Best Editing Software

[c-leigh]

Hello, I have many hours of video filmed on an SD card using a Canon G30 and G50 camcorder. The main thing I will be doing is clipping unwanted scenes out of the video. For example, if the video is 30 minutes long, I may only want 10 minutes of video. The goal is to make sure the new clips are the highest quality possible. I heard it is hard to get it to be lossless, and if it is the file sizes are huge. Also heard the non-lossless editors make the new clips so good the human eye cannot detect the difference compared to the original.

Any suggestions what the best and easiest software is for editing clips? I would rather not have free versions because of the tie to malware. At the same time, I don't want to spend thousands by having monthly fees. Hoping something in the $200-$300 a year range. I appreciate any help.

Thank you,

Cathy

[videoAI]

Hi Cathy,

The Canon PowerShot G30 records video in AVCHD format (H.264 encoded) within an .MTS container,
and still images are saved as JPEG (with optional RAW .CR2 for higher quality captures).

It can store:
Video: H.264/AVC encoded stream, typically 1080p @ 30 fps or 720p @ 60 fps.
Audio: Dolby AC‑3 (Dolby Digital) or Linear PCM tracks.
Metadata: Timecode, chapter markers, and optional subtitles.

The MTS container is part of the AVCHD (Advanced Video Coding High Definition) specification.
MTS files are MPEG‑2 Transport Stream files, optimized for efficient playback on camcorders
and compatible with most video editors.

Can you tell us if you use Windows or Mac, level of computer experience, basic/advanced, and
video editing experience none/basic/advanced.

Answers will help us recommend software that works for you. I don't think you need to pay
anything to do your video cuts [edits].

Edit#1: Try Losslesscut

P.S. Not all freeware are related to viruses/malware.

[krykmoon]

Any suggestions what the best and easiest software is for editing clips? I would rather not have free versions because of the tie to malware. At the same time, I don't want to spend thousands by having monthly fees. Hoping something in the $200-$300 a year range. I appreciate any help.

Free version is different from REALLY free (open source) software.
There are many good software and tools that are totally free..

Kdenlive (my favorite) or Shotcut are two "easy" totally free and open source video editors you can try.

[johns0]

When you are clipping videos you should be using an editor that does this with no re-encoding except for beginning and end clips where it's not on a key frame and needs to encode a very short part.

[Alwyn]

you should be using an editor that does this with no re-encoding except for beginning and end clips

For MP4 at least, I don't believe there is a standard NLE that does frame-accurate smart-encoding. VRD used to. TMPGenc Smart Renderer does (although I haven't tried) but it isn't a real NLE.

[c-leigh]

Thank you for the responses. I have no experience editing videos. I use windows on an HP Workstation PC, but also use my HP laptop with windows.

For the Canon G30 the data rate was about 23,000 KBPS. Frame rate 29.97. Frame width and height 1920X1080. 1 Gig is about 6 minutes of video. The Canon G50 has a data rate of about 34,000 KBPS. Frame rate is 29.97. Frame width and height 1920X1080. 1 Gig is about 4 minutes of video. They are all MP4 files. I like to play them on VLC Player, Pot Player and Windows Media Player.

Most of the videos are done with the G50. The quality is a little better than the G30. I tried taking video at the highest setting, which made the file size huge, but the quality did not go up. When I went down from the setting I used, it was grainy, so I seem to have found the right setting.

Most of the video clips are 5-10 minutes. The first goal is to edit within the clip. I would also like to be able to take parts of each clip out and put them together. For example, let's say I have five ten-minute video clips of a baseball game. I may want to take one minute out of each video clip and make a five-minute clip. Hope that makes sense.

Thank you,

Cathy

[videoAI]

Hi Cathy,

Try Losslesscut, it has both simple & advanced modes for cutting mp4 videos
while keeping the quality intact.

[Alwyn]

I'm no expert with it I think Losslesscut is not what you want. It is not frame-accurate for editing and there's little point in smart-encoding files at such high bitrates. The quality will be fine at lower bitrates. It doesn't appear to be a true non-linear editor. You will need that if you are moving clips about or joining different clips together.

If this is going to be a ongoing activity, go with a true non-linear editor such as those suggested by Krymoon above. I use Magix Video Deluxe. Moving/reordering clips around, importing clips, adding fades, music, titles, colour adjustments and more are what non-linear editors excel at. There will be a steep learning curve to start so don't be put off initially. There are plenty of tutes about for most free and cheaper NLEs.

[30west]

Magix Vegas would be my first choice. Been using Vegas since about v4 when it was owned by SONY. Have not found the need to change all these years and it is now at v23. Works great on my HP Pavilion Intel core i3. ( a few years old, but ....) Current version promo price is $US149 - not subscription.

[videoAI]

@johns0
check your private messages please

[30west]

Don't see anything!

[ozymango]

Any suggestions what the best and easiest software is for editing clips?

