01-07-2009, 02:22 AM

I currently just have a pc...I know...I know....but I want a Mac I wanna do better really. Anyway I plan on doing video editing alot that is my primary purpose for my future purchase. My question is what kind if any major problems or complaints do you guys have about imovie and final cut keeping in mind that I am new to the game. Will I really be happy that I made the switch?

01-09-2009, 01:23 AM

iMovie is designed to be a consumer product. It is very easy to use. In it, click Help and go to the tutorials Apple provides. Final Cut Express is designed for professionals. It, then, is much more difficult to learn. Its upside is that you can do so much more with it. Its downside is that you will have to make a bunch of decisions that iMovie makes for for you in the interest of ease of use. I'd start with iMovie just to get my feet wet and move up to FCE when comfortable. The best $$ I have spent on assistance is the OneToOne program at the brick-and-mortar Apple store. For $100 you get one hour a week of personal instruction on whatever you want. It is a heck of a deal. Good luck. Video is fun.

01-10-2009, 07:52 AM

Originally Posted by dr dave

iMovie is designed to be a consumer product. It is very easy to use. In it, click Help and go to the tutorials Apple provides. Final Cut Express is designed for professionals. It, then, is much more difficult to learn. Its upside is that you can do so much more with it. Its downside is that you will have to make a bunch of decisions that iMovie makes for for you in the interest of ease of use. I'd start with iMovie just to get my feet wet and move up to FCE when comfortable. The best $$ I have spent on assistance is the OneToOne program at the brick-and-mortar Apple store. For $100 you get one hour a week of personal instruction on whatever you want. It is a heck of a deal. Good luck. Video is fun.

He is absolutely right. iMovie '09 is better than iMovie '08 (duh? well, I say that because iMovie '08 was a good drag-and-drop editor, but it was very limited on video effects and features). So, if you get a new mac it will have iMovie '09, which, as said above, is easy to use...and when you're ready, upgrade to FCE. And the one-to-one training is VERY helpful.

Just seconding Dr. Dave's idea

Good luck and enjoy your new Mac when you get it.

Pantstofry