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Author Topic: Video newbe, Sony, Resolve or FCP  (Read 3101 times)

ski542002

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Video newbe, Sony, Resolve or FCP
« on: February 07, 2018, 11:44:05 am »

Hi:  Prolific still shooter but fairly new to video, shooting with recently-purchased A6500 & A7RIII. Have virtually Zero expertise with editing.  Won't be shooting complex multi-cam sessions; primarily short corporate/industrial, some events and talking-head interviews. Given my complete lack of editing expertise, I was thinking of starting right in with Resolve (the free version to start). I'm a Mac guy and I initially thought FCP would be a logical solution, but I've heard great things about DaVinci Resolve. I have a maxed out MacBook Pro, 2017.  Will be editing with that laptop exclusively.  Thoughts?
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Christopher Sanderson

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Re: Video newbe, Sony, Resolve or FCP
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2018, 11:52:53 am »

- Resolve is a superb colour corrector and an OK editor but getting better & better. Learned skills and muscle memory are fairly similar to many other NLEs with the exception of FCP X.
- FCP X is a superb editor, very stable and fast. It easily accepts multiple formats and frame rates. In version 10.4, FCP X is finally an adequate to good colour corrector. But as many things Apple, FCP X is a 'walled garden' whose skill set is different from 'normal' editors like Adobe's Premiere or Sony. YMMV

ski542002

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Re: Video newbe, Sony, Resolve or FCP
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2018, 12:24:34 pm »

Thanks for the reply Christopher.  Given I'm starting from square one, any thoughts on my getting up to speed learning either Resolve or FCPX?
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Christopher Sanderson

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Re: Video newbe, Sony, Resolve or FCP
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2018, 12:40:20 pm »

Thanks for the reply Christopher.  Given I'm starting from square one, any thoughts on my getting up to speed learning either Resolve or FCPX?
Without hesitation:
https://www.rippletraining.com/

ski542002

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Re: Video newbe, Sony, Resolve or FCP
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2018, 02:17:21 pm »

I had been using Lynda.com in the past, but let my membership expire.  Will investigate Ripple and thanks!
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fredjeang2

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Re: Video newbe, Sony, Resolve or FCP
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2018, 07:11:05 pm »

If you work Sony, you may install Catalyst Prepare (and later the
Production Suite). That will save you time.

As Chris said, Resolve has mainly a color pedigree
In which it excells
And works "ok" for editorial but improoves in each
Update.
Probably the main concern is that Resolve is computer demanding.

As a personal apreciation, Resolve would be completly
Useless for me IF I was doing pure editorial business.
The reason is that it does not bring any advantage
In this area
But a rigid interface compared to other systems such as
Lightworks that were designed 100% for editorials.(but sucks on color).
Lightworks, such as FCPx as Chris pointed, is a completly different approach
Compared to traditional NLEs like Premiere, Avid, Edius and Resolve-NLE-part.
Included, the speed and clarity you can obtain with a lightworks platform
Remains faster even considering the need to "loose time"
In roundtripping to a color app. But you would only notice
The gain in productivity with big volume and complex editos.

The strengh of Resolve resides in its color engine and the
Fact that as an all-in-one, you do everything in the same software.
And it's free.
But....the learning curve is also serious.

So the dilema is: or using the tool for the job and roundtripping.
Fragmenting tasks.
Or going for an all-in-one, which has also its advantage, and some
People prefer it.
I guess you'll find what works best for you in a year or 2. Maybe now
It's trying different configs and see, because all that is very
Personal.

IMO, I'd go the Chris route. Edit in FCP or Lightworks, color Resolve, audio in Audition and compositing in Fusion (also free). That way, you cover all the spectrum and curiously...
I know I know...you may think that using 4 softwares (plus Catalyst) will be
Time consuming. But in the end, it's faster, more flexible and less
Computer dependant.

The editing of audio files should IMO being independant of the video editor.
« Last Edit: February 07, 2018, 07:49:22 pm by fredjeang2 »
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ski542002

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Re: Video newbe, Sony, Resolve or FCP
« Reply #6 on: February 08, 2018, 09:48:29 am »

Thanks for the intense reply.  A lot to learn, but exciting none-the-less!
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smthopr

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Re: Video newbe, Sony, Resolve or FCP
« Reply #7 on: February 08, 2018, 11:34:56 am »

Hi:  Prolific still shooter but fairly new to video, shooting with recently-purchased A6500 & A7RIII. Have virtually Zero expertise with editing.  Won't be shooting complex multi-cam sessions; primarily short corporate/industrial, some events and talking-head interviews. Given my complete lack of editing expertise, I was thinking of starting right in with Resolve (the free version to start). I'm a Mac guy and I initially thought FCP would be a logical solution, but I've heard great things about DaVinci Resolve. I have a maxed out MacBook Pro, 2017.  Will be editing with that laptop exclusively.  Thoughts?

