I know this question might have been asked before, but here it goes:0
Final Cut Pro X or Adobe CS 5.5 Production Premium?
I don't own any type of editing software and I am looking into purchasing one. I personally want to buy production premium but have no real-set-in-stone reasons why, just gut feeling and the fact that it comes with photoshop. I would like flexibility and a more or less complete tool set. Any input on the matter is greatly appreciated.

Everyone who has used Final Cut likes it. FCPX had some issues
but is getting better - if you have never used Final Cut you won't
know the differences. Everyone who uses Premiere likes it. You
can search the forum to find discussions on this subject. On the
boards here you will get a pretty even answer - about half use
one and about half use the other.

Software is a tool. Both are excellent tools. You will get good at
and learn to like which ever tool you decide on. In a way it's great
that one is not better than the other. It's great to have two, excellent
tools to choose from. Wanna try Sony Vegas? People who use Vegas
really like that tool. So there are at least three great editing tools
for you to use. Any of the three will be excellent choices for you.

Sorry, that didn't help at all, did it?

I use Final Cut. I've been using it since 1999 and I love it. The reason
why is simply because I owned a Mac at the time and it was the first
NLE introduced by Apple - no other reason.

They're both pretty much the same software. Download trial versions, and check em out

Everyone who has used Final Cut likes it. FCPX had some issues
but is getting better - if you have never used Final Cut you won't
know the differences. Everyone who uses Premiere likes it. You
can search the forum to find discussions on this subject. On the
boards here you will get a pretty even answer - about half use
one and about half use the other.

Software is a tool. Both are excellent tools. You will get good at
and learn to like which ever tool you decide on. In a way it's great
that one is not better than the other. It's great to have two, excellent
tools to choose from. Wanna try Sony Vegas? People who use Vegas
really like that tool. So there are at least three great editing tools
for you to use. Any of the three will be excellent choices for you.

Sorry, that didn't help at all, did it?

I use Final Cut. I've been using it since 1999 and I love it. The reason
why is simply because I owned a Mac at the time and it was the first
NLE introduced by Apple - no other reason.

Excellent answer. And I'm a loyal user of Premiere.

I hate to add to a non-answer by giving you an even bigger non-answer, but it sounds to me like you're kind of new to editing? If that's the case, I actually recommend spending no more than $100 on your first piece of software. In that lower price-range, I personally think Sony Vegas is a really great choice.

If you are only going to edit video then I would recommend Final cut. IF you are going to need to do anything with photshop, after effects, or any of the other programs that come with Adobe Production Premium, I'd go for the package.

They're both pretty much the same software.

Did Apple end up adding all that missing stuff that angered all the FC 7.0 peeps when it changed to X?

Did Apple end up adding all that missing stuff that angered all the FC 7.0 peeps when it changed to X?

They're getting there.

While Final Cut Pro X has been vastly improved since it was released I still think Premiere has the edge… and the inclusion of Photoshop and After Effects makes Production Premium a much more versatile tool than FCPX on its own.

If you've never edited before, I'd suggest starting on something simple liek iMovie and see how you go from there. We all started somewhere, and jumping straight into an expensive piece of software can be a little 'cart-before-horse'.
Once you feel you're at a level to move up, download the trials of the two pieces of software and see what you like better. My personal feeling would be to look at why you're editing - do you want to be employed as an editor, or do you just want to edit your own stuff? If you want to be an employable editor, learn Avid. I'd suggest you maybe learn APP as well, but it's less essential than Avid. If you just want to edit your own stuff, then use whatever you feel the most comfortable with - whether that's FCP, Avid, APP, iMovie, Windows Movie Maker, or Corel VideoStudio.

I have used both Final Cut Pro and Production Premium.

I have to say I prefer the Production Premium suite (either CS4 or CS5 if your machine can handle it) because all the Adobe apps in that suite will integrate with each other. For example, make something in Photoshop Extended, put it into Première Pro and tweak things further in After Effects.)

They're both pretty much the same software.

