Just bought a NVGS400 and I was wondering which software is recommended for casual videos. I am a newbie to digital video but I am a pretty good photographer and also I am quite good with computers and software.
Thanks in advance.

Shalom Gilbert. Just use Premiere Pro 1.5 for casual stuff, it will help you get pro as well. Also, there are tons of free editing softwares on the web.

is Video Studion any good?

I also have MotionDV studion 5.1 which was bundeled with the camcorder.

Motion DV is not great. You could fiddle with it but it won't do DVD authoring and burning. It is a very simple program with a not so simple interface.

Sony Vegas, Adobe Premiere, Ulead, etc. have both starter and more advanced packages that will do what you need. You can download demos for most editing software, try them out and see which one suits you best.

Motion DV is not great. You could fiddle with it but it won't do DVD authoring and burning. It is a very simple program with a not so simple interface.

Sony Vegas, Adobe Premiere, Ulead, etc. have both starter and more advanced packages that will do what you need. You can download demos for most editing software, try them out and see which one suits you best.

Yes Videostudio 8 is from Ulead...
is it any good?

what i like about MotionDV 5.1 is that when i press play in the software is playing the movie in the camcorder. Is like they are connected if you understand what I mean

Shalon Gilbert and congrats on your GS400. I have the same great camera(NTSC). I think most of the "casual Video" editing software will be able to control you camcorder while plugged into the computer. Most of these software programs also have trial versions to download that expire 30 days from installation. Be sure to check'em out. I am looking at getting Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0. I've heard good things about it. Here's the link to check out free version of it.
http://www.adobe.com/products/tryadobe/main.jsp#product=101

adobe premiere looks to me like let's say too havy (I have a PIII home with 512 MB Ram

aren't any lighter software ? it looks that Vegas -Sony is much lighter.

Shalon Gilbert and congrats on your GS400. I have the same great camera(NTSC). I think most of the "casual Video" editing software will be able to control you camcorder while plugged into the computer. Most of these software programs also have trial versions to download that expire 30 days from installation. Be sure to check'em out. I am looking at getting Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0. I've heard good things about it. Here's the link to check out free version of it.
http://www.adobe.com/products/tryadobe/main.jsp#product=101

thx for your warm congrats.
it is a nice camera...I must say ...of course I am not able to get the most out of it

For something basic and reliable check out here:
http://www.canopusoft.com/
Lets EDIT2 will probably do what you want and should be available online. This is a link to the European site.

adobe premiere looks to me like let's say too havy (I have a PIII home with 512 MB Ram

aren't any lighter software ? it looks that Vegas -Sony is much lighter.

You can find demo versions for Sony Movie Studio here:

http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/download/step1.asp?catid=1

Be aware that you need firewire to capture video with almost any editing software. The only software that captures correctly through USB is MotionDV.

yes I have the firewire is no problem.
thx.