Film editing/audio creation ... best bet?

[digitalmatty]

HEYYYY guys.

Here is the question...idealy I would get the dual 2ghz powermac...but am wanting to save a few bucks for an external backup drive...my question is basically HOW capable is the 20" iMac for both film editing (quite intensive) and music composition (logic express styles). I've always edited on a PC, but am sick of Premiere...switching it over to some Final Cut action. I am a day-to-day mac user, and am familiar with the final cut workings...but didn't know how capable the imac is compared to the powermac...oh and also will be using some Motion goodness.

will the iMac cut it, or is the powermac worth the extra 400? (cad)

Thanks guys!

 

[Hoosier in LA]

RE: best bet

Are you planning on using a lot of effects/filters/etc that need rendering? If you are working with Motion, you'll likely be exporting lots of QTs, for use in FCP. Slow renders can impede your creative process. I've annoyed a few producers by telling them to wait while I render a Sapphire effect.....

Even the "slowest" Dual G5 is plenty fast for all things video. An iMac is not intended to serve as a video editing system. If you are serious about learning FCP, get something that will make it fun.

Bottom line: If you can't afford it, you can't afford it. Maybe consider a refurbished Dual 2. Whatever you do, make sure you have 1+ GB of RAM.

Good luck.

 

[digitalmatty]

thanks very much! I am really leaning towards the PM.

 

[Pie]

And remember...

and remember... there's no firewire 800 on an iMac

 

[jaduffy108]

HEYYYY guys.

Here is the question...idealy I would get the dual 2ghz powermac...but am wanting to save a few bucks for an external backup drive...my question is basically HOW capable is the 20" iMac for both film editing (quite intensive) and music composition (logic express styles). I've always edited on a PC, but am sick of Premiere...switching it over to some Final Cut action. I am a day-to-day mac user, and am familiar with the final cut workings...but didn't know how capable the imac is compared to the powermac...oh and also will be using some Motion goodness.

will the iMac cut it, or is the powermac worth the extra 400? (cad)

Thanks guys!

>>>as a former pro TV/film editor...get the PowerMac. A new dual core with a 7800gt would be a sweet machine. Must mention though...with Apple switching out of PPC relatively soon on the PowerMacs (and much sooner on iBooks, etc)...I would seriously think about getting a PC with Avid Xpress Pro. Go PowerMac in early 2007 (maybe sooner) with Intel's Conroe chip. FCP is very good, but Avid is still the Industry standard by a long shot. Building your own PC around an AMD X2 chip would save you enough money to get a Dell 24" monitor too(!) vs getting a new PowerMac. You could use After Effects (AE) in place of Motion..and AE is much more powerful than Motion. That said, hey... the FCP studio package *IS* very good. Having once been forced to cut using Premier in India on a project, I feel your pain regarding Premier...total crap.

good luck...

 

[digitalmatty]

>>>as a former pro TV/film editor...get the PowerMac. A new dual core with a 7800gt would be a sweet machine. Must mention though...with Apple switching out of PPC relatively soon on the PowerMacs (and much sooner on iBooks, etc)...I would seriously think about getting a PC with Avid Xpress Pro. Go PowerMac in early 2007 (maybe sooner) with Intel's Conroe chip. FCP is very good, but Avid is still the Industry standard by a long shot. Building your own PC around an AMD X2 chip would save you enough money to get a Dell 24" monitor too(!) vs getting a new PowerMac. You could use After Effects (AE) in place of Motion..and AE is much more powerful than Motion. That said, hey... the FCP studio package *IS* very good. Having once been forced to cut using Premier in India on a project, I feel your pain regarding Premier...total crap.

good luck...

hmmm, that sounds like solid advice as well....can you hit me up on ichat so we can talk a bit more about it? I am leaving work and will be home in 20-30...if you don't mind! I want to discuss AVID... digitalmatty is my ichat id...

thanks!

 

[portent]

If you choose to go Avid+PC, do so for its own merits (that is, cost and performance.) The Intel transition is months away on the pro end, and with millions of PowerPC systems in use (and no MacIntels at all, so far) PowerPC will be supported for years to come.

I would decide now whether I wanted to go with Mac+FCP+Motion or PC+Avid+AE. [SIZE=-2](Or Mac+FCP+AE, or Mac+Avid+AE...Avid Xpress and AfterEffects are available on the Mac as well.)[/SIZE] Changing your software is harder than changing your CPU architecture, and it doesn't make sense to invest in a platform or workflow that you don't intend to stick with.

 

[digitalmatty]

If you choose to go Avid+PC, do so for its own merits (that is, cost and performance.) The Intel transition is months away on the pro end, and with millions of PowerPC systems in use (and no MacIntels at all, so far) PowerPC will be supported for years to come.

I would decide now whether I wanted to go with Mac+FCP+Motion or PC+Avid+AE. [SIZE=-2](Or Mac+FCP+AE, or Mac+Avid+AE...Avid Xpress and AfterEffects are available on the Mac as well.)[/SIZE] Changing your software is harder than changing your CPU architecture, and it doesn't make sense to invest in a platform or workflow that you don't intend to stick with.

Thinking about it, I believe I would rather go mac + fcp + motion for now, and perhaps pick up after effects soonish...I know FCP is on the move in the industry and it won't hurt to be proficient in it

 

[mduser63]

Thinking about it, I believe I would rather go mac + fcp + motion for now, and perhaps pick up after effects soonish...I know FCP is on the move in the industry and it won't hurt to be proficient in it

There's no telling if it's true of course, but I've heard that Final Cut Pro is now the most widely used NLE, beating out Avid. It definitely can't hurt to learn it, and as someone who has used an Avid, I'd never choose it over FCP. Avid is still popular because it has a very few high-end features that FCP (currently) lacks, but even more than that, it's because it's been around a long time and people are used to using it. That's not the same as being actually better, and of course as a Mac user, you know that's using the "industry standard" is not always important or good.