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 you 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.