Should I switch from Vegas to Avid or FCP?

[Mike Tesh]

When I first started editing on a computer years ago it was with Premiere 5.1 and a DVraptor card. Premiere was so unstable I don't know how I got through any projects. When I was told about Vegas Video 3 I tried it out and haven't looked back. It was so stable not only could I edit with confidence I could actually start experimenting and getting creative.

I now edit with Vegas 5. It's helped me through several short films and a feature. I love the work flow and I learn new things all the time. But ever since Sony bought it up I've been concerned about it's future.

There are things I don't know about it like will it work with DVCPRO HD footage such as that shot with the Panasonic HVX200? Will it work with other future codecs like that possibly coming from the RED camera or others like it?

With Sony having a stake in the camera market as well it concerns me they may cripple Vegas. Sony makes a lot of decisions based on profit alone and I'm not a big fan of the company anymore.

So should I even spend any more time editing with Vegas or should I spend my time learning a more open and more popular editing tool like Avid Xpress or Final Cut Pro?

I've never used either or these but from the look of them they don't seem very friendly. Just lik3 premiere wasn't. They seem really stiff. But it's probably just because I've never used them, should I even bother or does Vegas have a future?

[Glenn Chan]

1- Raylight is the recommended solution for working with DVCPRO HD.

2- My guess is that RED will have a codec for both quicktime and directshow/windows (or it's directX). Vegas supports both currently.

Sony makes a lot of decisions based on profit alone and I'm not a big fan of the company anymore.

I don't see this happening. The only other NLE Sony has is Xpri, and I believe that is now discontinued. It has moved to being a plug-in editor for Sony's Sonaps solution.

So should I even spend any more time editing with Vegas or should I spend my time learning a more open and more popular editing tool like Avid Xpress or Final Cut Pro?

Avid: I wouldn't bother, unless you have a Nitris DS. Avid Media Composer (step down from Nitris) does what a FCP system does.

Final Cut:
Better editing, a little better support for more expensive formats (unless Vegas has the Blackmagic stuff).
Weaker audio, weaker color correction, compositing slightly weaker. A little pricier.

Personally Vegas is my favorite app and works very well. If you are very productive with it, I don't see the point in changing.