HD editing software

[netcom]

Thanks for looking in---I have been to cnet and a few other places reading and comparing Video editing software. I am about to make the leap from standard or Digital Video (a Cannon) to HD yet I am wondering about software with (windows) as I have yet to tackle Linux---Might have to?
I have read thru here and else where that the Open source editors are not good with the HD can it is put in---as well as Certain cameras come with software for editing but some are not worth using as it is required you know how to write code to use some of them!
Any advice for a guy looking to upgrade to Hi Def video for around a 1000 give or take for features and lense choices? Something I can get a decent software program to edit with?
thanks in advance and hope to hear from someone soon
NetCom

[Blue_MiSfit]

You don't have to use Linux to do anything video related :) If anything, editing / post production tools are less mature (as a generalization) on Linux that on Windows or Mac OS.

I can't offer much advice regarding an HD video camera. I don't think you'll find anything with interchangeable lenses at that price point. You can, however, get a very competent high end consumer HD camera. Make sure you get one that records in the AVCHD format, and not the older HDV format. AVCHD is much more efficient! Recording to hard disk or memory cards is common with AVCHD, which makes importing the footage into your editor much easier.

As far as editing software goes, I'm only somewhat familiar with prosumer / pro products, like Adobe Premiere, which is probably out of your price range. Premiere Elements is supposedly a good low cost alternative that properly handles AVCHD video. Apple's iMovie is remarkably good, as is Final Cut Express.

I would probably skip the software that comes with your camera, unless it's really all you can afford.

Don't worry, you can definitely go HD for about $1k. Do your homework and play with some cameras in the store :)

Oh - and welcome to doom9 :D

Derek

[Yellow_]

Blue_MiSfit is right about Linux based NLE's they are less mature. There's three types.

1. Built on libquicktime, like Cinellera, probably the most powerful NLE for Linux but also unstable, tricky to learn and very ugly interface. :-)
2. Built on GStreamer like Pitivi, very simple and very slow limited development.
3. Built on FFmpeg, MLT and Frei0r. Kdenlive & Openshot. Most active development, maturing nicely.
4. FFmpeg. Blender's VSE and Composite Nodes.

However there are gotcha's especially with the FFmpeg + MLT + Frei0r NLE's like Kdenlive and Openshot. Frei0r is used for effects and they are done in RGB, not Yxxx. FFmpeg does a poor Yxxx to RGB conversion. Swscale is a bit rough for video editing. MLT uses swscale. Going from Yxxx to RGB and back in these NLE's means levels are scaled to and from 'Broadcast Legal' levels, it's done in 8bit and BT601 matrix only. You end up with shots that have overly crushed blacks, clipped highlights and colour shift, especially with HD and especially with video from DSLR's.

I've only found Pitivi able to input a Yxxx video and encode with levels shifts. But then it has no effects.

Blender offers the best imho, although some work is required upfront or in combination with Avisynth. Linux even runs Windows binaries of Blender, ffmpeg and Avisynth under Wine, so you can use Avisynth to do the Yxxx to RGB conversions full range and then import either the .avs directly as blender uses FFmpeg or you can render out of Vdub RGB Raw AVI's or image sequences to import into blender.

www.blendervse.wordpress.com

Once in Blender all the effects, 3 Way colour corrector, curves are 32bit float and linear workflow, colour managed. Non of the NLE's listed come anywhere near that.

Camera, the HV40 or the Canon T2i / 550D or maybe the Canon 60D or 7D at extra cost, are the only ones imho at that price point worth considering for decent manual controls, frame rates and functionality. Remember the DSLR's will need a few extras too. LCD Loupe, Class 10 preferably SD cards.

[kolak]

You don't have to use Linux to do anything video related :) If anything, editing / post production tools are less mature (as a generalization) on Linux that on Windows or Mac OS.

I can't offer much advice regarding an HD video camera. I don't think you'll find anything with interchangeable lenses at that price point. You can, however, get a very competent high end consumer HD camera. Make sure you get one that records in the AVCHD format, and not the older HDV format. AVCHD is much more efficient! Recording to hard disk or memory cards is common with AVCHD, which makes importing the footage into your editor much easier.

