Corel VideoStudio Pro X4 Review

"How can I easily get the video off my camcorder, into the computer and produce a professional looking DVD? It’s so hard!"


Are you getting started with digital video and asking the exact same question?

You’ve seen how others create beautiful home videos all stored on gorgeous DVDs (with fancy DVD menus and all that) – so it can’t be that difficult can it?

Well, if there’s a company that knows how to capture and edit digital video, it’s Corel Corporation. Some of you might know Corel – they are a leading provider of software for digital media creation, DVD authoring, photo and video editing.

Over the years, their software products have consistently garnered awards from places like CNET.com and PC Magazine.

One of Corel’s flagship video editing products, Corel VideoStudio Pro X4, is targeted at the beginner and intermediate level digital video enthusiast.

With this software, you will be able to grab photos or video from any source, throw in great special effects and produce a great looking DVD for sharing with friends and family. It has a very simple to use, point-and-click interface so you don’t have to trudge through a thick manual to get something simple done.


1. What Can You Achieve With Corel VideoStudio Pro X4?

Well, the simple answer is: A LOT. You can do a lot with Corel VideoStudio Pro X4 and bring your digital video projects to the next level.


Grab photos and video from anywhere
First off, you know how difficult it is to capture video off your camcorder and get it into your PC? With VideoStudio Pro X4, this is easy. With a simple user interface, you can grab photos and video from anywhere - TV, camcorders and cameras with great ease.
 

Capture video from all the video sources you can think of

Edit your movie easily with cool special effects
And you know those cool special effects you see in your friends’ home videos? How did they do that? Well, with VideoStudio Pro you can do all that and more. You can easily add titles, music and other special effects to your video.
 

Video editing is easy and fun with VideoStudio Pro X4
 

With special built-in wizards, the program guides you through the video editing process – so that you can create a professional looking digital video – even if you never done it before.

Easily create movie and slideshow discs
And you know what’s the other thing that’s really cool about VideoStudio Pro X4? Well, it’s the ability to easily create discs to share with family and friends. Very often, I find that folks don't know how to do ‘DVD authoring’ – it remains one of THE most common questions on my website.

Well, with VideoStudio Pro X4, you no longer have this problem – the package includes a simple to use DVD authoring suite that allows you to produce professional-looking DVDs very quickly. There are attractive theme templates and a nice wizard that help you create the very movie or photo slide show you want.

There are loads of attractive DVD menu templates in VideoStudio Pro X4

 

2. What Do You Get In The Package?

Corel has been very generous in the stuff it includes in the VideoStudio Pro package. The amount of digital video capability you get in the software is easily worth twice the selling price or more.

Here are just some of the things you get with the package:

• Stop Motion Animation – create your own animated movie starring people, toys or objects
• Flexible Workspace – drag to resize and move panels, even across two monitors
• Time-Lapse Effect – easily and quickly create time-lapse sequences from photos or videos
• Advanced Editing – have fun making movies with quick access to professional editing tools
• Export in 3D – turn your 2D video into a 3D movie
• Easy HD Sharing – author and burn HD movies directly to DVD and Blu-ray Disc™
• Online Sharing – upload movies directly to YouTube™, Vimeo®, Flickr®, Facebook® and other websites
   

3. Movie Making Made Easy

Does making a digital movie have to be hard? Nope! With VideoStudio Pro X4 it’s all easy. With the vibrant videos easier with the flexible user interface, clearly defined icons and guided workflow, you can create one in minutes, not hours.

The video editing screen in Corel VideoStudio Pro X4
 

You can also select from attractive theme templates and let in-built The Movie Wizard create a professional-looking movie or photo slide show. You can also cut the final digital video to a DVD using the DV-to-DVD Wizard – simply hook up your camcorder and in two steps you have a finished DVD. No kidding.


4. Professional-looking Results

With professionally-designed theme templates and DVD menus in VideoStudio Pro, you’re not going to come up with boring, plain old DVDs. You get professional level stuff.

And if you don’t like the in-built effects, feel free to personalize your projects with easy-to-use creative options, adding titles, transitions and music tracks. You’ll not run of ideas because there are literally 100's of effects filters and content like overlay frames, objects and Flash animations to play around with.

Frankly, I sat there and played with my version of VideoStudio Pro for HOURS, just tinkering with the special effects – it’s that good.


Oh, I really need to tell you about this one. You know those vacation routes you see in videos which get traced on a map? Now you can do that, to show that you went from, say, San Francisco to Hawaii.

You can do this because VideoStudio Pro allows you to do paint, draw, or even write freehand on your digital video!




