Asking again: I need video editing software for PC

[NiceGuyEddie]

I asked this before a few years back on the old forum but maybe there's something new.

Not long ago, our friends from GoPro provided free software for use with their cameras. It's called GoPro Studio. I spent years learning it but they no longer provide it or support it, and it's buggy. In some cases, it's not working at all - it won't load the videos.

Frustrated, I'm willing to buy a piece of real video editing software.

I don't own a Mac and I know that's what a lot of people will tell me to get. I have an extremely powerful laptop from work, and I'm allowed to load the software because sometimes we make videos for work.

I just want to make basic cuts, add music, and text.

Windows Movie Maker comes with the PC but it supports 1080p only.

[Cobradavid]

Eddie,

I use Movavi video editor; it works well and has an intuitive user interface. I don't do anything fancy - just titles, cuts, add music, speed up, etc.

Here's a video I made with that editor (the video files are from a GoPro camera):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHXReMNXojs

It's a bummer that GoPro quit supporting their editing software!

David

[weendoggy]

Depending on how "good" of a program you want is subjective. I've used Pinnacle and Corel (both in the $100 range) and will do o.k. I now use Camtasia by Techsmith, which is much better but can have a little learning curve to it. Nice thing it does is screen capture for "training" manuals. It's in the $250 range but as with the others, you can d/l and try it out.

[PointmanUSMC]

NiceGuyEddie if you are using a laptop from your office does your IT department offer something in the Adobe Range like Premier Pro? No idea what the current pricing and subscription costs but your IT crowd may be site licensed or offer some of those software's. Doesn't hurt to shoot them an email and ask I guess. They may have run into a department with a need for video editing along with some of the other great photo editing tools. Depending on the size of your organization. I am not as familiar with some of the Free video editing softwares on the market. A concern with using one of those would be does it hold your footage hostage. Do those freeware programs save in a file format that only that program can view? Definitely do your research before buying there are many great tools.

Just my 2cents

[NiceGuyEddie]

Interesting - I'd be surprised if even the least capable video editing software wouldn't have a "screen capture" to make a slideshow at the end of the video.

For some strange reason, the "screen export" with the GoPro studio exports a 1080 picture only, it does not export a 4K picture so if I make a slideshow re-cap at the end the pictures aren't as good. But then, it may be a bug.

GoPro stopped supplying their software about 3 years ago. You can still download it from file share sites but again, it's buggy.

The video from David seems more than adequate. I suppose I can summarize what I'd want to do:


cut & reorder (obviously)
add stills
add slideshow from video captures
add music
add sound effects (maybe)
add text
slow fades/black cuts between scenes
slow-mo (maybe)
speed up (maybe) hopefully still with sound



Simple Stuff I made:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXkW1iV7tQU


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PomClrQ1BSI&t=1s

(the above one has over 100K views, sadly, I didn't know how to use the stabilization at the time but people don't seem to care.)

https://youtu.be/gyH81JYIVp4

above: Factory Five Stuff


EDIT: I don't mind a cost differential of $100, what I'm looking for is something easy to use.

[NiceGuyEddie]

NiceGuyEddie if you are using a laptop from your office does your IT department offer something in the Adobe Range like Premier Pro? No idea what the current pricing and subscription costs but your IT crowd may be site licensed or offer some of those software's. Doesn't hurt to shoot them an email and ask I guess. They may have run into a department with a need for video editing along with some of the other great photo editing tools. Depending on the size of your organization. I am not as familiar with some of the Free video editing softwares on the market. A concern with using one of those would be does it hold your footage hostage. Do those freeware programs save in a file format that only that program can view? Definitely do your research before buying there are many great tools.

Just my 2cents

The "IT" department is myself and a friend! We barely get by with our computer knowledge. We work for a very small organization so I doubt the owners would pay money for video software.

The GoPro software imports MP4 and .mov. For some strange reason it converts the clips to .avi, then you edit some more, then you export to MP4.

[Papa]

Certainly nothing fancy, but I just use the Video Editor App that is part of Windows. I can cut, splice, reorder various clips. Add credits, set to music, speed up (not sure about slow motion) with sound, add cards and probably a lot more that I haven't tried to play with. Here's a short example:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjV_nQQKRaE

[chmhasy]

https://kdenlive.org/en/

Works really good for a open source program.

[Just puttering]

Search for open source video editor and see what comes up, may be an option before spending money!

Edit - your program that changes to avi then back, may do so to not have to pay the mp4 fees to use that codec. ? Just a guess, it’s been a while for me and video editing.

[Lickity-Split]

I use Powerdirector 9. Very fast rendering and easy uploading.

