Typically Apple Intermediate Codec (or AIC) is the best way to edit your footage. It is an editing format as opposed to an export format, and makes it easier for you to work with your footage from within Final Cut with the least amount of renders, etc.

The only downside of the AIC is that the file size is significantly bigger (typically triple the size). The good news is that this does nothing to the quality of your image, but simply makes it simpler for editing.

When you export, it’s typically good to use a format that’s very high-quality and efficient (for example H.264 is a popular one).

I’m new to this thread and it seems there are a lot of users that know what’s what. So here is my question. What is the best codec for capture? I have both FCE and Pro. I’m not sure witch codec is better the HDV apple intermediate codec 1080i60 in FCE vs HDV 1080i60 in FCP. I did notice that the file size is larger in the intermediate by 3 times using the the same clip. I thought that it would be the other way. Also the quality is suspect on the HDV codec in the FCP.

Looking to be enlightened.

Monte

I’d recommend making the jump to Final Cut Express, cause FCP sounds like overkill for what you’re doing. There is a bit of a learning curve, but once you understand how things work, complex tasks become a lot easier in FCE than in iMovie.

To answer some of your questions, yes, FCE will import .wav files, and if any other type of audio file is giving you trouble you can easily convert to an AIF via QuickTime in a matter of seconds. You can continue to use Audacity or any other audio editor for sounds, and yes, you would continue to use iDVD to create your DVDs unless you upgrade to Final Cut Studio (where you would use DVD Studio Pro).

Hope that helps!

Can someone tell me if I should stick with iMovie 6, step up to Final Cut Express or jump all the way off the cliff with Final Cut Pro? FCP is hugely expensive and I need to be sure it is cost effective. And, if I get FCE, can I still use Audacity for sound? Do Audicity .wav files slip easily onto the FCE timeline, as they do in iMovie 6? Finally, would I still use my built-in iDVD program to put my projects onto dvds or does FCE have an internal program to do that?

I’m not certain about logging, but I know that it’s impossible to open FCE files in FCP, and vice versa. And trying to convert them is a pain.

I’m on an 18 month old, 2.4Ghz MacBook Pro, so yours should be more than fast enough to run iMovie. Definitely play around with iMovie ‘09 in the Apple store, as well as with Final Cut Express.

If the documentary that you are planning to make exceeds about 15 to 20 minutes in length, it may be worth it for you to learn Final Cut. It’s definitely faster and more powerful, although the interface may not be as intuitive, and it is quirky in some ways.

It really depends on whether you plan on learning video-editing in the long run, or simply want to make a quick movie in iMovie ‘09.

I have a four month old 2GHz Macbook Pro with 4 GB Memory so I would think it would be fast enough for iMovie 08. Even the Apple staff member said “it s_ _ ks” when he saw how slow the program performed on my MB Pro. The speed varies so it’s not always slow (wheel popping up all the time), but it’s pretty frequent.

The 30 min. documentary I’ve been working on about trafficked children in Ghana has had a year long gestation so I’m going to finish it in ‘08. It’s the first movie I’ve ever made so I am a newbie, so to speak.

Thanks for your helpful advice and the great idea of testing 09 at an Apple store! I’ll definitely do that.

FCE will definitely preform better than iMovie ‘08. I find that iMovie requires faster hardware to function, but the new version should definitely improve on this, as well as make some of the previously frustrating features easier and more enjoyable.

For the amount of video editing you do, the learning curve in FCE is probably not worth it. I’d recommend upgrading the the new version of iMovie and taking it from there. If you want, test it out in an Apple store beforehand.

Hope that helps.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

I believe that post is older, and does not compare the latest version of Final Cut Express (version 4). I know for a fact that FCE *does* have the three-way color corrector. I’m not sure about editing ProRes 422 footage though.

http://camcorders.about.com/od/videoediting/a/FinalCutCompare.htm

If it is, is there a 3rd party plugin that offers the same feature?

One more thing, can I capture and edit ProRes 422 with FCE?

when i was asking if the programs are even that good, i was more referring to motion and color, as i know color is meant to be very difficult to figure and work out, and i’ve heard from reviews that motion is not meant to be that good so thanks for clearing that up, plus i myself have had a play around with motion and think its fantastic, but i don’t think it will be a great loss if i don’t get it.

The other thing i noticed is that FCS2 has been out for a couple of years now, so there may be a new one coming out in the next year or so, as apple tend to release an update every 2 or 3 years.

either way i figure £50 down the pot ain’t much and if i feel FCE4 is not enough than i can always get FCS2 later, or hold out till FCS3 comes out.

I justify using it on two machines because it is for personal use, and I’m the only one using the license.