Video editing software

[FowlersFreeTime]

Video is not a big part of this forum, I know, but some of you dabble in it and some of the new users who join might be interested in video too. I want to get back into editing little videos of my kid and family vacations, otherwise the video clips just live on my hard drive and never see the light of day. I struggled to use Adobe Premiere during the pandemic (when I thought I could become a Youtuber), only to find out that video editing is several orders of magnitude worse than photo editing, a truly depressing exercise. I have even less time and/or energy as a parent of a 3yr old now.

So, has anyone come across a video editing program that is more on the basic side, easy to learn, and hopefully doesn't have a subscription? I would like to edit 4k clips from my gopro and A6700, but no fancy music or transitions and definitely no color grading.
Thoughts?

 

[Unframed Dave]

Windows photos has basic editing capabilities.

 

[THXGEEK]

I have Cyberlink Director Suite - which includes photo, video and audio modules (available separately). Very powerful capabilities & recommended by PC Magazine, but I found it a bit cumbersome. YMMV. I've cancelled my annual subscription. You can download and try it out for 30 days before paying. Windoze & MacOS compatible.

 

[GvilleRick]

I use the Davinci Resolve free version. You can do pretty quick edits with it but it will also do more advanced edits as well.

 

[Richard A]

What computer do you use @FowlersFreeTime? I’m a Mac user. I always just used to use iMovie until I got my A7R5 and wanted to try S-log. Apple have a pretty generous 90 day free trial of Final Cut Pro. I gave it a try and found it pretty easy to use. There are loads of plugins available. I have a set that just replicates the sliders in most photo editors. If I wasn’t a Mac user I would probably give Davinci Resolve a try.

 

[SPB-universal]

I use the Davinci Resolve free version. You can do pretty quick edits with it but it will also do more advanced edits as well.

Absolutely! Resolve is fantastic for quick edits as well as much more detailed videos needing more work. Plus of course it is free or comes with a Blackmagicdesign camera. I frequently do short bird video clips, and have to do very little to them and Resolve does a great job without big complications and it is fast.

 

[SPB-universal]

What computer do you use @FowlersFreeTime? I’m a Mac user. I always just used to use iMovie until I got my A7R5 and wanted to try S-log. Apple have a pretty generous 90 day free trial of Final Cut Pro. I gave it a try and found it pretty easy to use. There are loads of plugins available. I have a set that just replicates the sliders in most photo editors. If I wasn’t a Mac user I would probably give Davinci Resolve a try.

I struggle with FCP and manage pretty well with Davinci Resolve instead.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Resolve is fantastic for quick edits

Oh thanks, I never knew that. I always thought it was "just" a full-on-professional tool with a learning curve steeper than one's first few raw stills edits.

It's always nice to use a tool that can be quick and simple but also offers vast depths for as and when one wants/needs to go there. I'm a darktable user.