Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

stefraven

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 7, 2009
7
0
I have a macbookpro and want to edit video. Just amateur but I like to make nice productions. My experience with Imovie is not good up till now. It get slow very quickly.. Should I get Final cut? Is that realistic on a macbookpro?
 
He, you could try final cut express. That's cheaper. But it really depends. I must say I prefer fcp over imovie to make my movies because of the freedom I have. But you need to learn it, else you can't do a thing. But for easy stuff, iMovie should do, it's depends more on how you film, then on how you edit. If that is not true for you, get fcp, if it is true stick with imovie.

Final cut express will definitely run on a macbook pro. FCS too, but I don't know for sure, check the apple site.
 
I am using FCP on a MBP with no problems, except that it does require rendering for real time playback if I do more than a couple effects. The rendering takes much longer than with a hot computer, of course.

I don't hear people saying this much but Final Cut Studio does take a wile to learn (I'm actually still learning it). There are over 30 hours of video tutorials on www.lynda.com for the programs you will need to use: FCP, Compressor, and DVD Studio Pro. Final Cut Studio costs $1300, and a month's subscription to lynda.com costs $25. And just watching the videos once was not enough for me. You may want to check out software there before you buy.

I do not have any experience with Final Cut Express. lynda.com has tutorials on this, too, which may tell you if it does enough for your needs.

Happy editing,
Chris

Edit: I was referring to watching some tutorials on lynda.com about FCP and FCE to see what Stef prefers, when I said, "You may want to check out software there before you buy." I also suggested that Stef pay for a month's subscription to lynda.com to get this service. When I said "and just watching the videos once was not enough for me..", I was referring to the fact that I have had to watch sections multiple times (and use other resources) and that the program takes a while to learn. I was not suggesting in any way that anyone try to get a free copy. I paid for my FCP, and I think other should too. I sincerely apologize for being unclear.
 
Stefraven,

Choosing your editing software is a trade-off between ease-of-use and feature-packed.

iMovie has a simple interface and has limited editing options. If that suites your needs ... easy choice.

In case you run into limitations of iMovie and/or you do not like the interface/ workflow, then go for something bigger.

Bigger and more features means learning and practising. For an amature FCP will be an overkill. FCE will do ... unless you already know you need features that are only present in FCP.

I use FCP on a MBP (2006) with 2Gb Ram. I process native HDV files. My setting is "unlimited RT" so I have little problems with rendering (as I already know the behaviour of FCP). Of course, in doing the final rendering ... I let it run at night time (a man needs to sleep sometimes).

In case you are processing AVCHD material, you will have enough CPU muscle but you may be short on (internal) HDD (due to transcoding requirements).


Coen
 
I have a macbookpro and want to edit video. Just amateur but I like to make nice productions. My experience with Imovie is not good up till now. It get slow very quickly.. Should I get Final cut? Is that realistic on a macbookpro?

Final Cut Express is what you want. But be warned that it has a longer learning curve than iMovie. It will require some reading and study over a period of some weeks. Apple sells it for $199 but there are other ways to get it for less. I bought an older copy for next to nothing then did the upgrade.
 
editing in Imovie

Thanks for your reactions! I think I will try to learn FCP. Still I wonder why I can not edit a smaal video in Imovie09. It had a lot of options and I tried some.. specially the soundclip adding en titling. Quit simple basisfunctiosn I whould think.

I wonder.. is it maybe not Imovie but... a codecproblem of some kind?? I did buy qtpro yesterday.. but it didn't help much.

Stef
 
realistic

If you mean, if Final Cut would run on an MBP with "realistic", then yes it would.

But if you are fed up with iMovie, you could also try Final Cut Express: http://www.apple.com/finalcutexpress/

If you are a student, there is Avid Media Composer for around 250$ too.

So you say it's is prossible to worl with Imovie... why do i have a lot of problems with a small videoproject. The program will not work at all if i try to start this project.
 
you may be trying to edit videos that aren't in an editing codec. also, are the media files stored on your MBP's internal hard drive? that will make any video app very slow.
 
