ADOBE PREMIERE ELEMENTS 8

[Tomsde]

You'll have to bear with me as I get the hang of this forum.

[Tomsde]

How is PE 8 in handling files created by flash memory video cameras? I have several of these.

[Steve Grisetti]

If by flash memory cameras, you mean camcorders like the Flip, Webbie or similar under $200 HD cameras -- the video from those camcorders isn't really designed for editing. They're made to just shoot video and load it to YouTube. And most video editing apps (certainly Premiere Elements) has problems working with them.

That's why I always recommend using a program like Prism to convert the files to DV-AVIs before you bring them into Premiere Elements.

[Chuck Engels]

Welcome to Muvipix Tom

Did the camera come with software? That is usually the best place to start.
If nothing else it may give you the ability to convert the video to a format that other editors can work with.
In some cases Premiere Elements has no problems, but it depends on the format, your computer system, and what codecs you have installed, among other things.

[Tomsde]

I guess my main question deals with what PE project settings work best with these cameras if they don't excatly fit their templates.

I have 3 main video editing programs, some handle certain files better than others; I've just not done anything with PE much yet so don't know what to expect. I've created some decent little films with Sony Vegas and Pinnacle Studio with a variety of these file types.

[Steve Grisetti]

Hi, Tom. I think we're chasing this same subject down several different threads. But, as I've said, for working with Premiere Elements, your best working with a tape-based miniDV or HDV camcorder or hi-def AVCHD. Non-standard video -- like that from still cameras and from "webbie" style cameras, like the Flip -- generally don't work as well, and I don't recommend Premiere Elements for editing them unless you convert them first.

[Chuck Engels]

If you are already using Sony Vegas I would recommend sticking with it.
That is already an excellent program and in many ways works better with various formats.
We have a number of Vegas users here also.

[sbfowler]

Does Prel 8 have to render AVCHD footage? I used version 4 with mini-dv tape (and it worked fine) but then bought a Canon HF100 and went the Studio 12 route because that program could handle the AVCHD footage (1920X1080) and only render transitions, added effects, etc. I want to switch back to Prel 8 but I worry about having to render each clip I add to a project. Is there any improvement in this area?

Thanks.

[Chuck Engels]

Not much has changed at all with regard to the process over all Steve.
Premiere Elements still does not handle AVCHD natively so it still will need rendering for preview purposes.

Not all systems need to render to get a smooth preview, I don't usually have to.
But I know that working with AVCHD takes even more resources than HDV does.
But it may be that you don't really need to render, download the trial and do a little test project to see how it goes.

[JohnnyO]

Not much has changed at all with regard to the process over all Steve.
Premiere Elements still does not handle AVCHD natively so it still will need rendering for preview purposes.

I did notice this. I was definitly not surprised, but disappointed anyhow, in that is no support for AVCHD-Lite. which is the format my Panasonic DMC-ZS3 produces.

I want to say that I am very impressed with that format, whichis High Def. I have another editor which handles it, and the quality is much better than the DV-AVI format created with my miniDV camcorder. I only produce SD DVDs and have not tried it on a HD TV (for lack of having one).

I believe that PRE8 is a good version, but I cannot consider buying it because it does not support AVCHD-Lite.

I will take a lok again next year when PRE9 is released.

[Tomsde]

I had noticed audio drop outs on the time line. I'm veiwing Abobe Premiere Elements 7 Total Training with Jerron Smith, in it he said that this is common, but would not be present after the video is rendered. At first I thought it was my audio settings in my Preferences. Is this normal behaviour? If so, has the problem been resolved in PE 8?

[Chuck Engels]

The audio dropouts while playing the timeline are common and have been for every version.
They did get to be less often with my newest computer but they are still there and very annoying.

I don't recall a dropout in version 8, but I didn't test that as hard as previous versions.
That is something I will make a note of and be sure to test later, thanks.