Best Photo/Video Software

[Terk-1]

What is the best software for photos & creating videos/dvd's from camcorders or using photos? There are so many different one's out there. Photoshop Elements & Premiere? Roxio Media Creator? Corel Paintshop? MS Digital Image Suite? Pinnacle?

 

[Master Mason]

What is the best software for photos & creating videos/dvd's from camcorders or using photos? There are so many different one's out there. Photoshop Elements & Premiere? Roxio Media Creator? Corel Paintshop? MS Digital Image Suite? Pinnacle?

This is like asking what is the best camera. There is no answer. People can tell you what they like, you can compare and contrast features, and you can point out obvious flaws.

But everyones needs, and ablities are different. So while one person might want and desire Photoshop, the next might be compleately overwhelmed by it.

 

[momshark]

My question exactly!! I just loggedon to ask the same thing. WOW! I hope some people can give us their preferences and tell why they like the program they have.

I was told to try to make a slideshow from stills in PowerPoint and add background music. Then burn it to a DVD and I could play it in my DVD player and show it on TV. Will this work?? Has anyone done it this way??
When I tried to add a still it came out way too big on the slideshow. And it will take a really long time to do 100 or so pics. Any suggestions?

Thanks for any help!!

 

[rtphokie]

What is the best software for photos & creating videos/dvd's from camcorders or using photos? There are so many different one's out there. Photoshop Elements & Premiere? Roxio Media Creator? Corel Paintshop? MS Digital Image Suite? Pinnacle?

The best or the easiest?

IMHO the best is Vegas Video by Sony. It doesn't have a learning curve though, it's got a learning cliff. It's just this side of a professional tool. It's also $400

For a more something a little more reasonable to learn and to buy yet still has a lot of flexibilitym checkoutProShow Gold by Photodex

 

[MarkBarbieri]

Assuming that you have a PC and not a Mac, I'd recommend Sony Vegas or Adobe Premiere. Both have consumer versions that are cheap and professional versions that are expensive.

They both have steep learning curves, but doing video reasonable well is hard. The only way to make them easy is to take away the ability from the user to do many things.

 

[momshark]

Thanks to both of you. I checked out the Pro Show Gold online and might try the free trial before deciding, knowing that I probably won't get many options with the trial.
I was also just at Costco and spotted Photoshop 5 (?) for $70. I'm not sure if it will do what I want or if I can even do what I want. KWIM??
There was also a Roxio 9 program. Don't know about that either.

Thanks so much for your advice.

Boy! That Vegas act is way too much for me to start out with. I'll start slower.

 

[jann1033]

i have photoshop elements 4 and 5, both will make a slide show with sound you can burn on a dvd/cd then play on your computer or tv with out having to have another program to run it...ie i made a slideshow for an older couple and all they had to do was put it in their dvd player and it started itself. it took me less than a day to edit all their photos( over 200 and most needed serious editing due to being underexposed) and make the slide show( my first so i'm sure the next will be faster)

i really like this series better than any other i tried and i downloaded any program i could find that had "freebies" as well as a number of other software programs i've accumulated over the yrs....it can be used as" auto" correction so you can use it as soon as you get it but you can eventually learn a lot of things( according to the missing manual book it has most of the full version photoshop tools, just not as easily located) so it grows with you...

plus it is a reasonable cost.

 

[Terk-1]

Thanks for everyone's input. I'm looking for a software that I can play around with the photos, but also be able to create a slideshow in a dvd, similar to BirdsofPreyDave's (which is a wonderful show by the way). I'd also like to be able to create things using photos, such as calendars, photo album's and dvd's to give to family & friends as gifts. I'm no expert, but am comfortable learning new softwares.

 

[jann1033]

Thanks for everyone's input. I'm looking for a software that I can play around with the photos, but also be able to create a slideshow in a dvd, similar to BirdsofPreyDave's (which is a wonderful show by the way). I'd also like to be able to create things using photos, such as calendars, photo album's and dvd's to give to family & friends as gifts. I'm no expert, but am comfortable learning new softwares.

:http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopelwin/
free download , right side of page, does all you said you wanted

 

[waltfan1957]

What is the best software for photos & creating videos/dvd's from camcorders or using photos? There are so many different one's out there. Photoshop Elements & Premiere? Roxio Media Creator? Corel Paintshop? MS Digital Image Suite? Pinnacle?

dont know if its available in the US but have a look at magix quite easy to use and great results

 

[wdwmom2]

:http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopelwin/
free download , right side of page, does all you said you wanted

Yep, that's the trial I just downloaded and I am having fun with it. I know very little about editing, but I just click buttons and do a trial and error type of thing. I will probably end up purchasing it .

 

[wdwmom2]

Here is an example of the first pic that I played with (Photoshop 5.0)...

The origional

This one is cropped, ducks removed, men at the fence near the mill removed. Not a great job, but my first experience with doing more than just cropping.

 

[Terk-1]

How is Microsoft Digital Media Edition? Got a free sample and it looks pretty easy to create a pictorial slideshow with effects and music.

 

[allyn]

i have two suggestions for software.

1. if you have a lot of time and want to do all of the work yourself and really get into it, look at sony vegas movie studio. most of the power of the full vegas software but at a fraction of the price ($100).

2. if you don't have much time and are ok with a program that does most of the work for you, look at muvee autoproducer. it takes all of your video and spits out a short, pretty watchable version. about $100.

both have free trial downloads.