Best editing software for a MAC...

I'm a PC guy in general. Yeah yeah.... don't knock me.. Recently though, we've tried to downsize our travel gear and we bought a 15" macbook. SO!! being new to MAC, what's the best editing program available for MAC? On my PC I use Adobe's Premiere Elements 9. Thanks guys!!

Greg

**edit..... just a lil FYI... I'm now using a Canon HF S30 in a L&M Bluefin Housing.

I'm a PC guy in general. Yeah yeah.... don't knock me.. Recently though, we've tried to downsize our travel gear and we bought a 15" macbook. SO!! being new to MAC, what's the best editing program available for MAC? On my PC I use Adobe's Premiere Elements 9. Thanks guys!!

 

Greg

 

**edit..... just a lil FYI... I'm now using a Canon HF S30 in a L&M Bluefin Housing.

Final Cut Pro

I'm a PC guy in general. Yeah yeah.... don't knock me.. Recently though, we've tried to downsize our travel gear and we bought a 15" macbook. SO!! being new to MAC, what's the best editing program available for MAC? On my PC I use Adobe's Premiere Elements 9. Thanks guys!!

 

Greg

 

**edit..... just a lil FYI... I'm now using a Canon HF S30 in a L&M Bluefin Housing.

The "best" is subjective. I would suggest since you are already using Adobe Premiere, I'd stick with it as the new Adobe CS6 package on the Mac. You don't say which Macbook Pro. If you have 1GB of Vram, then you'll get accelerated OPENCL with Adobe CS6 Premiere Pro. It is a more expensive package though, but if you have the right hardware, it's the fastest and most versatile of NLE on the Mac platform.

Final Cut X works well for the S30 but the interface is pretty new, albeit rather intuitive. I suggest you download and try to see if you can get into it.

You can try Adobe CS6 without having to purchase it as it is part of their new subscription service. If you like it, you can then buy it. Adobe and Final Cut Pro 7 or X(you can still get 7) are now both 64 bit so I would get as much ram installed as you can afford. Apple ram is very good but expensive. I always get the least amount of ram I can with a new computer and then buy ram from good companies like Crucial or Ramjet. For a laptop, 8 gigs, I believe is as much as you can install.

Steve

PS. Congrats for coming over from the dark side and getting a Mac. Remember to do your regular maintenance chores with it like regularly repairing permissions and it should last you a long time to come. Also, get the extended warranty that Apple offers.

iMovie is IMO the easiest NLE to learn and use - good for simple editing projects and the export quality is more than good enough for most consumers. However, it doesn't handle multi-frame-rate project well, and the export quality for low-light clips is not as high as Final Cut Pro X - examples. It should be on your Mac already so try it to see if it meet your needs.

Final Cut Pro X is very easy to learn and use and the export quality is great. Personally, I like FCPX's interface a lot more than the older Final Cut Express since I can get things done quicker now. YMMV!

Compressor for FCPX works great for most exports. However, Adobe Media Encoder CS5 can squeeze slightly more details out of a highly compressed mp4 movie.

Dealing with AVCHD movies:

1080 60p, 30p, 24p: you can use ClipWrap to re-wrap the AVCHD clips to .mov files without transcoding to AIC (iMovie) or ProRes (FCPX). Both NLEs can export 1080 60p movies.

1080 60i: re-wrapped files don't seem to work well so it may be better to transcode them to AIC (iMovie) or ProRes (FCPX) first.

When trying out FCPX, make sure you "File / Delete Project Render Files... / Unused Files" when you're done editing to reclaim a lot of disk space.

OK, thanks for the input guys!! I downloaded the trial of Final Cut Pro X. So far, I'm struggling. Then again, I'm struggling with the MAC in general. The simplest things, like finding the MAC equivalent to windows explorer are very frustrating. At this point, I'm thinking I have to just stick with Premiere Elements 9 (For MAC), and hope it's the same as the Windows version...LOL. I Looked at CS6..... $700?????? That aint happening anytime soon....LOL, unless I find a student...hehehe.

Thanks all!

Greg

Hey Greg,

Email me, I am in San Diego and can get you past the first steps with FCPX via iChat where you can take over my computer or visa versa. It really is easy, you just need the first steps.

Steve

Hi Greg,

Transitioning to MAc, imovie is a fantastic tool to edit some family stuff and upload a 5min video on youtube after spending less than an hour on editing (I did many diving day trips, coming back home, and finsihing the video in 45min while gear was in the rince bucket). As mentioned, it's there so you can play with it. I really like it and because it is so easy to use, everyone at home can do it without being a NLE geek.

But it degrades quality when importing and exporting (both way I think), and has lots of limitations.

