theplummeter 15 #1 February 9, 2014 I just inherited a MacBook Pro that is about four months old from a family member and am trying to figure out what to run for video software. In addition to never using Apple before I have never run any of their software. I like the Sony stuff but that isn't an option for Apple so I'm left with Adobe(not sure which suite or the cost), Final Cut Pro ($299), iMovie ($20), or something else I don't know about yet. The computer is the Core i7 model with 8gb of ram. I don't do professional video, just some editing for the dropzone for tandem or student videos. I'm open to any suggestions, especially from anyone running a similar setup. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Superfletch 1 #2 February 9, 2014 Well, the Sony stuff is an option. If you REALLY like Sony then just install bootcamp on it and Windows and use Sony. In a lot of cases, a mac running windows is a better option than most PC Compatible laptops. Otherwise Adobe Premiere is available for the mac. Personally, I use iMovie 9.0.9 for tandem videos (haven't messed with iMovie 10 yet). Final cut is very powerful but it's not really suitable for a quick tandem video workflow, or at least that's been my case. Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I Videographer/Photographer Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 5 #3 February 9, 2014 I do run Bootcamp, and as Fletch mentions...it's a powerful option. No Apple-compatible software can touch what you can do with the Sony apps. Not by a far cry when it comes to speed. Otherwise, iMovie, FCPX, and Premiere are your options for budget software. iMovie is pretty powerful, so is Premiere yet Premiere has a steep learning curve. FCPX is quite similar to Sony Vegas, but it's a lot slower due to the number of clicks, menus, and methods. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
faulknerwn 38 #4 February 10, 2014 We use iMovie for all of our tandem videos here. Works awesome - is easy to use to make great intros and such - and for tandem videos its 2-3 minutes of human interaction and from there on out its just how much memory and CPU have to finish it up. I love it.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theplummeter 15 #5 February 10, 2014 Thanks for the replies so far. I don't have a license for Windows other than what is already in use in my house or I would bootcamp and install Sony. For those of you who have used iMovie is it a linear editor like Sony or more like Windows Movie Maker? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 5 #6 February 10, 2014 iMovie is more like Windows Media Maker than it is like Vegas or FCP. They're all NLE's tho. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theplummeter 15 #7 February 11, 2014 I ended up spending the $15 for iMovie. I figure if I hate it that's the least expensive way to discover that I am incompatible with Apple, and given the similarities between iMovie and Final Cut Pro it should be a good indication of whether it's worth spending the money on that or finding a way to run Windows on bootcamp with Sony. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 5 #8 February 11, 2014 It'll frustrate you at first, coming from a real editing application, but the output is very similar, even if twice as slow to achieve. it works, and at the end of the day, that's all that matters. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
