[andy_e]

Having just bought an all-singing all-dancing new Sony HDR CX-190E video camera it turns out I need to update my editing software. I previously used Premiere Pro CS3 but it can't import the raw files without converting them to a different format (a timely process which increases the video file size vastly and decreases quality). What does everyone use on here for HD editing and what do they think of the software? Pros, cons, how good a computer it needs to be... Cheers!

[Jim]

can't you just update the camera raw file?

[andy_e]

I can't seem to find any way of changing its output format, I don't think you can.

[Doylo]

I've had to get my head round AVCHD recently.  I'm so dumb i didn't even realise it was a different format at first and i imported the footage into premiere and it was awful.  I tried converting it but it didn't work very well and then i realised that you could start a AVCHD project and that sorted it.  If you can get your hands on Premiere Cs5 it works fine.  My problem is editing my old DV footage and AVCHD in the same project, no solution really.

[andy_e]

Cheers Doylo, good knowledge.

[lagerstarfish]

if you're used to Cs3, then go for Cs5

[Paul B]

People should look towards editshare Lightworks. It has native support for these formats and it is free (truly free, not 'my mate in jail' free) as well as being 'good enough' for a whole heap of big name directors to use. The only problem I had with it was it was SO different to what I'd used previously I felt (last time I edited something) that it was simply too much to learn right then.

Now there are lots of tutorials on youtube (some move at a lightening pace) which should be enough for people to master the basics quickly.

[andy_e]

Hmmm, sounds intriguing. I'm sure I'd be able to pick up the new software quickly. This however says it can't do AVCHD on the free license:

http://www.lwks.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=45&Itemid=184

[sjw]

There always the linux-on-pendrive option for Kdenlive, which is pretty good. But, it's probably a bit of a chew on just for editing the odd video.

[Paul B]

Hmmm, sounds intriguing. I'm sure I'd be able to pick up the new software quickly. This however says it can't do AVCHD on the free license:

http://www.lwks.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=45&Itemid=184

my mistake.

[andy_e]

Damn! I can't run CS5 due to the video card being too wank. the resolution needs to be 1280x900 minimum and mine's 1300 odd x768. any solutions other than a new laptop?

[peewee]

Could you run it on an external monitor that will support that resolution?

[Paul B]

Damn! I can't run CS5 due to the video card being too wank. the resolution needs to be 1280x900 minimum and mine's 1300 odd x768. any solutions other than a new laptop?

depends which laptop. I had this problem on my netbook and found some software that would force a higher resolution (the netbook was known to be capable of rendering).

TBH with all of these hurdles I'd be looking at simply converting to an intermediate codec such as Matrox. Eugenias rants & thoughts has an article on how to do this etc.

[andy_e]

It's a tossiba somethingorother with a silly widescreen resolution. it's HD video card though so it should work fine...

[Wood FT]

you could just try Sony Vegas? 9/10/11 seem to handle everything I've thrown at them in house without the need for a 3rd party codec.

I'd be on CS5 if I had a 64-bit system but Vegas works well enough for my needs, it's just a complete arsehole if I want to use after effects, i.e. not worth it. 

  is there anyway I can get CS5 running on a 32-bit system?

[rodma]

Damn! I can't run CS5 due to the video card being too wank. the resolution needs to be 1280x900 minimum and mine's 1300 odd x768. any solutions other than a new laptop?

depends which laptop. I had this problem on my netbook and found some software that would force a higher resolution (the netbook was known to be capable of rendering).

TBH with all of these hurdles I'd be looking at simply converting to an intermediate codec such as Matrox. Eugenias rants & thoughts has an article on how to do this etc.

Is the resolution requirement not just to do with the gui? On my netbook i got round it by totating the screen through90degrees so that i could access the editing tools. It is a pain in the backside tbh, but i wasn't going to splash out on a bew machine

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

[andy_e]

I've no idea what a GUI is, but the program won't even open since it tells me that no capable video player is found.

Got hold of Sony Vegas Pro 9, looking good so far! Probably nowhere near as advanced as Premiere Pro but it'll do and it all works well so far! Cheers Guy.

[slackline]

I've no idea what a GUI is

Graphical User Interface where you point and clock to do what you want to as oppossed to Command Line Interface (CLI) where you type in what you want to do.

[andy_e]

Thanks! In which case, no, I don't think it is just for the GUI:

(this is either the same or very similar to my laptop):

http://forums.adobe.com/message/4344227

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

  is there anyway I can get CS5 running on a 32-bit system?

Don't think so, when we bought site licenses for CS5 Master Collection they bundled in licenses for CS4 Prem Pro and After Effects as the CS5 versions are 64 bit only. Think it's the same for CS6

[andy_e]

Vegas Pro 9 video colour/brightness/contrast/saturation/hue question. I've got some dark footage of a problem with a nice sky colour. The foreground is way too dark however. When I lighten/contrast the foreground the sky looks whack. What could I do to fiddle with it to improve the colours and contrast of an otherwise grey picture? I'm thinking of applying a slightly browner filter on the rock too, is that possible?

Raw footage:


After lightening/contrasting:

[Paul B]

Vegas Pro 9 video colour/brightness/contrast/saturation/hue question. I've got some dark footage of a problem with a nice sky colour. The foreground is way too dark however. When I lighten/contrast the foreground the sky looks whack. What could I do to fiddle with it to improve the colours and contrast of an otherwise grey picture? I'm thinking of applying a slightly browner filter on the rock too, is that possible?

Raw footage:


After lightening/contrasting:

learn how to use the masks, that way you can apply the filter to only part of a scene, and use the feather to make it blend nicely to where it isn't needed.

[andy_e]

Cheers, I tried to use the cookie cutter but it wasn't precise enough in its fit. I'll look into masks.

[Paul B]

Cheers, I tried to use the cookie cutter but it wasn't precise enough in its fit. I'll look into masks.

cookie cutter is what they call masks in Vegas. You don't need to be that precise with a decent feather etc.

[andy_e]

OK thanks. I'll have a look into stacking cookie cutters then in that case...