Is Premier Pro worth it?

[Daminator]

I've just had a look at Premier Pro and couldn't find a thing on it! Is it worth pursuing, or sticking with version 6?

I couldn't find any A/B editing, and importing premier files that I had previously made using AB editing seemed to just flatten everything into one track.
Couldn't find any way to adjust the aspect ratios of individual clips
Couldn't even find how to add a simple transition. Found it eventually, but all changed. What was wrong with having AB tracks in one video channel? Surely that must still be there?
And the aspect ratio stuff? You used to be able to right click on each clip and set it as you wanted it.

Is this version any better for anything, or should I go back?

[Greydog]

Premier Pro is a big upgrade from V6. All of the questions you asked can be found in the manual. Plan to spend 2 or 3 hours before it starts to feel comfortable to you. It is no harder to learn than V6 but it is neccessary to relearn a number of things.

[Daminator]

You're right. The bits that I have found that are new or changed do look like good improvements and the manual have shown me where the aspect ration stuff has gone to. no idea why they moved everything around though.

And I still can't find the lovely AB editing on a single track.

[leebo]

And I still can't find the lovely AB editing on a single track.

In an attempt to make the program more attractive to professionals, they needed to do more than add the word "Pro". Try finding AB style editing in Avid, Final Cut, etc.

Hobbists can always use I movie or Studio for their editing.

[Daminator]

So you mean that has been taken out? And my previously saved files which used AB editing are just flattened to one track? I'm sure I could get used to it, but seems very odd to remove a perfectly functioning feature altogether.

[leebo]

Believe me, if you do a lot of editing, you wont miss it. AB editing is slower, which is one reason pro's don't use it. Concentrate on the new features you do get, like color correction, color match, improved motion effects, improved control over effects and filters, scopes, etc.

You do need to be aware that PPro only runs on XP though. And, like most upgrades these days, it requires a bit more ram than 6.0.

[Daminator]

Ok, I'll give it a try

Just to get my head around it .. If I was going to do a transition with AB editing, I'd put the transition between the AB tracks that overlap.
Without AB, do I put one transition on each track? Or just on the track that has topmost visibility?

I'm sure I can work it all out with a bit of playing.

[leebo]

Without AB, do I put one transition on each track? Or just on the track that has topmost visibility?

Topmost visibility? I dont know how that relates to PPro. Transition go between where two clips meet. With 1.5, you can even use a transition on one clip - even if it's not near another clip!

I would do the tutorials that come with the program to get up to speed.

[racer-x]

Premiere Pro is a big step up from v6, but less improvement over v6.5. At first I didn't like it either, but after I got used to it, I won't go back to v6.5. It borows a lot of effects controls from AE. The best thing I like about it, is it will let you import an image in it's native resolution (up to 4000 x 3000) and keep it at that resolution, instead of resizing to 720 x 480 like the previous versions did.

How ever, I do miss the Storyboard.........don't know why they gave that up. On the other hand, the Sequences are pretty cool.

[leebo]

Sequences are my favorite! As for storyboard, thats gone (I never used that myself), but there's "automate to timeline" with or without a default transition.

[VideoTechMan]

I definitely think it is. Ive been using Premeire since version 5.0, and its came a long way since then. I really like the new interface, and I think I am going to love using this program.

I bought the Premeire Pro Bible from a bookstore a week ago in order to learn more about this program, and I have to say its a great book so far, Ive been able to do some of the things that I needed to do with my video that I havent been able to before. I know if I want to be a professional videographer one of these days, I have to work with the best. Granted its not one of the real-estate editing suites like Avid Symphony and such, but at least its a start!

VTM