Video editing software

[Alex7420]

Can anyone recommend a simple and user-friendly video editing software for Windows?

 

My videos are in MOV format and I need to do some basic editing: trimming, deleting selected parts, merging, editing soundtrack. Tried some top-end software, but it is way too complicated to handle.

 

Thank you.

[Little Evil]

Depends...do you want to pay for software or just you freeware? The simplest route would be something like Youtube's video editor. Can combine clips, add music, make some simple transitions, etc. However, and this is worth noting, your videos are then in Youtube's cloud. Depending on the content, you may/may not want to go that route lest you have yourself a nice iCloud escapade. They aren't published unless you want them to be published, but the point is that they no longer exist exclusively on your computer.

 

That was probably the most basic video editor. Next best solution for simple video editing would probably be to use Windows Movie Maker.  It actually used to come with XP.  I think they removed it in some versions of Win 7 and Win 8. The problem here is that you may need to either convert videos to another format first or download/install something like the Klite codec pack to use .MOV files in Movie Maker. Here's a link if you want a free copy of Movie Maker (you're on your own for codecs):

 

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-live/movie-maker

 

There are tons of other programs you could look at, but you're going to run into the complexity issues you mentioned. 

[losworld]

You could use something as simple as Quicktime Pro or move up a few notches to Adobe Premier but that may be too complicated.  Start with youtube see how you like it and then move up to quicktime pro.  Sony Vegas is another good program.

[Alex7420]

Thanks for these suggestions, guys. Will try these programs.

[yourmy]

I use Adobe Cloud for a small monthly fee. No need to buy, just rent as long as you need. Maybe an option for you as well?

[sfstudmuffin]

This may have been asked before......can anybody recommend a good video editing software that is easy to use?  Specifically when it comes to blurring faces.  I have Final Cut Pro but am finding it hard to use.

[Sexy Baldman]

I use Camstasia. I don;t find it difficult to use. I only use the basic functions...it could get complicated if I wanted to do some advanced stuff I guess.

[sfstudmuffin]

Thanks bro!

[The Mighty Boosh]

Final Cut Pro, sadly, is no longer useful. Adobe Premiere is the way to go — get a Creative Cloud license and then cancel when you are done ($19 per month).

[MrDK]

I generally use Adobe CS5, but that is far from simple.

When I need to quickly do what is outlined in OP I often use Microsoft Movie Maker which is free.

[Big G]

I have just started shooting video and i am using  CyberLink PowerDirector 13 Ultimate.

 

I find it very user friendly,most is drop and drag,watch some videos off it and you can download a free trial version.

 

Google it,has good reviews http://video-editing-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

 

Edited December 3, 2014 by Big G

[langbang]

proshow gold, or Windows movie maker

[Edge]

Aiseesoft Total Video Converter Platinum.

 

Available from PB.

[Chrimson12]

I'd go for Sony Vegas.

I shoot commercial stuff with European models and just use Vegas 16. I feel that the gap between Vegas and other more 'high spec' editors such as Premier has closed massively.

Vegas has a very quick learning curve (you could be using it in minutes / hours) for simple editing but grow with the product and get much of the same effects as premier in days (rather than weeks). There's  lots of you tube videos on how to do simple stuff (they tend to be shorter and to the point as well compared to premier vids and more suited for beginners).

Most importantly, Vegas can do what you need (blur out faces, or pan and zoom them out as I do in my work!). Here's the first video that I could find on youtube (which isn't bad, but I believe that you can fully pixelate via masks). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhY0BI6_yx8

As you progress, you can easily take the footage into something like Davinci for colour grading (if you want to go that far!)

If you have any more questions, just give me a shout

[Sexylord22]

I'm plus one on the Sony Vegas but it definitely needs some time to get used to it. 

It really depends on your needs... 

[Accelord]

Might not be the most easy but Adobe premier rocks, powerful and very well supported. Tons of guides and help online to get started also because so many use it.

[plahgat]

I used Pinnacle StudioHD for many years, but they stopped updating my old version, and I didn´t want to spend money buying a new one,

so I have now gone over to the free Videopad Video Editor instead that has many nice features and not too difficult to learn! 

https://www.nchsoftware.com/videopad/index.html

Plahgat

[Little Evil]

2 hours ago, Accelord said:

Might not be the most easy but Adobe premier rocks, powerful and very well supported. Tons of guides and help online to get started also because so many use it.

I have it and use it as well. It is indeed one of the better programs, but is overkill for the vast majority of people. I'd only really go there if you either make money from the editing/videos or like to tinker with pro level software. The good news is that they have an entry level product now called Premier Rush aimed at people just looking to publish amateur youtube videos. It is half the cost of the Pro version. 

[Mockingbird]

On 22/08/2014 at 02:57, Alex7420 said:

Can anyone recommend a simple and user-friendly video editing software for Windows?

 

My videos are in MOV format and I need to do some basic editing: trimming, deleting selected parts, merging, editing soundtrack. Tried some top-end software, but it is way too complicated to handle.

 

Thank you.

I use vsdc. It's free. The paid version has image stabilisation and hardware acceleration but the basic version is more than enough. Also, tons of resources on how tos and other stuff online, mostly on YouTube. 

[Clari]

I've tried various video editing software over the years and found that Movavi is a solid choice for the basics like trimming, deleting parts, merging, and soundtrack editing. It's straightforward to use, which was a big plus for me, as I often found myself getting lost in more complex programs. Movavi's interface is user-friendly, and it supports MOV files directly, which means you can start editing without the hassle of converting your videos to another format. I particularly liked the drag-and-drop feature for rearranging clips and the intuitive controls for adjusting audio levels.

For anyone needing a straightforward solution, I'd recommend checking out some options for video editing software for pc, with Movavi being a good starting point given its balance of simplicity and functionality.

Edited April 5 by Clari

[CaribbeanDelight]

The one that gets my vote is Davince Resolve. So much in the free version.

[Jake.houston]

CapCut is so easy and free.

[turen]

The two video editors I have used a bit are, Davinci Resolve and Open Shot Video Editor. There is a free version of Davinci Resolve which is quite adequate for video work. Open Shot is a free open source editor and is very good to work with and has a lot of features.