Microsoft Windows XP 32bit users rejoice! An affordable video editing solution for Canon HD DSLR workflows arrived for non-Apple MacOSx fans. My search for native video editing software for the proprietary Apple Quicktime H264 format without all that time consuming transcoding came to an end. For under $100 after rebate on Amazon, Adobe Premiere Elements 9 bundled with Adobe Photoshop Elements 9 is a great value for people who have not upgraded their computers to Windows 7.
The more expensive Adobe CS5 Premiere Pro debuted in July 2010 touting native H264 video editing for Canon DSLR's. That is great and wonderful news for Windows Operating Systems but is almost two and a half years behind the HDSLR video editing curve. The Canon EOS 5D Mark II arrived in November 2008 with only Apple computers to harness the creative and powerful potential of this affordable cinematic tool. I discovered another monetary and physical obstacle for potential Adobe CS5 Premiere Pro users, the Windows 7 64bit operating system and hardware requirements. In a nutshell, Adobe CS5 Premiere Pro rejects Windows XP 32bit operating systems and hardware. It will not even attempt to install the program on your XP 32bit or 64bit machine. Nothing, Nada, Zero !
Do not misunderstand me for one second, I am a big fan of Apple MacOSx, Final Cut Pro and especially iMovie'09 and iMovie'11. I am also not blind to the fact that we live in a Microsoft Windows world with a captive audience hungry for an economical solution for Canon HD video editing.
I installed Adobe Premiere Elements 9 on my Windows XP 32bit machine with a Intel Core 2 Duo processor with no problems. The editing interface of the Adobe Premiere Elements 9 is intuitive when you choose the timeline mode with separate video and audio channels. The ease of use stops at that point. Apple iMovie'09 and iMovie'11 is a better and easier program to jump into for first time video editors. In Adobe Premiere Elements 9, my basic needs were importing Canon video footage, inserting video with audio and most importantly exporting the finished timeline to a h264 .MOV format. I accomplished these tasks with above average ease except exporting a Apple Quicktime h264 .MOV video file.
With hair pulling difficulty, you have to "share" to export your timeline and choose the Quicktime export to your computer. Then you have to make a custom preset to export your timeline with exacting specifications like in the picture above to get a proper H264 video file. What a headache, right? I think Adobe caved in to Steve Jobs when the entire DSLR video world asked for a iMovie'09 and iMovie'11 Windows equivalent. Of course, submission to Apple means make Adobe Premiere Elements 9 less intuitive to Apple H264 users. Difficult? Yes. Impossible? No.
In conclusion to my Adobe Premiere Elements 9 review, the video editing program for Canon HD video shines for under $100 after rebate. My Canon EOS Rebel T2i Video Test using the Adobe Premiere Elements 9 video editing interface proved easy to manipulate the footage but difficult to export a Apple H264 video file. Hey, beggars cannot be choosers when it comes to sub $100 video editing programs, right? What other choice do Canon DSLR users have? Windows Movie Maker? I would choose Adobe Premiere Elements 9 any day over Windows Movie Maker, by far. I shot the Youtube video with a Canon EOS Rebel T2i paired with the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens in Fort De Soto Beach Park.
One last note, today marks the one year anniversary of ChadSorianoPhotoBlog. I cannot believe it has been a whole year of photoblogging about Canon gear. Well, I look forward to 2011 with a large embrace. Thanks to everyone for their support and encouragement!
Felicidades! espectacular blog! un saludo desde españa!
ReplyDeleteGracias! Espero que mi blog te ayuda con sus actividades. Por favor, convertido en un ventilador en mi página de Facebook del ventilador y me siguen en Twitter!
ReplyDeleteI may have to give Premiere a try.
ReplyDeletethanks for posting this, keep up the good work.
i don't understand :( do i really have to have a program like this to have a video quality like yours? i already bought my canon 60D and i thought it didn't need any of this kind of software :( please help! Thank you very much!
ReplyDeletejohn,
ReplyDeleteThe Apple Quicktime h264 video format that Canon chose to implement in their Canon HD DSLR's is known for its high quality and compressed size. Unfortunately, there is only a handful of native non linear editing software that can handle this format with ease and quality. The least expensive Windows editing software that is native to the Canon video format is the Adobe Premiere Elements 9. If you choose a non native software, you will have to convert/transcode the h264 video files into something else like AVI. That process is time consuming and you will have generation loss in video quality.
Mr. Chad,
ReplyDeleteIn other words, i need to have Adobe Premiere Elements 9 in order to get the video quality like yours? If i upload a video into Adobe Premiere Elements 9, and convert the video into something else, that will make video to the quality i want. is that what you are saying? Thank you so much for your time and help.
John,
ReplyDeleteUnless you already have a Intel based Mac computer with the built in and free iMovie'09 or iMovie'11 to edit Canon video, you will have to purchase a compatible editing software like Adobe Premiere Elements 9. You need editing software to put your video clips together and to export your finished timeline.
You can download a free trial of Adobe Premiere Elements 9 from their website to try it on your own computer.
Thank you very much!!!! I will download the APE9 and try it out. I have one more question sir, I'm getting the new iPad2 and they say it comes with the iMovie. I'm not sure if this is the same like the iMovie'09 and iMovie'11 you are talking about. Do you know anything about it, sir? Thank you!
ReplyDeleteJohn,
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I get my own iPad 2 with the iMovie App, I will do a video test and post it on my PhotoBlog.
Thank you so much for your help and patience to me. I just want to be as good as you :D
ReplyDeleteI just got my hand on my Canon 60D and I am looking for softwares with the same output quality of APE9. I am having a hardtime with Adobe Premiere CS4 because of "stuttering-like" editing that is annoying me. And also, I am loosing the quality of the video (HD) to somewhat a bit snowy output.
ReplyDeleteThank you for you time sir.
I had the same problem with my own copy of Adobe Premiere CS4. PP CS4 is not native to H264 Canon video unlike PP CS5 and APE9. You could buy the $99 Neoscene Plugin by Cineform to transcode your h264 files into a proprietary Neoscene codec to play and edit smoothly in CS4. I did the next best thing and spent $100 on APE9 instead. Adobe finally made CS5 native to Canon H264 video but at steep price point.
ReplyDeleteYou tips and tricks are very smart as to me. I can use it in my daily work. And I desire to add one good editing software for MAC users https://macphun.com/creativekit, which I found recently by recommend to my friends
ReplyDeleteWoah, so cozy workspace you set up Chad, I want to say) and you looks like a really Premiere guru, according to what I see in your blog! But I just don't know, Premiere is too unclear to me... I feel more convenient of using Windows Live Movie Maker free download https://yepdownload.com/windows-live-movie-maker I know what you think about this for sure, but really, it's so simple and customizable editor so I barely can imagine to use a different one! But should I to give a try to Premiere instead? Think I shouldn't for now, but may there be some pros anyway?
ReplyDelete