Bottom-line, you don't have to pay for video editing software. There are editors available for no cost, with no time restrictions or watermarks with their use. And can offer more power and features than paid software. You just need to take the time to learn how to use them, and there tends to be a number of YouTube instructional vids available.
One video editor I recently looked at is the free, open source ShotCut. It's available on multiple platforms, and may be better suited for advance beginners or intermediates with working understanding of timeline editing. It actually has some features not supported on more advanced editors, and can import a wide range of video/audio formats. You can even edit DVD VOB (unencrypted) files directly, which are actually MPEG2, or import FLAC audio which some pro editors won't read natively. It can also edit formats such as Apple ProRes or HEVC MP5 formats. IMO, more powerful than either paid versions of Vegas Movie Studio or Premiere Elements.
It didn't take me long to get up and running using ShotCut, though for more advanced users the workflow is not as efficient as pro editors. Meaning, there were more steps and time required to achieve the same results. An example being adjusting a video clips volume, which requires adding a 'gain/volume' filter and adjusting levels in properties. Or changing the speed of a clip, such as slow motion, by going into its' properties.
Both of which can more easily be achieved in pro editors such as Davinci Resolve by using keyboard shortcuts, or doing so directly in the timeline.
One handy feature is that ShotCut is able to do a final export using the GPU, similar to Handbrake options, as long as you have a sufficiently equipped system. This software won't replace my pro editors, though will resort to using it specifically for legacy formats such as old DVD files or otherwise unsupported formats in my preferred editor.
My recommendations is still Davinci Resolve as it basically combines Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Audition into one editor for free, with no time or render limitations. Though admittedly, as an advanced editor, tends to be intimidating and has a higher learning curve for new users. My work pays for full Adobe CC license, though still prefer Davinci Resolve. I'd advice to skip the 4,000 page manual, and just watch the many videos available online.
Aside, recently back from NAB 2023 where Dolby showed me how to edit/mix their Dolby Vision and Atmos tracks in Davinci Resolve. You can even encode and playback to Dolby Atmos home systems. Though not to movie theater cinema processors (Dolby CP850), as this requires it to be packaged only by licensed Dolby facilities.
One video editor I recently looked at is the free, open source ShotCut. It's available on multiple platforms, and may be better suited for advance beginners or intermediates with working understanding of timeline editing. It actually has some features not supported on more advanced editors, and can import a wide range of video/audio formats. You can even edit DVD VOB (unencrypted) files directly, which are actually MPEG2, or import FLAC audio which some pro editors won't read natively. It can also edit formats such as Apple ProRes or HEVC MP5 formats. IMO, more powerful than either paid versions of Vegas Movie Studio or Premiere Elements.
It didn't take me long to get up and running using ShotCut, though for more advanced users the workflow is not as efficient as pro editors. Meaning, there were more steps and time required to achieve the same results. An example being adjusting a video clips volume, which requires adding a 'gain/volume' filter and adjusting levels in properties. Or changing the speed of a clip, such as slow motion, by going into its' properties.
Both of which can more easily be achieved in pro editors such as Davinci Resolve by using keyboard shortcuts, or doing so directly in the timeline.
One handy feature is that ShotCut is able to do a final export using the GPU, similar to Handbrake options, as long as you have a sufficiently equipped system. This software won't replace my pro editors, though will resort to using it specifically for legacy formats such as old DVD files or otherwise unsupported formats in my preferred editor.
My recommendations is still Davinci Resolve as it basically combines Premiere Pro, After Effects, and Audition into one editor for free, with no time or render limitations. Though admittedly, as an advanced editor, tends to be intimidating and has a higher learning curve for new users. My work pays for full Adobe CC license, though still prefer Davinci Resolve. I'd advice to skip the 4,000 page manual, and just watch the many videos available online.
Aside, recently back from NAB 2023 where Dolby showed me how to edit/mix their Dolby Vision and Atmos tracks in Davinci Resolve. You can even encode and playback to Dolby Atmos home systems. Though not to movie theater cinema processors (Dolby CP850), as this requires it to be packaged only by licensed Dolby facilities.
Both the paid versions of Vegas Movie Studio and Premiere Elements have color correction tools, though they do not provide video scopes. You need to buy the Pro versions to get them. But even the FREE version of Davinci Resolve provide 1, 2, or 4 scopes displayed at the same time.
Decades ago when I worked as an ENG/EFP camera operator, I always used portable waveform/vector-scope combo (top two below). We were under tight schedules with clients, and there wasn't enough time or budget to hire a colorist in a post house. Especially, when we could have spotted issues when shooting the footage. Broadcast cameras in those days had few built in tools to help judge video signals.
Bottom line, your eyes cannot always tell what's accurately going on with a color signal. That's where scopes are so useful. You don't have to have an extensive knowledge on how to use them. You can focus on how they can help to correct skin tones for instance. Footage where faces may be a little green or blue due to camera white balance issues. There are several 20-30 min. YouTube videos to get started, which may be all that's needed.
Decades ago when I worked as an ENG/EFP camera operator, I always used portable waveform/vector-scope combo (top two below). We were under tight schedules with clients, and there wasn't enough time or budget to hire a colorist in a post house. Especially, when we could have spotted issues when shooting the footage. Broadcast cameras in those days had few built in tools to help judge video signals.
Bottom line, your eyes cannot always tell what's accurately going on with a color signal. That's where scopes are so useful. You don't have to have an extensive knowledge on how to use them. You can focus on how they can help to correct skin tones for instance. Footage where faces may be a little green or blue due to camera white balance issues. There are several 20-30 min. YouTube videos to get started, which may be all that's needed.
