[Kier Drew]

Your opinion please.

I have a VERY SMALL prod co and I do my own editing. I’ve done small projects that have sold and don’t edit to make a living. That being said, I want to be able to get the best I can for the money I can afford to spend on editing software.

I’m in a positions to spend a few bucks on either FC Studio 2 or Media Composer. I can get”Avid Media Composer 3.0 with Videoguys Exclusive Software Bundle & Bonus Training DVD $495.00 EDU” (quotes very much intended) but I’ve been told it IS in fact the complete $2500 version

OR

Final cut studio 2 for somewhere in the range of $1200. (education pricing not available)

I’ll be editing with a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 2 GB 1067 Mhz DDR3 Macbook Pro with 2 G or Ram (I may upgrade to 4) split between OS X V. 10.5.5 and Windows XP Pro. Will likely only allow XP about 20 G when I add the new editing software.

I’m leaving the country for a couple of years and don’t mind spending the money on the best editing suite I can afford for what I’m going to be shooting… (which in this case may amount to nothing more than some really great HD video of the pyramids / India / Maldives / Iran) which may become nothing more than home movies… so be it.

In the mean time I’ll keep shooting graduations, weddings and my own indie stuff.

I’m currently using Avid liquid 7… yup that’s where I am now. Not a pro like many here, but I need some bottom line advice. I’m good with the learning and don’t need my hand held. For the record though, I’ve found Avid’s support (knowledge base) to be excellent… and free.

So… professionals, I need your advice. Based on the prices listed above, which is the best deal for me.

Thanks.