Hi, Cathy. Somebody here already mentioned kdenlive and shotcut as genuinely free editing programs you could use, and I use kdenlive myself for 99% of my editing work. I use mostly Linux systems myself but if you're a Windows user, you can install both of these editors on your computer, I certainly recommend at least trying them out for yourself, no harm no foul if they don't work for your needs.

As for paid software, again I pretty much use kdenlive for everything and don't have much experience with what the kids are using these days in the paid editor area -- last editor I purchased was Adobe Premiere Pro, which I still use (that's the 1% of the time editor) and can do tons of cool stuff, BUT, it will definitely convert/re-encode your video when you export it. I'm not aware of any actual editor (that offers more than cut and splice) that doesn't re-encode.

Though a lot depends on what you want to do with your video clips after you edit them -- are these to be shared with others? I suspect even if you "re-encode" your video when editing, nobody in the audience will be able to tell, assuming they're watching it on any decent TV these days. With today's video encoders, and today's hardware/software, your average discount video editor can produce quality above what broadcast TV was capable of when I was a kid.

And most importantly, always always ALWAYS keep your master tapes (or master SD footage) somewhere safe, and then you don't have to worry about what the best editor is, they'll keep improving the editors and you just keep your old master recordings safe, and you can re-edit them later, if you want. There's just nothing to lose. In the old days of analog recordings (tape or actual movie film), every time you "edited" anything, you'd lose at least some detail in the translation, often quite a bit of loss actually. So you kept editing to a minimum, only go 2nd generation, and with digital you can now edit a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy and you still can't tell it from the master. So there's that.

Anyway hope you're having fun learning about editing, and don't be afraid of experimenting for yourself, you've got nothing to lose but your fear of editing!

[c-leigh]

Thank you for all the information. From what I understand, when you re-encode a clip it loses quality. There is really no way to edit a clip without re-encoding it?

I think I will try Shotcut because of friend of mine uses the same software. The free versions are safe as long as the website they are downloaded from is safe correct? I am guessing the software download links on here are good tested links?

Thank you,

Cathy

[Alwyn]

From what I understand, when you re-encode a clip it loses quality. There is really no way to edit a clip without re-encoding it?

Yes, an frame-accurate edit (as used by most NLEs) will require a re-encode. That said, provided you keep the bitrate up (Quality Factor ~ 16) you will not notice the difference, especially when the source clips are good quality, as yours appear to be judging by the bitrates.

I am guessing the software download links on here are good tested links?

I download most of my freebee software from this site and have had no problems.

[krykmoon]

Thank you for all the information. From what I understand, when you re-encode a clip it loses quality. There is really no way to edit a clip without re-encoding it?

I think I will try Shotcut because of friend of mine uses the same software. The free versions are safe as long as the website they are downloaded from is safe correct? I am guessing the software download links on here are good tested links?

Thank you,

Cathy

When you re-encode a clip.. you will have a new clip that is totally different from the original.
If you use the right codec in the right way and with the right settings there may be no perceivable loss in quality..

Shotcut is open source and totally free (like Kdenlive.. that is better), and downloading them from the official sites is 100% safe. On this site for every software listed the first link you will find is always to the official site.

[Alwyn]

When you re-encode a clip.. you will have a new clip that is totally different from the original.

I wouldn't say "totally". Technically it will be different but as you say, with the right settings, visually, it will be (almost) the same.

[krykmoon]

When you re-encode a clip.. you will have a new clip that is totally different from the original.

I wouldn't say "totally". Technically it will be different but as you say, with the right settings, visually, it will be (almost) the same.

Yes, visually it may appear identical (and this is the most important thing).. I meant that every pixel of every frame is recalculated when you re-encode, nothing in the original video is preserved as it is.. so you will obtain something that is "totally different" from the original (but that may appear absolutely the same)

[krykmoon]

There is really no way to edit a clip without re-encoding it?

It depends on what you mean with that "edit".

If you don't need precision to the exact frame.. and you only need to cut away a single part of your footage there are tools like losslesscut (free, open source.. an excellent tool) that does that very well.

Anything more that this requires a total re-encode.

[_Al_]

I would not use words like "totally different". That is unnecessary scarecrow. Most people naturally re-encode using NLE, and if things are encoded correctly, it is just fine. As a bonus some footage could be vastly improved (literally in seconds applying curves, or changing highlights, mid or lowlights, etc.) That is what human eye registers, not pixel values.

Also perhaps GOP length is about one second, guessing, so lossless cutting cannot be frame accurate.

[c-leigh]

This week I will start the clipping/trimming process. Appreciate everyone's help.

How long can I hold the clips before I make them into a new video? For example, let's say I have 50 clips ten minutes each and I want to take about one minute out of each clip to make a 50 minute. It may take me a week to go through the videos and figure out what to save for the condensed clip. Am I able to save the work without losing quality or actually going through the re-encoding process?