Like iphoto and some other Mac stuff, it takes a while to get use to, but then, after a while, getting in front of a PC .... Not sure how Edius or Vegas can handle your itunes music and iphotos libraries.

I'm also new on more advanced editing software, so far I like FCPX, because it looks like imovie, but i'm curious about CS6 and have downloaded the trial material. If it ends up being faster in getting and manipulating files, then I might get it (need to find a student too ... oh wait, I think I have one at home...). Indeed, I dont like the clipwrap import process and having to deal with .mov and .mts. But my Mac may not do well directly playing mts files, so will need to stick to FCPX, or buy a new MAC (which is hard to justify because even after almost 3 years, it runs almost same way as when new, and no need to resintall and clean it every 3 months ;-)

If you try CS6, I'd be curious to hear about the performance you get and with which HW config!

Hey Greg,

Email me, I am in San Diego and can get you past the first steps with FCPX via iChat where you can take over my computer or visa versa. It really is easy, you just need the first steps.

Steve

Hum, I'm tempted too ! Can we do that over a dive trip in SD ? ;-)

Cyrille (from Irvine...)

OK, thanks for the input guys!! I downloaded the trial of Final Cut Pro X. So far, I'm struggling. Then again, I'm struggling with the MAC in general. The simplest things, like finding the MAC equivalent to windows explorer are very frustrating. At this point, I'm thinking I have to just stick with Premiere Elements 9 (For MAC), and hope it's the same as the Windows version...LOL. I Looked at CS6..... $700?????? That aint happening anytime soon....LOL, unless I find a student...hehehe.

 

Thanks all!

 

Greg

I have been using a macbook pro for 1 year.

I recently bought premiere Elements 9. Pretty simple to use & its cheap, approx $120. IMHO its better than imovie.

Only problem i have is correcting white balance.

I use this software for my GH2 video files, AVCHD 1080 24P

Hi Greg,

 

 

 

 

Hum, I'm tempted too ! Can we do that over a dive trip in SD ? ;-)

 

Sure thing Greg, just let me know. You can always PM me and we will set things up.

Steve

 

On a Mac there is no need what so ever to use Clipwrap for MOV files. MTS files, yes, but not necessary for mov. Almost all other files, other than MTS, FCPX will optimize for you to Pro Res. In FCP7, I would transcode all files in a batch capture to Pro Res anyway. Currently, I just bring everything off the card into a folder and just import and back up in X. These files, H.264, are then optimized for use in X. In all these years, while I had iMovie, I never really used it. It can do the basics but if your aspirations to learn editing and get the best out of your NLE, then PP, FC, Avid are all better ways to go. Since there is a learning curve with all applications, you might as well learn something that you won't grow out of.

I have been using a macbook pro for 1 year.

I recently bought premiere Elements 9. Pretty simple to use & its cheap, approx $120. IMHO its better than imovie.

Only problem i have is correcting white balance.

 

I use this software for my GH2 video files, AVCHD 1080 24P

Did you use PE9 with Windows first? I'm curious if there's a big difference between the formats.

Hey Greg,

Email me, I am in San Diego and can get you past the first steps with FCPX via iChat where you can take over my computer or visa versa. It really is easy, you just need the first steps.

Steve

Sounds like a plan Steve! Thanks!

I downloaded the trial of Final Cut Pro X. So far, I'm struggling.

This may help: Final Cut Pro X video tutorials

Izzy produces some very good stuff, but, naturally, you have to pay a bit. There are also many tutorials as well as informative and helpful discussion boards at the lafcpug.org, keystone.net , 2-pop.com and other Final Cut User Groups around the country which often hold monthly meetings where you can learn and share.

Steve

OK, thanks for the input guys!! I downloaded the trial of Final Cut Pro X. So far, I'm struggling. Then again, I'm struggling with the MAC in general. The simplest things, like finding the MAC equivalent to windows explorer are very frustrating. At this point, I'm thinking I have to just stick with Premiere Elements 9 (For MAC), and hope it's the same as the Windows version...LOL. I Looked at CS6..... $700?????? That aint happening anytime soon....LOL, unless I find a student...hehehe.

 

Thanks all!

 

Greg

Hi Greg,

Over the years I've helpd a number of people make the transition from Windoze to Mac. Three bits of advice:

Don't fight the Mac OS. A lot of things you had to do yourself in Windoze, the Mac is doing for you in the background. If you can't find a command or menu item, it is most likely because you dont need it. What, no File - Save command? Don't sweat it, the app is doing the saving for you. Secondly, don't just learn the Mac, the way you'd learn a new Windoze app. Try to get your mindset into the whole Mac paradigm. Once there, youll be abke to use most Mac apps without opening a help file - with the one exception of most NLEs - these are complex enough to warrant some proper training. Thirdly, stick with it for a while. In a very short time you'll look back and wonder how you survived all those years without a Mac...

