Need to learn film editing with one of Sony Vegas products!

[Graham Bernard]

Welcome aboard Robert!

[Robert Michaelson] “Since I am new to editing can I please get some advice on which Sony Vegas I should start with?”

Hmmm…. Whatever version you get make sure:

• 1/- Your PC/Video card can handle the features. You have much reading to do.
• 2/- That the version can/will handle the output from your camera.

Having said 1 and 2 you can ALWAYS download Demo versions to try ’em out.

OK . . . . next . . .

[Robert Michaelson] “Vegas Pro 9 or 10?”

I’ll doubt you’ll get a legal copy of VP10 and less VP9. You maybe fortunate to get an officially SONY recognised User wanting to sell their licence, but that you’d have to clear with SONY.

Next . . . .

[Robert Michaelson] ” Is there much difference between the two.”

Yes: For me VP9 worked, and worked well. VP10 was messy and I was needing to bridge the gap between 32bit and 64bit, in many unfortunate ways. I’m now on VP12 and it is starting to feel like the stability of VP9. VP11? As long as I stayed in 64bit it was sufficient to the day. But now with VP12, and ALL the features it is offering I wouldn’t return to VP9.

The other option is to cut your teeth on the more budget end Vegas platform and then when you’re ready UG to the full blown Vegas. Oh yeah, do check out the Upgrade prices AND the various Vegas Suite Comparison Charts over on the SONY Vegas.

You’re asking the correct questions. Now it is over to you to do some extensive research to get your best fit to your hardware: PC+Camera, and your experience with the DEMOs.

Have fun!

Grazie

Video Content Creator and Potter
PC 7 64-bit 16gb * Intel® Core™i7-2600k Quad Core 3.40GHz * 2GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 560 Ti
Cameras: Canon XF300 and two elderly XM2s

[Steve Rhoden]

You start with getting a copy of Sony Vegas Pro 12, and you can
start testing the waters by downloading a trial version here,
(remember vegas 12 is 64bit only):
https://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/download/updates/vegaspro

Steve Rhoden
(Cow Leader)
Film Editor & Compositor.
Filmex Creative Media.
https://www.facebook.com/FilmexCreativeMedia
1-876-832-4956

[Robert Michaelson]

Grazie,
Thanks for your help.
I will check out the free downloads.
Any good sites for tutorials. I do much better
with video I can stop and and while I learn something.

Steve another member suggested I get VP 12. Would VP 9 be ok to learn on and upgrade once I feel confident?

Robert

[Robert Michaelson]

Steve,
Thanks for your time.
I will take your advice.
I do have a copy of VP9 would that be good enough
just to get started? Any good sites that have video tutorials
I learn better when I can start and stop a video than reading.

Robert

[Steve Rhoden]

Yes you can start with Vegas 9 and eventually graduate
to Vegas 12 or 13 soon down the road.
https://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/support/trainingvids.asp?prod=vegas

https://library.creativecow.net/tutorials/sonyvegas

You learn a lot too by experimenting yourself with footages and texts.

Steve Rhoden
(Cow Leader)
Film Editor & Compositor.
Filmex Creative Media.
https://www.facebook.com/FilmexCreativeMedia
1-876-832-4956

[Phil Seymour]

Steve!! Vegas 13?? What are you doing… we haven’t had the full flavour of 12 yet! 🙂

Windows 7 Pro64, 16GB RAM, SSD boot drive, GTX 570 Graphics, Vegas Pro 12

[Steve Rhoden]

LOL… Im just making a reference to our young editor that when
he is ready to move on after using Vegas 9 in a year or two, he
will be ready for the next big release…lol

Steve Rhoden
(Cow Leader)
Film Editor & Compositor.
Filmex Creative Media.
https://www.facebook.com/FilmexCreativeMedia
1-876-832-4956

[John Rofrano]

[Robert Michaelson] “I do have a copy of VP9 would that be good enough just to get started?”

I’d have to say “it depends” and here’s why: You are are not using a video camera. You’re using a still image camera that ALSO shoots video. These files can be difficult to edit and newer versions of Vegas Pro have added support for some of these DLSR formats. It looks like that camera shoots AVCHD and Motion-JPEG. You’ll have to do some experimenting to see which format edits the easiest.

General Rule of Thumb: Don’t try and edit footage with software that is older then your camera!

Think about it. If your camera came out after Vegas Pro 9.0 and you’re not shooting DV or HDV, there is a possibility that Vegas Pro 9.0 might not handle your footage well. AVCHD support was still pretty new back then but it’s gotten a lot better.

If you have Vegas Pro 9.0 already, then drop some footage on the timeline and see if it plays back smoothly or if it turns into a stuttering slide show. Then add a few FX and render and see if it renders correctly. If it all works, you can use Vegas Pro 9.0. If not, download a trial of Vegas Pro 12.0 and see if that does a better job with your camera footage.

As far as features go, there are a lot more high quality professional plug-ins available for Vegas Pro 10.0 and beyond because that’s when Sony added OFX support. So if you’re planning on doing a lot of special FX, you might want Vegas Pro 12.0. If you’re just learning the art of story telling, any version of Vegas Pro that supports your footage should work nicely. Keep it simple with just cuts and dissolves and concentrate on telling the story and you’ll do fine. 😉

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Steve Rhoden]

concentrate on telling the story
That is the key thing missing from a lot of productions nowadays.
Most of the focus and concentration is going in the wrong direction.

Steve Rhoden
(Cow Leader)
Film Editor & Compositor.
Filmex Creative Media.
https://www.facebook.com/FilmexCreativeMedia
1-876-832-4956

[Robert Michaelson]

I want to thank everyone for their time.
I know I have so much to learn just to tell my story.
I like what Steve Rhoden said “young editor”…..physically I am 60
in the editing world I am about 3……LOL