Hey Photographers - need software help

[Sheryll]

Hi,

Last summer (2011), my husband figured out how to use our point-and-shoot Canon S3 to film our hummingbird feeder.

Any suggestions for good-but-reasonably priced editing software? He filmed for an hour. There are times when there are as many as a dozen hummingbirds on the feeder at once but then there are several minutes when there is nothing, which needs to be edited out.

Sheryll

[cajun angel]

I use Photo Shop Elements 10. You may still be able to find earlier versions too. I do recommend you by Scott kelby's manual to go along with it - it will help you through a lot!

[tomjudd]

Hi Sheryll.

I'm not much of a video shooter or editor, but if you are on a Mac, iMovie is actually pretty decent for editing video and it is probably already on your computer.

Apart from that, Lightroom 4 which has previously been primarily the realm of still image editing, organizing, printing photos, etc. now has some basic video editing features as well. So if you have Lightroom 4 check this out. If you have an earlier version of Lightroom, consider upgrading...it is worth it for other reasons, too!

Good luck!

Tom

[JJones4fwas]

Hi Sheryll,
I may be too late to offer advice. I use Sonic's Roxio Creator. Current version available is 2012. It is a massive media software program that handles video, photos, music cd's, and data file backup. It usually runs between $70 and $80 dollars.
The video editing capabilities allow you to cut portions from video clips, add other video clips, and export as a regular media file or as a DVD movie. There are basic video tools that allow you to change exposure, speed up or slow down original video, and add voice-over narration. The program also comes with a huge library of music to add to video clips. Even selects appropriate music based on what the subject matter is. (Flight of the Hummingbird!)
I don't rely on Roxio for photos. Roxio does come with a great Panoramic add-on that I found easy to use when stitching together photos. And another add-on feature is face smile. It will alter a person's facial expression for those relatives that never smile. I experimented on a bird photo and the result was scary.
I use Photoshop Lightroom 3.6 for photos. But that version does not allow editing of video. It will import and catalog video clips, and plays them back after you identify your PC's video player. I may have to upgrade to 4.0. Full version of Lightroom costs about $175. The upgrade to 4.0 is currently $79.
I saw the other post suggesting Photoshop Elements. Elements is the smaller cousin to Lightroom. I wasn't sure if Elements would do more than Lightroom, so I checked the Adobe website. The features only lists video playback similar to Lightroom. If it does in fact allow editing that is a more inexpensive way to go.
For professional editing you have to get into the full version of Photoshop CS, and even then you need to buy the add-on pack for video. But now you are talking hundreds of dollars.
Other software is out there. Microsoft's video software is similar to the Apple software mentioned. It allows basic video editing and adjustments. It saves video as MPEG4 for use on You Tube, etc. It may not have come with your Windows PC, but many of the MS add-ons are free to download.
Jim Jones
Bedford, TX

[scottyinfrisco]

Sony Vegas 12 (the non pro version) I believe it's called Movie Studio can be had for $50-60, and has a bit of learning curve, but it a super power non pro software. Definitely, high in the bang for the buck category.