Hello, I am looking to buy a laptop for editing my collected footage, but i have found myself somewhat conflicted. Right now I am between the Dell Inspiron and the Apple MacBook. I was wondering what type of laptop would be best for digital video, and most compatible with current editing software? Your help is much appreciated, thank you.
Laptops
- Thread starter KnightMan
- Start date
The new MacBooks don't even have Firewire which really sucks if you're doing video editing. But I think the expensive MacBook Pro still has a Firewire port.
As for Dell, I think you can't go wrong with them. Great products and good costumer service. Do you already have any video editing software?
Also make sure you can get eSATA on your laptop and go for the 7200rpm drive instead of a 5400 if possible.
As for Dell, I think you can't go wrong with them. Great products and good costumer service. Do you already have any video editing software?
Also make sure you can get eSATA on your laptop and go for the 7200rpm drive instead of a 5400 if possible.
Not to be nit picky, but just so you don't buy something you may not need or want right now, After Effects is not an editing program, it's a compositing program which allows you to add special affects via layers like Photoshop. An example of an editing suite (or NLE) is Sony Vegas, Adobe Premiere Pro, and some others. Now don't get me wrong, AE is a great product which I use myself. However, I'm not sure how experienced you are with editing and didn't want you to spend hundreds of dollars on a program. If it's an editing program you're looking for and nothing else, look into the Sony Vegas Platinum Studio. It has some effects and is only about $120. Not sure if they make a MAC version though. Anyway, from there, you can figure out if you want something more powerful like Premeire Pro or AE. So, I apologize in advance if you already knew this info, but just trying to look out for ya.
Sony Vegas is awesome. I use it as my Primary editing suite, you will do fine with the Platinum Studio version, you probably don't need the Pro version yet. I still use the Studio version and it does everything I need it to do for the most part. For the more advanced stuff I'll use AE. Wow, I actually helped someone on this Forum. Lord knows people have helped me out here. Pay It Forward.
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One day in the not to distant future, maybe there will be no need for a fire wire port. But right now, you need one. So if you decide to go with a Mac, DO NOT allow the sales person to talk you OUT of having it.
As far as the edit systems go, I can't speak to Vegas because I am a Final Cut Pro person. I got a look at Vegas once and found it to be confusing, but I think that had something to do with the layout that the person was using. Anyway, Vegas is supposed to be pretty effective and I know of some people who have downloaded a "free sample" version of it. You might go to the site and take a look around.
It also helps when you ask questions like these, to give us an idea of where you are in your filmmaking situation. Are you a beginner, are you familiar with running a camera, have you been in the business for a while? It would help in giving you advice because if you are a beginner, the advice will be different from if you have been in the business for a while.
-- spinner
As far as the edit systems go, I can't speak to Vegas because I am a Final Cut Pro person. I got a look at Vegas once and found it to be confusing, but I think that had something to do with the layout that the person was using. Anyway, Vegas is supposed to be pretty effective and I know of some people who have downloaded a "free sample" version of it. You might go to the site and take a look around.
It also helps when you ask questions like these, to give us an idea of where you are in your filmmaking situation. Are you a beginner, are you familiar with running a camera, have you been in the business for a while? It would help in giving you advice because if you are a beginner, the advice will be different from if you have been in the business for a while.
-- spinner
Well, I like Adobe Premiere Pro and the whole Adobe Production Premium suit a lot! As a student you can get if for around 500$ I think and you'll get everything you'll ever need for your film. Premiere Pro is one of the best editing Programs, After Effects is great for Motion Graphics and Compositing, Photoshop is THE image editing program out there and with Encore you can make great looking dvd-menus.
I really like that all the programs tie in so nicely and if you know AE, it's very easy to learn any other of those programs. Plus Adobe Dynamic Links saves you a lot of rendering time when you can just use copy&paste between all the programs.
The Adobe suit runs on both Mac and Windows, so no matter what laptop you buy, your're going to be able to use it.
I really like that all the programs tie in so nicely and if you know AE, it's very easy to learn any other of those programs. Plus Adobe Dynamic Links saves you a lot of rendering time when you can just use copy&paste between all the programs.
The Adobe suit runs on both Mac and Windows, so no matter what laptop you buy, your're going to be able to use it.
Yeah, commercial use of the student version is not allowed here, too. However, there's a Version you can buy as a student that actually allows you to use it commercially and still cots way less that the normal version (I think it's about 700€, 1000$ or so - still only 1/3 of the normal price).
Fire wire is as of now, the best way to import your footage into your computer. Its fast and reliable and most filmmakers use it to easily get their footage into the edit system. Some of the new Mac laptops have eliminated the fire wire port, only leaving the USB port. Though USB will import your footage, fire wire is more reliable and the industry standard for now.
-- spinner