Is final cut in a different league to other packages ?

[Jayson Corcoran]

I know this isnt the right section for software but the reason for my post here is that I want info from other A1 users.
Is final cut that much better than other packages ?
I would really like to get into this work in a more specialist way although totally amatuer and for my own work promotion use.

I am using pc based systems and have allready found a lot of new methods and techniques with my current system running with roxio creator 10 but I am sure this is a limited package ?
Some of the effects you guys get in the clips section blows me away and many seem to quote as using final cut.
I am sure final cut only works with mac ?
If this is the case ill buy a mac.


Any help would be much appreciated.

[Steve Phillipps]

I'm not an editor, but have used Avid in the past and have recently played with FCP. What I would say is that FCP is becoming a bit of a standard, and taking over from Avid in a lot of places which is amazing!
In my limited use of it, it reminds me of Photoshop, in that any idea you come up with and think "hmm, it'd be nice if it was able to do that", you find that it does do it, and does it simply and well. Also seems very stable and crashes very little - something I gather that was always one of Avid's strong points and a reason editors hated other programmes.
Steve

[Marcel D. Van Someren]

Before you spend all that $$ on a Mac, have you checked out some of the editing options available on the PC?

Premier Pro CS3
Vegas 8 Pro
SpeedEdit

All of these are much more powerful than Roxio, in my opinion and will cost you less than a new Mac and FFC.

[Jayson Corcoran]

Thanks for the input.
What is the best package (as well as easiest) for the pc ?

[Bill Pryor]

Final Cut Pro is the only one I know of that easily accepts Canon's 24F and 30F HDV footage. I edited for years on Avid, switched to FCP about 2 or 3 years ago Then early this year when I needed to set up a new system at a new location I thought about going back to Avid. But even with their new version of Media Composer, they still don't accept Canon's 24F mode.

If you're shooting HDV and using any of the Canon HDV cameras, I think FCP is probably the best way to go. There may be a PC equivalent--have you checked Sony's Vegas? I don't know how it handles HDV or if it will take the 24F mode. If you don't want to shoot 24F, then it's not a big deal, but make sure if you're shooting HDV that you get a system that can handle HDV easily. With FCP, I just pick the right capture and sequence settings, in my case FCP's HDV-1080P24 setting, and everything edits just like DV. I have friends editing HDV on the new basic iMac with FCP Studio 2 with no trouble at all. So you don't need a fully pimped out pricey system.

[Chris Hurd]

Originally Posted by Jayson Corcoran

I know this isnt the right section for software but the reason for my post here is that I want info from other A1 users.

Moved to NLE-Mac.

There's nothing wrong with soliciting responses from fellow XH-series owners, but we expect our members to use the *entire* community. That's why tripod topics go to the tripods forum, and Mac-NLE topics go to this forum, etc. Thanks for understanding,

[Perrone Ford]

Originally Posted by Jayson Corcoran

Thanks for the input.
What is the best package (as well as easiest) for the pc ?

There is no best. Each package has strengths and weaknesses. And you need to select based on what it is you're trying to do. I used to cut on Premiere then moved to Vegas. I work much faster in Vegas and Vegas has some flexibility that Premiere does not. But I don't have some of the After Effects tools like decent titling in Vegas.

Spend some time evaluating packages from Adobe, Sony, Grass Valley, and others. You can often download free trials and try each of them out.

[David Gibson]

Chris,

There is a less expensive Final Cut option available to you. I have used Final Cut Express for 2 or 3 years now and have not run into any limitations for the editing I do. I'm not making feature films for one of the big industry orgs. Final Cut Express is for the most part just like FCP. Where FCP will run you about $1200 - $1600, FCE will run about $200. FCE is a cheaper way to get started. If you find FCE limiting in any way, you can always move to FCP later.