Here's an article you might find helpful:

https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-video-editing-software

[mburger]

Eddie,

Here's a video I made with that editor (the video files are from a GoPro camera):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHXReMNXojs

David

Awesome woodworking there!

[frankeeski]

Dude for what your doing, the Video Editor program included in Win 10 will work just fine. Go to the search box at the bottom left on your screen and type in "Video Editor". It's the latest edition of "Movie Maker" which has been included with Window since Windows XP.

[NiceGuyEddie]

I thought the Windows Movie Maker in Windows 10 didn't support 4K video and it was 1080 maximum? I'll give it a shot.

Also, I looked at some YouTube videos last night "....best PC video editing software for 2021..." and I can't believe how many free versions are out there. Smells funny - I'll gladly buy a version of something for under $200 when I make a decision.

I suppose the next step is to watch videos on beginner tutorials for Pinnacle, Corel and Camtasia and see how the interface looks like. One thing that is important is how everything looks on the laptop screen. Sometimes I'll edit a my workdesk where I have a UGE monitor but most of the time it's just on the laptop screen.

[toadster]

my daughter uses ShotCut (https://shotcut.org/) for her videos - it's pretty simple, and FREE!

[NiceGuyEddie]

Man, this is tough. That Adobe Premiere is monthly subscription ONLY and @ $21 / month. That's over $750 for 3 years and I might go as much as 3 months without using it.

[Mitchelle]

I still use Final Cut Pro X since it is easy to navigate.

[usafajk610]

DaVinci resolve might be a good option for you. If I recall correctly it's free, developed by the company or for the company Blackmagicdesign. They make some pretty BA cinematography equipment. People starting out with YouTube use it or final cut or premier.

[NiceGuyEddie]

148611

I think I might try the DaVinci. The problem is the GoPro Studio won't load half of my video files, even though they play perfectly on their own with Windows Movie & TV video player, my phone, or even from an SD card put into the 4K TV.

So the file isn't corrupt, it's something with the GoPro Studio software.

If the DaVinci can load a file and export it as a different file format, I am hoping the GoPro Studio can load it.

[Papa]

You could be running low on memory depending on how the application works. Monitor your system resources as you try to load a file.

[usafajk610]

I've used GoPro Studio before as well, I ran into a similar issue with it if I tried to edit the files from the GoPro. Instead you had to load them onto the computer instead of the GoPro or even the memory card.

[NiceGuyEddie]

I had the same issue as described above a few times, but currently it's not the issue. Once again all the MP4's play perfectly fine on any device, except many of them won't load into the "Step 1" of the GoPro studio.

I don't know why, but after basic cutting, the GoPro Studio software converts the MP4's into .avi and then it goes to what's called Step 2 for the full editing.

I'm hoping that converted MP4's from another piece of software will allow me to bring the files in directly from Step 2

As suggested above, I tried a free online converter for MP4 to AVI but they said the file was too large.

[NiceGuyEddie]

UPDATE

I downloaded the VSDC Free Video Editor. It's absolutely unbelievable how capable this software is, and how many buttons there are.

The good news is the software was able to load all of my recent MP4 files from the GoPro camera so the files themselves are not corrupted. I was able to convert them to an MP4 file of another name, a .mov file, and and .avi file.

The bad news is the GoPro software won't load the MP4 file, and the .mov or .avi files dont load with the sound, even though they play perfectly on their own with the windows video player.

Of course, I can spend eons learning the VSDC editor, but I'm very familiar with the GoPro Studio and all I want to do is convert the files so the GoPro Studio will load it.

I will try the DAVINCI - it's free so I got nothing to lose.

[NiceGuyEddie]

UPDATE AGAIN (AND CONCLUSION)

I tried the DaVinci, it was a little more user-friendly than the VSDC. I was able to export the "corrupt" video files in a format the GoPro can read, but there were so many buttons for resolution and sound, I got lost. At least it was friendly - it would say, "Warning! You are about to export in a different format than you timeline. Are you sure you want to do this?" It would then return you to the settings, but I could never get it in a format to match the original 4K from the GoPro. It sure would be nice if you could pick "use original settings." It did this on import, no clue why you can't do it on export.

It turns out by a stroke of luck in the Windows Video Player I saw an "edit" pencil and you can trim the videos. (This is not the Video Editor that's hidden in the Photos app, that will only give you 1080p export.) For the "corrupt" files, all I had to do was chop off the first second of footage and save-as another file name. The GoPro software was then able to read it perfectly. No idea HOW this works but it does.

I'm sure some day when I have more time I'll learn the DaVinci as it's much more capable. But for now I'm happy with basic cuts, subtitles, some color correction, a little music, slow-fade between cuts, and a slideshow at the end.

Thanks all!