I strongly recommend FCP X. Less learning curve than most other NLEs. Professional results, fast.

For FCP X training, I recommend Ripple Training. Comes in logical chapters so you can do a coupe of chapters, do some work on your own footage, do a couple more chapters, etc. Runs in iTunes or on your iPad (handy to have it open while working).

http://www.rippletraining.com/categories/f...e-training.html

Regards

Peter

Peter is correct. I have used and reviewed most books and DVD training discs regarding all versions of FCP and other apps from a large number of companies, and Ripple Training does produce some of the very finest discs with very high production standards. The only fault I find with most all these type of training supplements is that they work off the provided media so that you can follow the various steps as they take you through the many facets of these applications whether it is FCP, Motion, DVD Studio Pro, FCPX, Adobe or whatever. By the time you have completed everything you have a better understanding. However, you are following steps to complete different projects and you do not necessarily gain the understanding of the 'why' to these steps. I think that if you follow them, it might be best to use your own media rather than the supplied media and even then, if you go too quickly through the discs you fail to really learn the application. I'm not sure if I am really explaining myself too articulately here but these training supplements are, in my opinion, best used as a reference source to learn a specific technique that you find you need as you work on your own project. For example, if you get to, for instance, the multicam section and work through it, but you don't ordinarily do multicam projects, by the time in the distant future when you do work with a multicam scenario, you will have forgotten everything you learned regarding the lesson you worked through 10 months ago. Learn something as you need to learn something. There are many features in all NLEs that you might never need to use so learn just what you need as you need it.

Steve

Thanks again guys, all the tutorial aids seem awesome, I'll absorb all I can from them. Thanks Steve for your patience and help!!! I do have a bit of an unrelated question I was hoping som eone might know. I'm heading to Cozumel in 4 days and I want to make sure I have a grasp on a couple things camera related.....

1. Memory cards. My Canon hf S30 has 32gb internal, and 2 slots which I have 2 x 64 GB SDXC cards. I also run both a MAC Book Pro, and a windows PC. When I put one of the cards with files in the MAC I can import the files into FCPX. When I put the same card into my PC I get a "Must format card" message and can't see the files on the card. Why is this?? Should I format both of these cards?

2. Im still confused on what frame rate and Recording mode I want... I of course want the highest possible, unless there's a valid reason not too.

Here's my Cams HD options for Frame rate - MXP = high quality 24 mbps

FXP = high quality 17 mbps

My question is, when I go to the MXP mode, I get a warning that says "Cannot create AVCHD discs that include scenes recorded in this recording mode" What does this mean??

Frame rate - my options are 60I, PF24, PF30, 24F What would you use??? If I'm reading the manual correctly, 24F is the highest quality.

Thanks!!!!

Greg

1. Sounds like you are missing a driver on your PC. The best place to format the cards is in the Canon. Then you'll know it can write the video to the card. Format all the memory in the Canon before the trip. Once I have my video safely copied to at least 3 other places and checked, I format the card in the camera in preparation for the next trip.

2. Don't worry about that message. The Canon can output directly to a DVD, if you have one connected to the camera. But, as you don't plan to do this, stick to the higher 24 mbps bitrate for better quality.

IMHO, don't use 60i as you'll have to deinterlace it for web and modern TVs. Either 30p or 24p will be fine. 30p will give smoother footage (shoot at 1/60) and will be easier to covert to NTSC for US DVD players. 24p will look more like cinema footage, but not as smooth with fast movement (shoot at 1/50). Choose which look you prefer: Video: 30p, Cinema: 24p

Enjoy Cozumel. I'm off to Layang Layang to, fingers crossed, touch wood, shoot hammerheads...

Regards

Peter

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/canon-vixia-se...30-f24-60i.html

Sounds like, in the Canon parlance, you want to use f24 which is native progressive 24p.

Regards

Peter

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/canon-vixia-se...30-f24-60i.html

 

Sounds like, in the Canon parlance, you want to use f24 which is native progressive 24p.

 

Regards

Peter

Thanks Peter!! You have a great trip too! Good luck with the Hammerheads!

Greg

1. Memory cards. My Canon hf S30 has 32gb internal, and 2 slots which I have 2 x 64 GB SDXC cards. I also run both a MAC Book Pro, and a windows PC. When I put one of the cards with files in the MAC I can import the files into FCPX. When I put the same card into my PC I get a "Must format card" message and can't see the files on the card. Why is this?? Should I format both of these cards?

Hi Greg,

I went through that with my S30 when I put 64 GB cards in it (32 GB cards were fine). As peterbkk mentioned, you will need to add a driver (KB955704) available from Microsoft here:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/955704

Good luck, and have fun in Cozumel.