Dave

[Michael Wisniewski]

Two caveats about Final Cut Express:

a. Apple does not provide an upgrade path from FCE to Final Cut Pro/Studio. If you know you're going to end up with Final Cut Studio anyway, apply the US$200 to FCS and get it over with.
b. Final Cut Express does not support 24F - you have to capture your 24F footage in another program and convert it to 60i with pulldown.

[EDIT] fyi - I was able to get Final Cut Express to work with Cineform 24p files. Just installed the Cineform codec on the Mac. But I believe the FCE timeline is still 60i.

[Michael Wisniewski]

Originally Posted by Bill Pryor

... Sony's Vegas? I don't know how it handles HDV or if it will take the 24F mode.

Sony Vegas handles 24F, 25F, and 30F HDV footage just fine. I'm running Vegas and Final Cut Studio 2 in my office and I can recommend both as solid NLEs for handling Canon 24F, 25F, and 30F HDV footage.

[Pavel Tomanec]

Originally Posted by Jayson Corcoran

Thanks for the input.
What is the best package (as well as easiest) for the pc ?

Hi, I have been editing with Vegas since version 3 and would it recommend straight away. Also moved away from Premiere. It is easier and much more intuitive, imho, than all the other software mentioned here. Spend some time with the manual and soon, within couple of months, you should be able to put together nice documentaries, shorts, music clips, etc... and as others have said Sony Vegas works very well with XH A1 footage.

For bigger projects I do use FCS 2.

Hope this help.

Regards,
Pavel

[Shahryar Rizvi]

Thanks for bringing up Final Cut Express ino this discussion. When I bought a 15" 2.16ghz MacBook Pro in March 2007 (at the time for myself, but now it's my wife's laptop - I purchased a 15" 2.2ghz MBP in November), I could get FCE 3.5 for $99. I said what the hell and bought it.

I own a Sony HC1 and mainly record stand up for around the area with it for both myself and other comedians. I'm looking to own an XH-A1 soon and start doing some more complex projects including short films. So I'm hoping to start using that FCE that I got so long ago. I just hope it isn't too outdated - I know there's a new FCE out there.

I'm a little too new to the DV world to fully grasp what the limitations are with FCE, but as I start using FCE more w/ my soon-to-be-purchased camera, I'll figure it out.

[Marcel D. Van Someren]

Originally Posted by Pavel Tomanec

Hi, I have been editing with Vegas since version 3 and would it recommend straight away. Also moved away from Premiere. It is easier and much more intuitive, imho, than all the other software mentioned here...

I think "intuitive" is very subjective. I've used Premier (many versions), EdiusPro, Vegas 8, and SpeedEdit. And to me, SpeedEdit is by far the most intuitive, and the fastest NLE in my arsenal. I think Perrone Ford is the most accurate in saying that there is no "Best". It comes down to what works best for you. Do the research and find the one that best fits your needs and editing style. Any one of the NLE's suggested can do what you need.

[Brian Boyko]

I do video editing both for work and for home. At home I'm using Final Cut Pro, at work I'm using Sony Vegas Pro 8.

Here's my impressions:

Final Cut Pro, hands down, is simpler to use and I find I have more control over how I want the final product to look. Additionally, Compressor, which comes with FCP, is a godsend. I render once, then produce versions for archiving, HDTV, Vimeo, DVD, YouTube, and to my bandwidth-lacking friends in New Zealand - while going back into the main FCP program and editing the next scene.

Sony Vegas does the job but it's very - what's the word - complicated about it. Things that are drag and drop in Final Cut Pro take forever in Vegas. Color correction has to be done manually by adjusting curves, rather than visually on a wheel. The big advantage is that it does real-time previewing better, but that doesn't necessarily make a better final product.

If you have the money, go with FCP. Full Stop.

The only reason I use Sony Vegas at work is because the company is a full-Windows shop.

[Gary Nattrass]

I have two edit packages:

1: Final Cut Studio 2

2: Avid media composer v3.0

My preference is final cut as I find it easier to use and compressor is fantastic.