When I do have a new clip from the 50 clips, if I want to trim that clip and make another one, will I lose quality compared to using the original clips? Years ago I would edit some VHS tapes. I would take the master copy and edit to a copy. If I took the copy and edited to another copy the quality would suffer. I would have to edit everything from the original tape.

Thank you,

Cathy

[krykmoon]

How long can I hold the clips before I make them into a new video?

Forever.

You export (encode) the final video only when all the editing is done.

The clips (videos/audio/images) you import in the video editing software remain untouched (your original files).

[videoAI]

Cathy,

Unfortunately, most techies on this thread are giving you advice
based on their expertise, not based on what you actually need to
complete your task.

Video Cutter:
-----------------
You don't actually need an NLE [non linear editor] like everyone is proposing?
if you just need to cut your video clips from the original videos while retaining
exact, identical, quality of original, then you only need [losslesscut]

If after cutting your clips, you are 100% sure you have no more need for the
original large clips taking storage space, you can safely delete the originals while
keeping you precious video cuts [the ones you elected to keep].

Video Editor:
-------------
In the future, if you wish to add transitions, effects, change the color, etc of any
or all clips you kept, then you will need a video editor like [Shotcut or Kdenlive].

How long can I hold the clips before I make them into a new video?
Cathy

[krykmoon]

Cathy,

Unfortunately, most techies on this thread are giving you advice
based on their expertise, not based on what you actually need to
complete your task

Actually.. I read the request of the person that started this thread with more attention than you (I suppose): he/she asked for a video editor to cut a minute from various clips and then JOIN them in another video.. and that it's something you can't do with lossless cut only (as you suggest).

[Alwyn]

Agree, I certainly wouldn't go through the rigmarole of cutting up my files with Lossless cut then trying to join them. You can do that more easily by just bringing them onto the timeline and trimming there, then do an export for viewing.

[_Al_]

Yes, to still insist on some lossless cutting, one by one, knowing we talking 50 videos is quite challenging. And it is not frame accurate.

At the same time, using NLE (video editor of choice), you still keep original quality after editing (if exporting lossless, but that is overkill for sure). Things are kept sane, frame accurate. You can simply export lossless (if you insist), or better almost lossless (like ProRes). And store it, if needed. Or using H.264 with comfortable bitrate and shorter GOP (one second, so number of frames per second) is not a bad idea also.

Import all clips into a project, then drop desired amount of clips on timeline (to not pollute it with all 50 clips). Edit them, make them short. Then dropping more clips, repeat. In the meantime saving project, or even as a security saving project as, to different name, path, just to be sure, if project takes time to edit. When done, export timeline to desired format, for delivery - to clients as H264 and AAC audio in mp4 container. And if wanting to store super quality, as was said, lossless, or rather better almost lossless, to keep it sane with resulted video size.

[videoAI]

@ _Al_, krykmoon

Guys .. please .. your info is out of date !!

https://github.com/mifi/lossless-cut

... And it is not frame accurate. [wrong, Losslesscut does support frame accurate cuts as explained by the developer below]
using NLE (video editor of choice), you still keep original quality after editing. [& wrong]

https://github.com/mifi/lossless-cut/issues/126
Smart Cut feature:
"Update: Have made an initial implementation of this. This experimental feature will
re-encode the part of the video from the cutpoint until the next keyframe in order
to attempt to make a 100% accurate cut while losslessly copying the rest of the
segment."

then JOIN them in another video.. and that it's something you can't do with lossless cut only (as you suggest).

Off course you can .. join .. with losslesscut only

[krykmoon]

@ _Al_, krykmoon

Guys .. please .. your info is out of date !!

No, they aren't. I know the software well.
The "Smart Cut" feature is still EXPERIMENTAL.
And this link you posted, did you read it ?

https://github.com/mifi/lossless-cut/issues/126

It's a long list of issues and problems of Smart Cut from github.. not a list of features.

Losslesscut can also concatenate file (like FFMPEG) .. but the point - as other users tried to explain in this thread - IS that a using a NLE is more practical to do this kind of jobs and you are guaranteed to have no issues with the final encode (the Smart Cut feature in Losslesscut is STILL not reliable.. and maybe it will never be). The point is: using LosslessCut for this kind of job is using the wrong (not most adequate) tool. Simply like that.

[ozymango]

@ _Al_, krykmoon

Guys .. please .. your info is out of date !!

Why on earth are you highlighting quotes using cyan? I can't read a damn thing because there's no contrast between cyan text on a gray background! Well maybe you are really AI and don't know how humans work.

[videoAI]

My bad .. will use a light theme compatible color, font, style, .. [did I miss anything] going forward.

Why on earth are you highlighting quotes using cyan?
I can't read a damn thing because there's no contrast
between cyan text on a gray background!

[_Al_]

well, there is definitely something off, with your environment : - )