I am going to try and make a few mini bike vids on my camera, I could do with some software to edit them together. I don’t want anything fancy just something simple that doesn’t need too much memory to run.

The camera is a Panasonic GF2 it can apparently record in full HD and records in either MJPEG or AVCHD. I know from past experience that the AVCHD is difficult to find a program that is compatible for watching.

The software must be free because I have no idea if I will enjoy the process or be any good at it, if i do/am then i will consider buying something better in the future.

Thanks

I assume you’ve tried Windows Movie Maker?

http://www.lightworksbeta.com A professional level video editor for free on Windows and on it’s way to Mac and Linux.

Windows Movie Maker probs the best option for someone with little experience.

I havnt tried anything, never even heard of Windows Movie Maker. I’m off to the Peak tomorrow and hope to get a few small vids of people riding quite poorly and edit them together.

Thanks guys.

Get a trial of Premiere CS5 and try that out. AVCHD is an editing format which is why it won’t play back very nicely. MJPEG isn’t really a format made for watching either. Saying that VLC or Media Player Classic should play either, just might be stuttery.

Windows Movie Maker is probably already installed on your system. If not simple download. All the others will do you a trial version although some of the edited movies will be watermarked.

Be interested to see results from a GF2 as my daughter has one.

Latest version of WMM is horrible for editing in compared to a proper bit of software. Unless I’ve just missed where you can choose to edit in a normal timeline style.

Strangely WMM doesn’t seem to be recognising my videos despite me being able to play them in different programs.

Downloading Lightworks now.

Getting pissed off now, I cant seem to get it to work.

AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Not sure about the Windows 7 ‘Movie Maker Live’, but any older versions of WMM will need your files converting to .wmv or .avi before it will recognise them.

If you’re tied to Windows download the 30 day trial of Sony Vegas and try that – should import your files directly and is fairly easy to use (with pretty good built-in tutorials).

slainte ➡ rob

I_Ache – Member
Strangely WMM doesn’t seem to be recognising my videos despite me being able to play them in different programs.

Have you installed DivX? I had the same problem with both WMM and Roxio Movie Maker until I uninstalled DivX.

Not sure about the Windows 7 ‘Movie Maker Live’, but any older versions of WMM will need your files converting to .wmv or .avi before it will recognise them.

And how do I do that?

Have you installed DivX?

I can’t see it on here.

I guess it’s not much help but iMovie on the mac will work with files from my GF1 fine. AVCHD is a bit of a pain though tbh.

Now you’re getting it. Video editing on Windows is a nightmare.

To convert your files to the correct formats fro wmm use WinFF – very basic simple converter. Some quality lose with any conversion but hey…

DivX is a set of codecs (coders and decoders) that enable wmm and WMp to play other formats. Try DivX first.

Or spend some money!

No grum no help at all, 😉 I have had two mac fanboys telling me that this morning at work. One thinks I should spend £2K on an iMac just so I can edit some crappy MTB vids. I have better things to spend £2K on.

Thanks robbo I will give that a go. As for spending money, I may well do at some point but it seems daft to buy some good software when I don’t know if I will use it. The free stuff will give me a taste for editing.

I have also found some instructional vids for lightworks so I will see how they go.

Sony Vegas and try that – should import your files directly and is fairly easy to use

I’m trying to edit my first video in Vegas 9 at the moment. I’ve only ever used Windows Movie Maker in the past and Vegas seems waaaaaaay more complicated to me. Lots of interesting “pro” features but the basics of selecting a few clips and sticking them together with suitable transitions and synched music seem quite clunky to me.