:25:51 pm

I am a still photographer that was excited to hear that Aperture 3 is supporting DSLR video footage ......... until I downloaded it and found out you could only trim the clips, not adjust color etc. Bummer.

I have tried Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, and both are WAY overkill for what I want to do; simply trim the clips ( from my 5DII ) and adjust the colors and curves. Thats it. I dont want to create movies, put together commercials, I am not even recording audio.

Right now I am opening the clip in Photoshop CS4, adjusting color + curves, then exporting to Mpeg Streamclip to trim and create a low and high res file, also converting to Apple Pro Res 422 codec. There has got be a better way.

Anyone have any suggestions for software I should use?

Title: simply good + easy video editing software
Post by: Christopher Sanderson on February 19, 2010, 05:51:35 pm

iMovie

Title: simply good + easy video editing software
Post by: Chris L on February 19, 2010, 07:29:30 pm

Quote from: Chris Sanderson

iMovie

that would be great but do you know if I can convert to Apple Pro Res 422 in iMovie? Can I neutralize color with a color picker / mcbeth chart in iMovie?

Title: simply good + easy video editing software
Post by: Christopher Sanderson on February 19, 2010, 09:26:57 pm

Quote from: christo

that would be great but do you know if I can convert to Apple Pro Res 422 in iMovie? Can I neutralize color with a color picker / mcbeth chart in iMovie?

iMovies controls are very basic: there is a small whitepoint colour picker; export settings are all those available within QuickTime - including Apple Pro Res 422 - IF you have the codec installed. Appe ProRes is normally installed as part of Final Cut.
IMO if you want pro features, you need Final Cut Studio...but iMovie is simplicity.

Title: simply good + easy video editing software
Post by: Christopher Sanderson on February 20, 2010, 10:49:10 am

It sounds as if you may simply want to archive your video footage. If this is the case, my preference is always to archive the original camera files. You will find that the originals (H264) are considerably smaller than footage exported into Apple ProRes which is an editing codec and much larger.

Title: simply good + easy video editing software
Post by: Jeff Weir on February 20, 2010, 03:27:08 pm

Take a look at Final Cut Express.

Very easy to use and offers many adjustments, effects, options.

Title: simply good + easy video editing software
Post by: citizenjoe on February 21, 2010, 12:57:24 pm

I use Premiere Pro on the PC Platform.  It's little brother, Premiere Elements, which I also use, is excellent and available on the MAC Platform.  
Have a look at this review: http://www.wired.com/software/softwarerevi...adobe_premiere4 (http://www.wired.com/software/softwarereviews/news/2007/09/adobe_premiere4)

Cheers,
Hugh

Quote from: Jeff Weir

Take a look at Final Cut Express.

Very easy to use and offers many adjustments, effects, options.