The other night at our Mac Club meeting we had a demo (supplied by Apple) on using iMovie 09...it was very slick and quite easy. It also will do most anything that I want it to do in editing my movies...it has special effects too (where 08 was lacking).
 
I'm going to get into editing on the Mac now too... I may skip iMovie and go right to FCE or FCP...

If I start on FCE, does what I learn there translate easily to FCP if I migrate up later or should I just start with FCP now even if I don't need it's full capabilities yet?

Thanks!
 
If I start on FCE, does what I learn there translate easily to FCP if I migrate up later or should I just start with FCP now even if I don't need it's full capabilities yet?

Thanks!

The user interfaces are the same in FCE and FCP. What you should do is down load both of the user manuals from the apple.com web site and compare them. You will find that much of the text is identical but FCP adds some features and some profesional video formats.
 
The user interfaces are the same in FCE and FCP. What you should do is down load both of the user manuals from the apple.com web site and compare them. You will find that much of the text is identical but FCP adds some features and some profesional video formats.

Thanks!
 
Lynda

I am using FCP on a MBP with no problems, except t Final Cut Studio costs $1300, and a month's subscription to lynda.com costs $25. And just watching the videos once was not enough for me. You may want to check out software there before you buy.


I'm suprised that you , as I presume, being a computer fan, don't use ways to get things for free on the web... or is that the american way of doingthings?

Stef
 
why would being a computer fan have anything to do with pirating software.

I'm 23 and I can afford legit licenses for all the software I need because, guess what, I need them to do my work. That's the responsible (and legal) way of doing things. Don't feel like paying for it? Go with an open source/freeware app.

I have both FCS2 (been a FCP user for 4.5yrs and always had an actual license) and Adobe Production Premium CS3 (needed PS and AE). BTW, I think FCS2 is a bargain at $1300.
 
I am using FCP on a MBP with no problems, except t Final Cut Studio costs $1300, and a month's subscription to lynda.com costs $25. And just watching the videos once was not enough for me. You may want to check out software there before you buy.


I'm suprised that you , as I presume, being a computer fan, don't use ways to get things for free on the web... or is that the american way of doingthings?

Stef

Going in a warez/pirating direction is a very quick way to get this thread locked.


Lethal
 
I'm suprised that you , as I presume, being a computer fan, don't use ways to get things for free on the web... or is that the american way of doingthings?

Stef

Going in a warez/pirating direction is a very quick way to get this thread locked.


Lethal


I was referring to watching some tutorials on lynda.com about FCP and FCE to see what Stef prefers, when I said, "You may want to check out software there before you buy." I also suggested that Stef pay for a month's subscription to lynda.com to get this service. When I said "and just watching the videos once was not enough for me..", I was referring to the fact that I have had to watch sections multiple times (and use other resources) and that the program takes a while to learn. I was not suggesting in any way that anyone try to get a free copy. I paid for my FCP, and I think other should too. I sincerely apologize for being unclear. I just marked an edit at the end of my original post to clarify (the rest of the post is unedited).
 
I was referring to watching some tutorials on lynda.com about FCP and FCE to see what Stef prefers, when I said, "You may want to check out software there before you buy." I also suggested that Stef pay for a month's subscription to lynda.com to get this service. When I said "and just watching the videos once was not enough for me..", I was referring to the fact that I have had to watch sections multiple times (and use other resources) and that the program takes a while to learn. I was not suggesting in any way that anyone try to get a free copy. I paid for my FCP, and I think other should too. I sincerely apologize for being unclear. I just marked an edit at the end of my original post to clarify (the rest of the post is unedited).

Oops, I didn't meant to quote you Chris7. I meant to quote Stef but he messed up the QUOTE tags in his post so ended up quoting your post that Stef quoted in his post instead of quoting Stef's post.


Lethal
 
Oops, I didn't meant to quote you Chris7. I meant to quote Stef but he messed up the QUOTE tags in his post so ended up quoting your post that Stef quoted in his post instead of quoting Stef's post.

Lethal
No problem. BTW, many thanks for your help with my questions posted elsewhere on this site.
-Chris
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.