Editing ergonomics

[leafcutter]

I am currently working on a project that needs a lot of editing - it is only about 4 minutes long but has lots of clips from different angles and cameras mixed with effects and transitions.

 

This all requires a lot of mouse movement and I noticed that the muscles in my mouse hand were starting to ache.  I've been using computers for a while and I also play guitar so am aware of the issues with repetitive strain - normally with typing I am fine but anything I do that requires precise mouse movement (photoshop, 3dmax, premiere, after effects, audition etc) I need to make sure I manage how much I do for how long.

 

So all this got me thinking is there an optimal set of control surfaces that people use for long editing sessions?  I've have a stylus for photoshop work and I've seen the color correction interfaces for things like DaVinci.  Does everyone just use a mouse and keyboard for editing in premiere of fcp or is there a better interface out there?

 

 

[jgharding]

I use this Kensingotn Trackball

 

 

I don't use it on a sherbet yellow table though

 

If I had to edit with a mouse it'd break me... too much pain.

[Axel]

Use the keyboard. No 'mousehand' with JKL, arrows, i&o asf. The keys should be flat and sensitive or else your index finger will hurt.

 

Trackpad or magic mouse, gestures? Trackball, jog shuttle? I know some (including me) who tried these, but turned back to the keyboard eventually.

[Inazuma]

I switch between a Wacom tablet and a mouse. A few people at my office use a sideways mouse

[varicam]

I use this Kensingotn Trackball

 

 

I don't use it on a sherbet yellow table though

 

If I had to edit with a mouse it'd break me... too much pain.

 

I had one of these. Very good.

[QuickHitRecord]

I often edit for 8, 10 or 12 hours straight and this is what I use to keep the carpal tunnel at bay: http://www.evoluent.com/vm4r.htm

[jonpais]

Yeah, I was concerned about the same thing... I ordered an iMac without thinking about trackpad vs. mouse, and now it looks like I'll be shelling out some extra dough for the trackpad... while I see some editors appear to use tablets with styluses (is that the plural of stylus??) It definitely helps to learn the shortcut keys, too, I guess!

[elkanah77]

I have two trackballs. One at the left of the keyboard and one at the right. Both connected through usb, When one hand is tired I just shift to the other. I admit it can take some time to be good with both hands, and being a keyboardist certainly helped, but I think it's worth considering. I will never work any other way.

[Nick Hughes]

I recently reconfigured my keyboard layout in FCPX so that all of my most common commands are now accessible to my left hand with limited movement. For everything that I can't do with a keyboard, I use a fairly cheap wacom tablet. A big thing to avoiding strain on your hands is to take breaks before they start to hurt.

[KrisAK]

For the specific task of reviewing very long clips and pulling usable shots, I use a ShuttlePRO:

 

Being able to kick away from the desk with only a handful of buttons is nice. Weirdly enough, I've found the huge jog/shuttle knob to be its least useful feature.

 

Now that I think about it, I'm wondering if a wireless numeric keypad might not work. Certainly cheaper.

[leafcutter]

I often edit for 8, 10 or 12 hours straight and this is what I use to keep the carpal tunnel at bay: http://www.evoluent.com/vm4r.htm

I have a friend who has one of these too and he recommends it.  I might give it a go to see how my hands work with it.

 

For the specific task of reviewing very long clips and pulling usable shots, I use a ShuttlePRO:

 

Being able to kick away from the desk with only a handful of buttons is nice. Weirdly enough, I've found the huge jog/shuttle knob to be its least useful feature.

 

Now that I think about it, I'm wondering if a wireless numeric keypad might not work. Certainly cheaper.

 

I was just reading a review of the microsoft sculpt keyboard and by coincidence that has a separate numeric keypad that is wireless, along with a sort of sculpted mouse.

 

I use this Kensingotn Trackball

 

 

I don't use it on a sherbet yellow table though

 

If I had to edit with a mouse it'd break me... too much pain.

 

I'll look into this - thanks for the recommendation.

[Christina Ava]

i used to use the shuttle pro http://retail.contourdesign.com/?/products/23

 

but after a while i returned to the mouse, its not that usefull,,

 

i have this keybord from http://www.editorskeys.com/products/video-editing-keyboards/ which i highly recommend!

 

edit with the keybord and it will save time!

[leafcutter]

i used to use the shuttle pro http://retail.contourdesign.com/?/products/23

 

but after a while i returned to the mouse, its not that usefull,,

 

i have this keybord from http://www.editorskeys.com/products/video-editing-keyboards/ which i highly recommend!

 

edit with the keybord and it will save time!

 

They look good - thanks for the link.

 

I will have to investigate to see if you can have two keyboards attached at the same time - I have one main PC that I use for a lot of different tasks so I would prefer to keep my main keyboard plugged in plus something like this.  It works with mice as I have two attached and they both work so maybe keyboards will be the same.