Free Video Editing Software

[Warren Prior]

Hey guys,

I'm just fiddling with the video mode on my 7D but I can't seem to find a decent video editing package which is free. Anyone have any ideas? I just want to stitch a few videos, with a cross fade transition, and add a backing track.

I've tried Wax which seems great but sound doesn't seem to work.

I've also tried Windows Movie Maker but it can't seem to deal with HD. Well it can, but the output is not HD.

Any ideas? Oh, and nothing that dumps in a watermark please.

Thanks
Warren

[Roberto]

I have no experience but did find the following...

http://desktopvideo.about.com/od/edi...reevidedit.htm

http://savedelete.com/best-free-wind...-software.html

http://www.dvdvideosoft.com/products...-Video-Dub.htm

http://www.moviemasher.com/

[peterah]

I've also tried Windows Movie Maker but it can't seem to deal with HD. Well it can, but the output is not HD.

Why does Windows Live Movie Maker not output HD? On mine I have the option to output 1920x1080 at 8kbps. Does this not work? I cannot test on mine as the footage I have from my camera is only 1280x720.

[Warren Prior]

Why does Windows Live Movie Maker not output HD? On mine I have the option to output 1920x1080 at 8kbps. Does this not work? I cannot test on mine as the footage I have from my camera is only 1280x720.

I was using Windows Movie Maker (think its 2.6) and not Windows Movie Maker Live. I was lead to believe that the live version is very watered down from the original Movie Maker. Maybe I'm wrong. I'll give it a look.

Thanks.

And thanks for the links Roberto.

[a2i Photo]

Best advice yet........

......buy a new MacBook and get iMovie completely free :-))

[Nicholas de Kock]

Sean Bowers – NextWaveDV

EditShare announced the release of their free open source editing software Lightworks, now in open public beta. This is exciting if you don’t have the moolah to fork over for Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere CS5. Until now the other free alternatives (Windows Movie Maker, iMovie, etc…) just don’t cut it. Yes, pun intended. Especially when it comes to HD video formats (can you say HDSLRS?).
Lightworks boasts an impressive set of features, even when compared to other professional not-so-free software. I’ll list a few here, but there are many more:

• Resolution, format and codec independent timeline – AVI, QuickTime, MXF, DPX and RED R3D, DV, DVCPRO 50, DVCPRO HD, XDCAM HD, XDCAM EX, P2, AVC Intra, DNxHD, ProRes. Real-time up and down-scaling, from SD to 2K.
• Advanced Multicam editing with unlimited sources
• Third Party Plugin Support – Premiere Plugins
• Real-time effects in SD, HD and 2K – Real time Primary and Secondary colour correctors and unlimited effects layers scale with your GPU – Nvidia or ATI!
• Import RED media and DPX image sequences directly

I’ve been pretty psyched about this since they announce the project back in April 2010. A free professional NLE available to the public. Lightworks has been used by many big names in the film industry.

[Warren Prior]

EditShare announced the release of their free open source editing software Lightworks, now in open public beta. This is exciting if you don’t have the moolah to fork over for Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere CS5. Until now the other free alternatives (Windows Movie Maker, iMovie, etc…) just don’t cut it. Yes, pun intended. Especially when it comes to HD video formats (can you say HDSLRS?).
Lightworks boasts an impressive set of features, even when compared to other professional not-so-free software. I’ll list a few here, but there are many more:

• Resolution, format and codec independent timeline – AVI, QuickTime, MXF, DPX and RED R3D, DV, DVCPRO 50, DVCPRO HD, XDCAM HD, XDCAM EX, P2, AVC Intra, DNxHD, ProRes. Real-time up and down-scaling, from SD to 2K.
• Advanced Multicam editing with unlimited sources
• Third Party Plugin Support – Premiere Plugins
• Real-time effects in SD, HD and 2K – Real time Primary and Secondary colour correctors and unlimited effects layers scale with your GPU – Nvidia or ATI!
• Import RED media and DPX image sequences directly

I’ve been pretty psyched about this since they announce the project back in April 2010. A free professional NLE available to the public. Lightworks has been used by many big names in the film industry.

