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Let's face it: some of you, guys don't even get to video editing. And some might find Movie Maker cutting/splitting feature quite sufficient - that's just fine. You probably have one less thing to occupy your mind with.
Yet, for those who care about uploading a brushed and polished piece of footage to the Internet, choosing the right software is quite important. And since video editing questions pop up on DJI forum on a regular basis, it's safe to assume there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
The perfect feature-set? What are the must-have features a video editor should have to be considered good for drone footage? Most drone owners say video editing is video editing after all, no matter whether you were shooting on a drone or on a smartphone. That being said, there is still a list of tools you'll be using more frequently (than a smartphone owner) because of aerial camera ins and outs.
easy cut/split feature - because that unexpected crash from last flight must be cut out. video stabilization tool - because even the best drones might make use of it sometimes. color/brightness correction - because if the sun is around, there is always a chance of under- or overexposure. video zooming - because you can't always fly too close to the object of interest. footage speed settings - because timelapses rule.
Besides, it's important to be able to work with high quality videos effortlessly. In other words, the video editor should be able to open drone footage, process it and export in the high quality as well.
Whether you just recently started thinking of editing your drone recordings, or you're looking for a better piece of software, below is a list you may make use of. It's been gathered with help of drone forum members and drone YouTubers, whom I'll quote below.
If you're well experienced at video editing
This one doesn't need to be introduced. Having become a de-facto standard in the world of professional video editing, Adobe Premiere Pro is also the most frequently named piece of software among drone owners. Starting this year, Adobe PP has gone cross-platform, so even some Mac users tend to choose it over Final Cut Pro despite slower performance and higher costs in the long run.
Format Advice: If you host Premiere Pro on a strong PC, it will easily handle 4K videos from Phantom. If you feel, however, that 4K may be too much for your machine, simply convert footage to MPEG-2, which is a recommended codec for Adobe.
While Adobe is a powerful video editor as is, some experienced users also recommend installing de-noising plugins - such as Neat Video - especially if you're using D-log. (advice from TomTechTime community member)
If you strive for the highest color grading quality, but not quite ready to pay for it yet, Davinci Resolve is your best bet. While doing the research for this roundup, I've found almost as many mentions of Davinci Resolve, as of PP. That makes me think, we're talking about the most powerful free crossplatform video editor available out there. My biggest struggle, though, were multiple crashes even before I deep dived into editing, so i definitely don't recommend it if your machine resources are limited.
Format advice: Davinci Resolve appears to be slightly unfriendly with uncompressed codecs, which sometimes results into program crashing while trying to open a simple AVI file. Don't get discouraged and just convert your video to Quicktime MOV - the most recommended format for this piece of software.
If you're somewhat experienced at video editing
Cyberlink Power Director for Windows ($59 per year)
If you got to play with a 360 degree drone camera, and you're on Windows - look no further. Cyberlink is a well known software developer which is always among the first to adopt the latest trends, and 360 degree videos are not an exception. Those looking for a powerful video editor with precise trimming and clean interface will be quite satisfied.
Another reason I selected Power Director 15 was the multi-cam ability. I also record with a camcorder on a tripod so it's a nice function to be able to edit in sync (PhantomPilots forum member) VSDC stands out for its format compatibility and comparatively stable performance on machines unable to cope with heavy guys like Adobe and Davinci. Say, if you're somewhat Win7/64b struggling to find a decent post-production tool, VSDC is the best choice. It has every basic feature you can think of and even offers big guns like color grading, motion blur effect and blending modes.
Export advice: when exporting a large file, don't get confused with "Hardware Acceleration" pop-up. Simply click on a grey "Continue" button below and worry not about watermarks or any other unpleasant "surprises". Export speed will be moderate, though, so if you really want to speed up the output process, you might want to consider purchasing an annual PRO license for $20.
Filmora for Mac ($44,99 per year)
Somewhere between iMovie and Final Cut you might want to consider Filmora (used to be known as Wondershare in the past). It is a cross-platform piece of software, and since there are so few video editing apps of that level available for Mac, it might be a lifesaver that doesn't cost you an arm and a leg. What's different about Filmora, is that besides basic video editing features, it offers a variety of extra tools like noise reduction, tilt shift, plus video effects & filters library that is monthly being added to.
Export Tip: Filmora has a free trial version that is functionally the same as a registered version, so it gives you a full taste of the program. Yet, it places a huge watermark on your video when you export it after editing. Therefore, make sure to start with a small test project to avoid "unpleasant surprises" at the end of a several-hour process.
If you're about to edit your first video
Should you set your requirements low - say, a simple cut/filter/encode feature-set - Avidemux is the way to go. It is a linear video editor, and it's absolutely free. Think of it as of a crossplatform version of Movie Maker, which is more appreciated by the geek community though (perhaps, because it is distributed under GNU GPL license).
Avidemux supports the most frequently used formats, including MKV, VOB and ASF and can be useful for making your video more lightweight. There is also a good number of filters you can apply and preview in a separate window. The software interface is not the most intuitive one, however, you'll find a wikipedia-style how-to guide for both - users and developers interested in Avidemux capabilities, so with a bit of effort you'll figure out what to do.
Afterword
Among the video editors mentioned above, there were few other pieces of software - mostly for Windows though, such as Pinnacle,Magix and Sony Vegas. How about we continue the list and create somewhat an ultimate guide on choosing a video editing program?
Tell what you're using for post-production, describe why it's different and worth the drone community's attention. Post a couple of screenshots and share your tips on working with aerial videos! How about that?
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we could help each other! I use Power Director 14 . Safety First! Ken.
