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Buying a digital camcorder is a two part process. Part one consists of selecting the right unit that fits your needs and preferences. The second part consists of finding the right software to edit your creations. While you can certainly use a digital camcorder without a PC, the ability to edit, fine tune and add effects means that a home made video no longer has to look amateurish. Not unlike computers, which often come with bundled software, DV camcorders can be shipped with their own programs for editing. Sometimes, they fail to include much more than a battery and a manual. Even if your unit came with software, the chances are very good that it may not offer you either the quality or features you really need or want. Should video editing be a topic that interests you, then your choices in software can be broken down into two categories.
Like everything in the digital divide, the subject of software can be conveniently broken down into price points. At the consumer end of the spectrum sits programs like Pinnacle Systems Studio 8 or Ulead Video Studio 7. Programs like these in particular are solid, well made and are able to handle most video editing needs with aplomb. However, at the higher end are applications like Premiere 6.5 by Adobe and Sonic Foundry’s Vegas 4.
Continuing in a line of video editing products, Vegas Video is a continuation of previous products but with some upgrades and newer features. Known mainly as a sound editing powerhouse with applications such as Sound Forge 6 and Acid Pro 4 under their proverbial belt, it is often forgotten that Sonic Foundry also creates video editing software. Sitting at the higher end of digital editing poised for action rests Vegas 4.
The proof of any application is output. After just a brief exploration in Vegas 4 I found myself literally blown away by the sharp image quality and the ease of use. Because I was just superficially familiar with Vegas Video 3, I was totally caught off guard by the fact that this application is relatively easy to use. Literally within a few moments I was downloading footage from my camcorder to the application and editing. In sharp contrast to some programs that are far from intuitive to use, I found Vegas Video surprisingly accessible.
Without pondering the user manual I was able to add effects, alter colors, create titles and then port the entire creation back to my digital camcorder with little effort. This is saying a lot when one realizes that this is not a low end program designed with the casual user in mind.
I was totally surprised at the image quality that Vegas permitted. Certainly I expected, or assumed, it would be of a high quality. I just had no idea it was going to be this good, or this painless.
The effects menus, sound options, and other features are placed logically and they do make editing just that much easier. If you are familiar with programs like Sound Forge or Acid Pro, you can see that the menu system and general layout are somewhat related. In this case that is a good thing.
For those already familiar with Vegas, here are a few of the newer features in this version:
For casual users, and those interested in simply downloading, basic editing and the like, Vegas may be overkill. The details and many options are a bit intense for newbies to editing. On the other hand if you are really interested in video editing and have the time to do so, this is an application well worth adding to your arsenal.
With the plethora of new products on the market, it can be hard finding the right application for video editing. On the consumer end, there are several solid selections. They cover the basics, and include some editing niceties. If your needs are truly basic, even Windows Movie Maker 2 could be all you need. However, if you are a real enthusiast and want power, options and vivid output, as well as detailed control, then Vegas Video is well worth a look. This application is accessible enough to be comfortable to use, and powerful enough to produce excellent results. While this application is expensive compared to others in the field, there is much here to recommend Vegas 4 as a truly professional application. Even for non pros, this program provides the power, details and configurability that only a high end performer can accomplish. If you own a high powered digital camcorder, this is just the right complement to your purchase.
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