FCP vs. Avid

[BoomDrive]

I'll preface this new topic by thanking those who've taken a few minutes to answer questions in my previous topics about HVX-200 and PMW-EX1 and so forth.

That said, I'm trying to figure out which NLE suits me best. I think I've decided to go with PMW-EX1, which means I'll be using SxS cards. I've heard good things about Final Cut Pro. I've heard Avid is falling apart.

Does one work better with SxS than the other? Are there specific versions I should consider? I'm pretty excited about the camera choice, I just don't want to drop a pretty penny on an editing system that won't take full advantage of the EX1.

Thank you in advance for the guidance.


Please note: I am not interested in reading a thread stuffed with irrelevant "Why PC is better than Mac" vs. "Why Mac is better than PC" responses. I deleted the old thread because I was frustrated with how quickly the topic derailed. I don't care what your platform preference is. I'm simply looking for an NLE that will work well with Sony's camera and SxS cards.

 

[Tom Servo]

if you don't need to have a tapeless newsroom setup (central video server) then FCP is far superior as an editor to Avid. I'm on FCP now, was on Newscutter at my last shop. Avid has a lot of clunky stuff that feels very, very old - interface issues that even Premiere 6.5 had already improved on, yet Avid is still mired in them.

I'm faster at editing on FCP than I've ever been on any other system.

 

[AlexLucas]

FCP. Go with that.

You can adjust the framing in the preview screen with a mouse, and it is more straightforward. Also, fixing things is a lot faster, with less renders, because the integration is better.
FCP is more integrated towards modern times. Avid has a lot of legacy ideas and techniques in it, so it is a lot more disjointed. It's not Avid's fault. It has a larger user base, but the truth is that they can't give up the old techniques without alienating the old timers.

Also, FCStudio2 comes with Color (wicked), Compressor (useful for any format conversion), LiveType, DVD tools, and Motion.

Still, the most important is that it is all Apple. That means less crashing and confusion about hardware, no driver issues, no memory issues, no drive issues, and that's a good thing for pro apps because time is money.

Get the MacPro or the Macbook Pro, depending entirely on travel. You can't go wrong.