5. Share Your Video On YouTube Or DVD

And if you want in on the ‘web video’ revolution, VideoStudio ensures you’re no left out. In VideoStudio Pro, you can cut your movie and upload directly it to YouTube. Cool stuff and a great way to share your videos with others..
 

Sharing on YouTube or burning a traditional DVD - you decide.

If you prefer the traditional DVD format, you can simply choose to create stunning animated Hollywood-style menus. They are all in-built and for you to point and click. If you prefer, you can even send movies by email or share them on mobile devices.


6. Works With Cameras, Camcorders And Cell Phones

Some video editing packages don’t work with certain video sources. For example, I know of packages which don’t work with cell phones or digital cameras. VideoStudio Pro works with the whole gamut of devices out there. We’re talking about the ability to import photos and video from digital camcorders, the internet, TV, digital cameras and cell phones. Everything.


7. Really Easy To Use

You know, some folks I know get scared off by the ‘complexity’ of video editing packages. Some fear the video editing process so much that they ‘leave out’ video editing and keep the videos (unedited) in their camcorder! Or others ‘outsource’ the video editing to third parties.
 

The flexible user interface allows you to start editing in a matter of minutes

Let me tell you, don’t be afraid to use the video editing package. It’s loads of fun! VideoStudio Pro has a flexible user interface, clearly defined icons and guided workflows. Produce professional-looking movies or photo slide shows with the Movie Wizard. Burn video straight to disc with the DV-to-DVD Wizard - hook up your camcorder and in two steps you have a finished DVD. Two steps! Nothing could be simpler to use.


8. Powerful Creative Tools - If You Want To Experiment

If you’re a bit more in-depth in your knowledge of video editing, don’t think that VideoStudio Pro doesn’t allow you to ‘grow’ and experiment with advanced features.

There are powerful tools like sophisticated picture-in-picture and montage effects with transitions on overlay tracks, and audio/video cross-fades. You can also create animated titles and add color backgrounds. Plus there’s solid support for Dolby Digital® 5.1 Surround Sound audio.

And what about creative tools? Lots of them! You can paint, draw, or write freehand on video with the new Painting Creator. Make photo slide shows come to life with Auto Pan & Zoom. You know those ‘blue screen’ backgrounds you use in your video to overlay a background? Use the Chroma Key tools to replace those backgrounds.

Gosh, I could just go on and on about all the neat stuff in there. Sophisticated DVD menus with unique disc menu transitions, 100s of effects filters, and the ability to make your video look like old film with NewBlue® Film Effects filters (in the Pro X4 edition). See the old film effect on the right? That's what we're talking about!

9. End-to-end HD Support

There’s one more thing to say – and that’s concerning High Definition (HD). As you might know, HD video is now all the rage. Want to watch your home movie on a large flat panel TV? You’d better film it in HD to avoid a ‘poor quality’ look.

The good thing about VideoStudio Pro is that you can import video in leading HD formats, including HDV™, AVCHD and Blu-ray Disc®.
 

Editing HD video takes up TONS of computing power. And I mean TONS. If you have a powerful new PC, you’ll want to make full use of it by utilizing the dual-core and quad-core CPU capabilities in your machine. VideoStudio Pro provides native support for these CPUs so that editing HD content is fast and not agonizingly slow.
 

And if you want to produce a shining new Blu-ray disc instead of a DVD, VideoStudio Pro can do that too! I really find it amazing how Corel can roll out Blu-ray support so quickly – it just shows the amount of research that these companies pump into their products.
 

10. The Shortcomings?

Well, there aren’t much that I can think of. VideoStudio Pro is an excellent video editing package – perhaps the only shortcoming is the fact that it lacks the overall video editing power that a competitor package like Adobe Premiere Elements has.

However, you should remember that Adobe Premiere Elements is a touch more complicated for new users to get to grips with. What VideoStudio Pro lacks in in-depth video editing power, it makes up for in its supreme ease-of-use.

11. It's An Award Winner!

Ok, I know I’ve been ranting and raving about Corel VideoStudio Pro for quite a bit. And saying how good it is and all that.

But you know what? The truth is, the product is really very good. Corel took over this company called Ulead (which I’ve been an ardent fan of), took one of its flagship products (Ulead VideoStudio 11) and improved it to become Corel VideoStudio Pro X4.

They obviously have done something right, because Corel VideoStudio Pro X4 has garnered awards from CNET Download.com and PC Magazine.


Here’s what CNET (5 out of 5 rating) says:

"We like the new paint feature which lets you draw or write freehand on your videos making it easy to add thought balloons or draw your travel route on a map..."


And here’s what PC Magazine (4 out of 5 rating) says:

"This is a very good consumer-level video editor, and it's an especially fine choice for users with less-powerful PCs who want to edit HD video."