Resolve requires a pretty powerful computer / graphics card to run well.  Especially with long GOP codecs.  Since there is a free version, try it with your MBP and see how well it runs.  You might find that you can't get real time playback with your Sony files.  If you record to an outboard recorder in ProRes, that would help you quite a bit with performance in Resolve and also improve the quality of your files greatly.
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rdonson

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Re: Video newbe, Sony, Resolve or FCP
« Reply #8 on: February 15, 2018, 12:42:50 pm »

I'm a video newbie myself only entering the space in 2017 with the acquisition of 4K drones.

I started with the free iMovie and found some good videos on YouTube to get started.  I found I quickly bumped into the limitations of iMovie.  After downloading the free DaVinci Resolve and researching the options for a newbie.  I finally chose Final Cut Pro X 10.4. 

I will second Chris' recommendation for Ripple Training.  I recommend https://www.rippletraining.com/products/final-cut-pro/final-cut-pro-x-core-training/ as a starting point.  Also their are a ton of plugins for FCP X so you won't feel left out.  BTW, if you have two monitors the video training will go smoother.  Put FCP X on your main monitor and the Ripple Training on the second. 

There's a ton to learn and it won't happen overnight.  Think about the first time you opened up Photoshop and felt completely lost.  That's the initial feeling I had when stepping into video.
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Ron

bcooter

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Re: Video newbe, Sony, Resolve or FCP
« Reply #9 on: February 19, 2018, 05:28:50 pm »

I would suggest learning both, if you only use resolve for color.  Resolve's color image will make virtually any file better and honestly even if you only learn some simple basics, you will have a much nicer video.

In regards to fcpx, for your coming in fresh, it will be a lot easier than for me that comes with years of working traditional NLE's.   Unlearning and relearning is more difficult than just learning.

One suggestion is if you have issues with your machine running resolve transcode the original files to crores and it will tax the machine much less.

IMO

BC
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D Fuller

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Re: Video newbe, Sony, Resolve or FCP
« Reply #10 on: February 21, 2018, 11:25:59 pm »

I'm a Mac guy and I initially thought FCP would be a logical solution, but I've heard great things about DaVinci Resolve. I have a maxed out MacBook Pro, 2017.  Will be editing with that laptop exclusively.  Thoughts?

Given this, and the fact that you haven’t learned any traditional NLE, I’d recommend Final Cut Pro over Resolve. Resolve will not run well for editing on the MBP, and the experience will not be what an editor should be.

If you already subscribe to the Adobe suite, you might try Premiere. It’s a very competent edit platform and has some tricks that make it run much better than Resolve on less-powerful systems.
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fredjeang2

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Re: Video newbe, Sony, Resolve or FCP
« Reply #11 on: February 22, 2018, 08:20:58 pm »

...Resolve will not run well for editing on the MBP, and the experience will not be what an editor should be.
Totally agree with this.

An editor should not be ressources consuming, specialy,
Very specialy in the context of the pixel race we are
Witnessing nowdays. Already, 4k coupled with crap codecs
Slows down. Not talking about 8k that seems to be the
Divine standart so if we ad to this nonsense a heavy platform
Then there is no way to edit without top end equipments at those resolutions or
Proxies obliged.
That is not ideal.

And this is the begining of the end of video-for-everyone cause to pick-up with that
The investment required will be out of range of the casual or student/budget
Filmaker. So we will return to the pre-digital times when motion was
The playpark of high-end houses only.

Ps: PP is ok as for editorial and Lumetry works well but the suscription-only is a bit abusive
According to me and way too much menu oriented in the software
Design.
PP as it, is not without issues, some of which have been expressed
In this forum and abundantly documented on line.
I did have a few annoying problems with XML, probably due to the
Fact that I was rookie on it but the fixing was a PITA and when
One starts to have to deal with things we should not...even if
There are always solutions, the thrill vanishes.

If it's to embrasse a traditional NLE then consider the standart
Avid, specially coupled with the amazing Baselight colour.
A certification on Avid brings more job opportunities and
Better salary than the PP operators, at least here in Europe
Where PP is still considered a "sotware-for-freakies" so to say.
(I do not share this reputation but it's the case)
Avid, well...just like Protools in music industry,
Not that cheap but on par with the Adobe plan on middle term.
FCPx and Lightworks are both alternatives that bring different
Approaches, and I beleive very interesting.
To me, the most singular is Lightworks (I understand Telma) and the only
One that offers rooms, that keep history permanently so you can undo
Even an edit after one year and no bloody menus whatsoever.
And oh yeah...the audio waveforms are loaded once for awhile!
No refresh (seems amazing to talk about that in 2018...very irritating in Resolve)
The list is long.
« Last Edit: February 23, 2018, 05:21:11 pm by fredjeang2 »
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