New Camcorder - and AVCHD Editing.

[blooda2]

New Camcorder.

I am looking at replacing my 12 year old Sony PC-100, which has served me well. After a lot of looking around, I am swaying towards the Panasonic SD900.

I have used Pinnacle Studio, in its various forms since 2000, It’s simplicity [and my familiarity] seem to over come the buggy nature and tendancy to crash, when I look at changing. So what are the other [cheap] alternatives to recommend/

The thing I need to know about is, “key frame editing” in AVCHD , am I right in understanding that you can only edit cuts at key frames ?
Can this limitation be overcome by re-rendering? [I am ofay with leaving things to render for many hours, [and hopefully not crashing]]

Thanks in advance.

[TreeTops]

Take a look at Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 11. After you get the camera, download that software and try it before buying. I use that for AVCHD editing and do not have any problems. I can key frame anywhere on the timeline. However I use Sony AVCHD from a Sony camera so that may be why it is so easy.

[ranchhand]

I used Pinnacle Studio 10 for years and finally learned how to make it run without problems. I currently run Studio 14 and really like it. No crashes or problems like the old days. Only problem is that it will not edit AVCHD files for love nor money. Many other users do not have that problem, but I do. What I finally did is use Handbrake to convert to mpeg4 files and Studio works with those files perfectly. The final DVD produced looks great. Other than that, I think the old days of buggy crashing is in the rear view mirror.

[blooda2]

Thanks for the replys.

Well the Panny SD900 has arrived, but is still under my desk at work. £617 from Amazon. (Less £50 Cashback, + 1 year extended warrenty with Nationwide Credit Card).

The price is now displaying £556, [this was reduced even before I received the Camera]. So a quick email to Amazon, got me £61 Refund.
Thus total price is really £506.

The editings got to wait now until I have serious PC upgrade. Any Spec recomendations for £300-£400 [DIY]

[ranchhand]

Sorry, man, I am in the USA. I buy a lot from Newegg, but I don't think they ship out-of-country. For a general idea of the power structure take a glance at my computer details; although my unit is a bit older, it runs Studio 14 fast & clean and runs AVCHD files with no hesitations or dropped frames.

[pepegot1]

I would be careful about Vegas Studio 11 Platinum. It does some things well like color correction, modifying clips by use of envelopes and some other things but, it is a bear to handle for a product of any size. No storyboard for one. Too much effort for the result and very time consuming. Simple procedures adjusting sound volume etc. are more involved than the simple line stretching in VS Pro and Pinnacle. I use it for clip improvement when needed only or a short video once in a while. Some rave about it but, if you like to spend lots of time for basically the same result, then go Vegas.

[_Al_]

In Vegas to set audio gain you just grab upper line of audio clip and bring it down, or you have slide for the whole track or you have envelope to make changes in time, I'd like to know how to do it in more simple way ...