12 replies to this topic

[/p/]

Due to my Mac dying I'm looking to buy a new computer but also upgrade my editing software.. I currently edit with FCP7 but am unsure of which software to upgrade too. From what I understand many people are jumping ship to Premiere? I've watched a few reviews and it does look really good, but is FCPX really that bad??

 

Just curious to see what others are currently editing with and what they think about the current situation of FCX and people switching to premiere.

[MOONGOAT]

Can't say much about FCP, haven't used it, but I've used a lot of Vegas, Avid and Premiere. By far Premiere Pro CS6 is my favorite NLE. It's powerful and intuitive. The best of Vegas and Avid combined.

[Xavier Plágaro Mussard]

FCP 7 and Premiere are more similar than dissimilar. FCP X is more modern, more "intelligent" if you know what I mean. At first is a little shock, but when you get used to it, it's a lot better, at least for me. 

[Bioskop.Inc]

My advice is to buy the computer first, then download the trial versions for both Premiere & FCPX so you can try them out for yourself.

 

A mate advised me to try FCPX & i was surprised that it wasn't as bad as people had been saying (it is still missing some things but the updates seem to be fixing a lot of the issues & its cheaper). It does take time to get used to, but that isn't a problem if you're willing to learn. For DSLR footage it really makes a difference - stuff that seemed to be generating banding with FCP7, no longer presented such issues as much.

On the flip side the full Premiere package has loads of extra stuff (After Effects etc...), but at a price.

AVID is awesome, but so is the price tag - I really liked it when I had the opportunity to use it (not sure if there's a trial version).

 

Sometimes other people's advice can be misleading - if there's a trial version try it! 

[Axel]

If Premiere was the winner, you didn't need a Mac. A powerful new Mac and inexpensive FCP X will equal a self-configured Windows-PC with costly CS6.

 

Decide by the numbers. Make a list of the things you expect your new workstation to perform. Publish it here, and let the experienced users comment. 

[/p/]

If Premiere was the winner, you didn't need a Mac. A powerful new Mac and inexpensive FCP X will equal a self-configured Windows-PC with costly CS6.

 

Decide by the numbers. Make a list of the things you expect your new workstation to perform. Publish it here, and let the experienced users comment. 

 

I'm still studying but also work as a camera operator filming local sports, seminars, local news, live events etc. currently (until a few days ago) I edited on a macbook pro and the imacs at uni, I'd use them for my own work and also some basic editing for work. I don't currently use after affects but this year we will be getting into the basics of it, I don't necesarily need a computer for heavy after affects work though. I shoot my own projects on a GH3 (previously a 5D2) and as far as editing goes for me it's usually pretty basic stuff, I am usually filming short documentaries and I also make a lot of short films about different destinations so editing is usually very basic, I would however like to be able to advance into color grading (I was thinking about maybe looking into Da Vinci Resolve since it has a free version and would be good to learn as well as use for my own projects) but I also want a computer that my editing and color grading etc will be able to advance with.

 

At the moment I don't think I need anything super powerful, I was thinking about a low end iMac or a custom built PC. I was told it is possible to work a project between both final cut and premiere, is this correct? Something about a save file that they can both read?

[Axel]

You could stay with FCS3 and use FCP X for editing only. Both can live on the same system volume (you put FCP7 in a new folder in applications). With the 50 $ software 7toX (Appstore) you can translate your FCP X projects as FCP 7 sequences. No need for DaVinci, since you can send the FCP7 sequence directly to Color. I explained Color to a few beginners and it took an hour. It's extremely powerful.

FCS3 runs on Mountain Lion, but you could ask yourself how long it will be supported. This is a question I can't answer.

Without FCS, you'd need either at least Magic Bullet for FCP X or learn DaVinci, and it requires quite a fast Mac to run smoothly.

As Xavier wrote, FCP 7 and Premiere are more similar than dissimilar. This didn't change with CS6. Everybody raves about Premiere's speed, it's real time performance with AVCHD and all that. But it has no chance against the editing tools of FCP X (more on the differences here) , the way it gives you access to your footage, the way it let's you build projects whose complexity you don't even feel or see (only if you transform them to the track-structure you are used to). Easily synchronizes your external audio. Very easy multicam editing. Easiest and high quality chroma keying. If FCP X alone is already enough? Not yet for me, but I am confident this will change. Some day.