This is exactly what I needed. Thanks so much Nicholas

[Johann van Staden]

Wow ! Looks impressive, especially after I've just finished hours and hours of frustration with WLMM. Yes, WLMM is a reasonable editor and can do (very) basic stuff ; has some nice, but no advanced features. Major frustration to add and manage sound (balance the video sound track with an added music track, no way to end the music at a specific point, etc). Or perhaps there is, but I couldn't find it. I was used to Pinnacle Studio, but my version is no longer supported by Win 7.

Anyway, thanks Nicholas, for this link. I've downloaded the software and documentation, and it REALLY looks excellent. I will soon start playing with it and will give my feedback as an amateur user.

[Warren Prior]

It does look great. But as soon as I try import anything (avi, mov, jpeg, png, mp3, wav) it freezes. There are several complaints of this on the net but I cant seem to find a solution. Lets hope it gets sorted out quickly.

[Johann van Staden]

It does look great. But as soon as I try import anything (avi, mov, jpeg, png, mp3, wav) it freezes. There are several complaints of this on the net but I cant seem to find a solution. Lets hope it gets sorted out quickly.

That's a pity, but I also hope they sort it out soon. Though I haven't tried the product yet, but will do so soon and see...

Good luck !

[Nicholas de Kock]

Warren I haven't used the software myself so can't give any advice however if you are looking for a stable platform have a look a Sony Vegas Movie Studio, it's very affordable. Make sure all your codec's are up-to-date they might be causing the crashes.

[Forgiss - Sean Nel]

Heard this morning that Lightworks has put their product in public beta as an opensource project... so free to download (unfortunately, only for windows users)

http://www.lightworksbeta.com/

looks pretty decent to me, but can't test it (mac user)

[Jason Williams]

I am going to give this a try. I am planning to get myself a 550d in the near future and am concerned about my pc and software handling the footage. Lets see how this works.

[Forgiss - Sean Nel]

Please let me know how it goes, I am very interested!

[Warren Prior]

I just ended up using Windows Live Movie Maker. You can see my results here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok9_ufAA3Jk

I had a bug in Lightroom in that I couldn't import. Wax was awesome but for some reason sound didn't work on my machine. So trusty Windows Live MM it was.

[Jason Williams]

Please let me know how it goes, I am very interested!

Will do bud...just need to convince the missus how much I "NEED" the 550d

[Jason Williams]

I just ended up using Windows Live Movie Maker. You can see my results here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok9_ufAA3Jk

I had a bug in Lightroom in that I couldn't import. Wax was awesome but for some reason sound didn't work on my machine. So trusty Windows Live MM it was.

Windows seemed to handle that pretty well. Did you import the clips directly as from the 7d....or did you have to work some magic on them before you dropped them into windows live?

[Warren Prior]

Windows seemed to handle that pretty well. Did you import the clips directly as from the 7d....or did you have to work some magic on them before you dropped them into windows live?

Straight from camera. No magic at all

[Forgiss - Sean Nel]

Windows seemed to handle that pretty well. Did you import the clips directly as from the 7d....or did you have to work some magic on them before you dropped them into windows live?

As long as you have software/hardware that can handle .mov and h.264 compression codecs (basically anything built in the last 2 years, though) The system should work fine out of the box..

The pain comes in with AVCHD type movie clips (many handycams, etc) which requires converters and such nonsense

[Jason Williams]

As long as you have software/hardware that can handle .mov and h.264 compression codecs (basically anything built in the last 2 years, though) The system should work fine out of the box..

The pain comes in with AVCHD type movie clips (many handycams, etc) which requires converters and such nonsense

Interesting.....I have problems with Sony Vegas Pro 9 handling the MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 codec in 720p Are you saying the footage from a 550d, in 720p would be easier on the pc and software? Or did I miss something