Not even close. Final Cut Pro X is a non-linear editing software tool and Adobe Production Premium includes their NLE Adobe Premiere Pro, but also Encore DVD, After Effects, Photoshop, Audition, and more.

For the money, the Production Premium as so much software and utilities that nothing can compare with a single program. This isn't a "which is better, Final Cut or Premiere" because we're talking about a vast collection of industry programs like Photoshop as well, none of which are included in Final Cut Pro X by itself.

Thank you guys for your answers/non answers they are actually reasuring. I am really leaning towards premier but feared learning that since somewhere I heard nobody uses it. I was considering FCP only because it seems popular and is similar to imovie. Knowing that both tools are comparable helps me follow my gut and if it doesn't work out well then maybe in the future I can try the other one.

Thanks for all your input it really helps to know there is no entirely wrong answer. I have done editing in imovie and widows movie maker and I really want to take it up a knotch to where I can color correct and add special effects maybe, have more flexibility and precision. I will definately download the trial versions but I fear they will saturate my computer. Is that a possibility?

When it comes to software your first decision has to be "is this going to be my career?" If the answer is "Yes" you will need to become proficient in the softwares the big houses use, or at least have complete compatibility. As an audio geek I have to know Pro Tools, and as an business I must have Pro Tools - the clients expect it. I really like and use Digital Performer (especially the MIDI implementation) and Logic is also quite nice, although I'm less proficient with that - as you can tell I'm also a Mac user.

As and editor you will want to specialize in Final Cut, Avid or Adobe - and you'll have to be familiar with the other two.

If you want to be a director your choice of platform is less important. Get what's comfortable for you. The only other thing you need to worry about is stability and support. The stability is more about your box than about the software itself.

If you want to run either program in a somewhat efficient manner than you'd want at least 4gb of RAM.

Production Premium CS 6.0 is what I'd go with.

Well the production premium suite is almost a grand while FCPX is $300. If you get motion that's $50 more so a total of $350. I'd say that's a damn good deal considering what you're getting.

Adobe has an impressive arsenal of software I think but it's still a bit overpriced.

The thing is I can get production premium at student price which is like $450. That's why I am debating between these two. I think I've made my choice for production premium 5.5, I just felt like I was going the wrong way about it since I was basing my decision on gut more than specs. And I was more or less unsure of how smooth the production suite runs.

I think I am just over thinking things :lol:

Thank you so much for you answer Alcove it really helped clarify a few things. I would like to become a director. I am a bit unsure if my Mac will be able to handle it, since it is a few years old and doesn't have the highest processing speed but I figured I could maybe buy and external hard drive. I am not very knowledgable in the computer subject as you might be able to tell but I am working on it ;)

Again Thank You!! :)

As DirectoRik said, sotfware is the tool.

As an editor told me, "I am an editor. I can adopt to any editing software." Master one and move on to the next.

Very soon, I will be going to the HR of TV studios to look for an entry level job in the video editing department of a studio. I believe my experience in both Mac and PC platforms, Final Cut, Premiere, AVID, and Sony Vegas makes me available and adoptable to any platform a network uses. I even have some basic skills with Unix. The more you know, the easier it is to see the full picture of technique and adopt your skills.

Yeah for sure lol. $450 is a sweet deal for all the programs you get in that suite. You should be set.

Good luck!

Mod note: merged two threads asking the same question.

Best advice here is get the free trial versions.

yeah, get cs5.5 academic pricing and get cs6 for free! Confirm this with a call to adobe. Getting academic discount is very simple, and very supported by adobe.

Likely you will use mostly premiere for editing.. having AE will give you flexibility in the future.

I just applied for a job at a major TV network. They require experience with AVID and Final Cut Pro. There is no mention for experience with Adobe products.

Since I have experience with AVID, Final Cut, Premiere, and Vegas, I listed all of them and Mac and PC cross platform experience. I also said with my experience with all of these products, I can adopt to anything they have.

I though this would be useful to people here.