After Effects: The one argument for CS6. What offers AAE that Motion doesn't?
• The Mocha tracker. You'd never go back to a stupid point-tracker if you tried it once.
• The warp-stabilizer. Making less jello of your shaky clips than the Apple-stabilizers like Smoothcam.
• The roto brush. Makes rotoscoping a lot easier (but still tricky)
• The puppet tool. Automates parenting and combines it with
• morphing

Others will add more features. You should find out, if you can abstain from them.

My friend uses CS5.5 on Windows. He detests FCP X. I know threads that turned into flamewars over the right system. It's not worth it. Hear others out, and make your decision, you can't be wrong after all.

[gravitatemediagroup]

Vegas 12 hands down. Have you ever experienced a world of render free video editing? Real time everything and 10x faster to work with. I have used my fair share of each and Vegas can do anything the rest can do. People still look at Vegas as an armature NLE, but since version 10 it's gotten pretty serious, and a lot of people including myself don't even push it to its full potential. But 90% of the editing I do doesn't require a lot of flash and glitter. Lol

[funkytwig]

Just to add my 10 cents worth for what you are doing Vegas, FCP 7, FCP X and Premiere will all do (I have used Vegas, FCP 7 and Premiere quite a lot and did have a play with FCP X).  

 

I do some long form stuff so dont like Vegas as it does not have sequences. You can nest projects and have several open at once but this is a pain when you have more than a hand full of sequences.  Also a lot of peole are using sequences rather than bins as it allows footage to be easily found (you can put all your 'beach at night' shots in one sequence and scrub thought all the footage to find what you want).

 

What is great about Premiere is the After Effects/Audition roundtrip.  It is also used more by facilities houses than FCP X so this may affect the work you get (Premiere is now considered one of the big boys with Avid and FCP so it is becoming a industry standard).

 

Platform is a bit of an issue.  Obviously with FCP X you need mac.  Premiere does run on both Mac and Windows but performs slightly better on Windows. I have a dual boot Hackingtosh, I was first using Mac but switched to windows as it was not playing smoothly.

 

I personally thinks mac is overpriced (I did previously have a macpro but upgraded to a windows box) and with thre new laptops you cant even change the batteries which is taking the piss IMHO.

 

So I think my answer is Windows/Premiere Pro (Get production Premium package which has After Effects and audition).

 

Ben

[gravitatemediagroup]

 
What is great about Premiere is the After Effects/Audition roundtrip.  It is also used more by facilities houses than FCP X so this may affect the work you get (Premiere is now considered one of the big boys with Avid and FCP so it is becoming a industry standard).
 

 
Ben

Vegas can go round trip to a PP, AE, and audition in version 12.

[Leang]

Vegas can go round trip to a PP, AE, and audition in version 12.

 

I've been using Vegas since ver.8  I get NFR's from Sony so it's practical for comparisons.  I do like Vegas' surround sound mixing as I also come from a music production background, but one thing is for sure is that Vegas continues to freeze on very unique tasks.  I think before version 11 I could easily render 32-bit prints without any freezing.  Usually my transcoding of AVCHD 2.0 spec gets printing AVI uncompressed in 8-bit.  With the new transcode I work within a 32-bit work area. I have about 8TB workspace so uncompressed workflow isn't a problem.  However, I'm a Premiere guy, and Adobe's titles have a way better dither than Vegas.  Sony's titles are nasty.  As someone mentioned editing sequences in Premiere is sweet.  And Adobe handles plugins like a champ.

[funkytwig]

Vegas can go round trip to a PP, AE, and audition in version 12.

 

Cool, without rendering? Can you do AVCHD After Effects Roundtrip?

 

Ben

[gravitatemediagroup]

Cool, without rendering? Can you do AVCHD After Effects Roundtrip?
 
Ben

Not sure, I don't do much bouncing around. I do pretty much what I need in Vegas except film convert, but that will be available for Vegas pretty soon.