As far as editing software goes, I'm only somewhat familiar with prosumer / pro products, like Adobe Premiere, which is probably out of your price range. Premiere Elements is supposedly a good low cost alternative that properly handles AVCHD video. Apple's iMovie is remarkably good, as is Final Cut Express.

I would probably skip the software that comes with your camera, unless it's really all you can afford.

Don't worry, you can definitely go HD for about $1k. Do your homework and play with some cameras in the store :)

Oh - and welcome to doom9 :D

Derek

In terms of performance and stability nothing is better than GV Edius. Premiere is crap- slow and not stable at all.


Andrew

[Blue_MiSfit]

Bah... Premiere isn't half bad. I think a lot of this comes down to personal preference. Edius seems much more geared towards professional applications and newer workflows like P2 / XDCam.

Derek

[kolak]

Bah... Premiere isn't half bad. I think a lot of this comes down to personal preference. Edius seems much more geared towards professional applications and newer workflows like P2 / XDCam.

Derek

It just works and performance is amazing- these are main advantages :)
New version is coming- looks like a nice update. Can't wait to see it at IBC.


Andrew

[PatchWorKs]

In terms of performance and stability nothing is better than GV Edius. Premiere is crap- slow and not stable at all.
...since next October, 11 !

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/vegaspro10

The main Premiere problem is that's not Win application since its birth, but Mac.

[unix_sansei]

In terms of performance and stability nothing is better than GV Edius. Premiere is crap- slow and not stable at all.

Andrew

I use PPro 2, 4, and 5 and Vegas 9.

PPro can be slow if you don't know what you're doing or have limited codec knowledge or experience. The right tool in the right man's hand can build a mansion, the right tool in the wrong man's hand is a disaster train coming full speed ahead.

Vegas 9 is ok, especially if you want tight integration to Sony hardware.

I like a graphical view of the NLE process so I stay away from tools like Avisynth.

I used Matlab, Fortran and C/C++ to edit my images and only use PPro and Vegas for NLE, codecs and burning.

[DGMurdockIII]

if you want open source and somthing that will work with 95% of video file types/codec and is also a good video editer then you want VideoLan Movie Creator

website - http://trac.videolan.org/vlmc/

download - http://trac.videolan.org/vlmc/wiki/Downloads

[Yobbo]

if you want open source and somthing that will work with 95% of video file types/codec and is also a good video editer then you want VideoLan Movie Creator

website - http://trac.videolan.org/vlmc/

download - http://trac.videolan.org/vlmc/wiki/Downloads

I could never get it to work, I don't think it's anywhere near practical solution yet? Why, you have different experience?

[Justin101]

It just works and performance is amazing- these are main advantages.PPro can be slow if you don't know what you're doing or have limited codec knowledge or experience. I like a graphical view of the NLE process so I stay away from tools like Avisynth.Blender offers the best imho, although some work is required upfront or in combination with Avisynth. Linux even runs Windows binaries of Blender, ffmpeg and Avisynth under Wine, so you can use Avisynth to do the Yxxx to RGB conversions full range and then import either the

[smok3]

from my limited ubuntu experience http://www.kdenlive.org/ seems to be thing (i think i tested every single os editing app in repos), it has dnxhd transcoders built in as well (ffmpeg), so that may work on a really fast machine i imagine (for HD stuff),

I was actually able to sucesfully edit some anamorfic DV stuff (originaly shot as mpeg2) with this app (on netbook even).

Remember that you can test the MLT framework performance from cli as well first (this is something to be dealt with before editing).


p.s. remember to turn-off compiz/desktop effects.

[smok3]

In terms of performance and stability nothing is better than GV Edius. Premiere is crap- slow and not stable at all.

Andrew

the basic win for premiere is that can be soft-pluged into after effects imho.

[kolak]

the basic win for premiere is that can be soft-pluged into after effects imho.

Yes, this is very good, but AE is also bit crap :P
For editors Edius is much more friendly- juts works :)

Andrew

[smok3]

well, thats a great feature explanation, notepad just works as well ....