Page 1 of 4 >>
Software Review: Pinnacle Studio Ultimate Version 12 Editing Software
While there is an abundance of editing software packages on the market, a video ministry seeking a program that is easy to use but loaded with effects will be pleased with Pinnacle Studio Ultimate by Pinnacle Systems of Mountain View, California, a division of Avid Technology Inc. There are actually three versions of the program to accommodate various needs and budgets. The base version, which runs $49, is strictly for those who need to quickly edit simple videos with titles and transitions, but not much else. I would think that after a few projects, even a weekend
editor would be hungry for more. Pinnacle Studio version 12 Plus is priced at $99, and will generally meet the needs of a ministry’s video editor or a small church’s video department. But for $30 more, Pinnacle Studio Ultimate version 12 will give you additional tools for effects and titling. This is the version I reviewed, and it strikes me as an excellent package for a video department that isn’t ready for a professional program like Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Studio, and that needs a program that allows a quick learning curve, but plenty of effects.
Capturing Video
While I practically live in Apple’s Final Cut Studio, it has not always been the best tool for simple tasks handed off to an inexperienced user, such as capturing a church service. There are simply too many options for them to navigate through or troubleshoot. Pinnacle has a very simple video capture setup. The Capture tab at the top of the window leads to simple camera controls and disc information. The program automatically looks for the hardware and gives a report. The operator can either start and stop the capture manually, or set it to stop after a specified time if they need to step away. This keeps things simple, but batch-capture capabilities and programmable in and out points would have been nice. When capturing is complete, the video is broken up into scenes that can be viewed as a list or as thumbnails. Content such as photos and Photoshop graphics can be accessed and imported from anywhere on the hard drive.
Pinnacle Studio is set to work in the latest developments in high definition (HD), including HDV AVCHD footage and Blu-ray discs. I tried it out with a Panasonic AVCCAM, which records onto an SD card. While Pinnacle didn’t communicate directly with the camera, software included with the camera converted the video files into the proper format. The video can then be edited in Pinnacle.
Editing
The next tab over from Capture is Edit, where the real action happens. Pinnacle Studio is certified for Vista, but I worked on Windows XP. There were some crashes early on, but the program saves the file when it crashes, and when it is opened again there is the option to open that file. No doubt stability depends greatly on the computer being used.
Pinnacle has a feature called SmartMovie that, put simply, edits the movie for you. After a theme and an assortment of options are selected and titles are entered, selected clips are cut together onto the Movie Window (timeline) using transitions and effects appropriate for the chosen style. This can be adjusted and re-edited as desired. If a video is shot carefully, this can be an easy and impressive way to quickly whip up a montage video of an event.
Page 1 of 4 next page >>
Michael Parks heads up the video ministry at Hilltop Community Church in Richmond, Calif. He has been involved in film and video production for 25 years and is the author of the blog “Close-Up on One” at www.churchproduction.com/michaelparks.
Quick-links
Royalty-free animations, stock footage, music, and graphics
www.digitaljuice.com | 800-525-2203
Post a Comment
ADD NEW COMMENT