 

Conclusion

I think Corel VideoStudio Pro X4 is really a very good choice for beginner digital video enthusiasts who want simple-to-use features in their software but yet want the option to ‘grow’ into the product and try out advanced level stuff.

Some video editing software packages are too simple and don’t offer any creativity tools. Others are insanely complex and hard to learn. I think Corel VideoStudio Pro X4 has hit just the right balance between ease-of-use and complexity of its functions.

If you’ve just started out in digital video or are an intermediate level user, Corel VideoStudio Pro is hard to beat as a all round video editing tool.

You can find out more about Corel VideoStudio Pro X4 here.

Which Is The Best Video Editing Program?

Video editing programs are software which can be installed on computers to retouch the videos that have been recorded to make them polished and appealing for your viewers.
These programs are capable of editing video clips or full length videos from camcorders, digital cameras and even mobile phones, which are capable of recording video.
So which is the best video editing program? In my experience, a good video editing program should give a very intuitive and elegant user interface and allow you to accomplish editing tasks very quickly. However, they are also complex enough to let you experiment with advanced video effects if you so choose.
Let's take a more in-depth look at a list of 10 contenders for best video editing program. These are the tools I keep turning to as part of my video editing hobby.

1. Corel Video Studio Pro
One of my perennial favorites, Corel Video Studio Pro is one of the best among all the available video editing programs. With a very simple user interface, the software is capable of completing some complex video editing tasks with ease.
There are also a number of editing tools which are built-in and accessible via a feature called the "Movie Wizard". This wizard allows the users to very quickly put together a video which can be as long as full length movies.

The Corel VideoStudio video editing software
 

The best part of the Corel VideoStudio is that the output can be saved in a number of formats which allows the viewers to watch the video on computers, TV or even video players for mobiles.
In addition, there are some other additional options like adding movie titles, seamless integration of music as well as creation of simple slide shows.
A great package that can be used by both novice and professional editors with ease. Check out my Corel VideoStudio review here.

2. Movavi I recently came across Movavi, an amazing piece of software. This is an all-in-one package of powerful yet easy-to-use tools for any video processing needs: edit, enhance, convert, burn Blu-ray Disc & DVD.

For starters, you can transfer video and audio between more than 170 media formats, including DVD and HD. You can also save video to than 180 portable devices, including the Apple iPod, iPad, iPhone, Sony PSP™, Zune, BlackBerry, etc.

The Movavi video editing suite
 

You can easily create your video masterpiece using a customizable timeline and powerful collection of video editing tools: split, crop, join, rotate, and more. You can also enhance the video with built-in special effects.

Capture video into your PC? No problem. Movavi allows you to capture video straight from DV cameras and or TV-tuners. Save MPEG-2 TS and AVCHD video from camcorders to PC. Now you have a way to revive your old movie collection and family videos stored on VHS cassettes.
As for sharing that video of yours, Movavi allows you to quickly burn CD, DVD or Blu-ray media with video, music and data.
I love Movavi and I'm sure you will too. Check it out here.

3. Cybelink PowerDirector
Cyberlink PowerDirector is also a contender for best video editing program. What makes this program unique is its concept of "import and capture". There is a standard set of tools present in the programs which allows you to import an existing video that is already present on your computer's hard drive or you can capture a video from portable camera for video recording.

Cyberlink PowerDirector video editing software
 

You can also capture a video straight from a DVD - a feature available only in high-end video editing programs. Editing is as simple as it gets - you can tinker with a large number of effects which can be personalized. Want to trim or split a video? That again is a breeze. On the whole, a simple, extremely user friendly and value-for-money editing suite.
4. Adobe Premiere Elements Third in the cue is Adobe Premier Elements and a hot favorite. Besides the fact that it is from a very trusted name in media software (i.e. Adobe), Premiere Elements is capable of a whole host of features.

Adobe Premiere Elements video editing software
 

Uploading a video to the Web or burning a home movie on a DVD can be done with simple commands. The program boasts one-touch transfer which allows you to capture the video output quickly from a DV camcorder. You can also edit photos, narrate audios and create DVD menus. Provided your computer has the minimum system requirements, Premiere Elements is a lot of fun to use and comes highly recommended.

5. Pinnacle Studio Beginner or intermediate level user in video editing? Then you are going to love Pinnacle Studio. There are formats specified for different skill sets and all that you need to do is to choose the one that suits you. This is nowhere close of being an industrial software but the program is definitely good for home users with lovely features and tools for special effects, panning and zooming resolution and much more. The usage of this software is so simple and self-explanatory that you may never want to shift to other programs when you get used to it!

6. Easy Media Creator
Roxio Easy Media Creator is a video editing program that is fast and easy to use. Creating backups and burning them on CD, DVD and Blu-Rayis simple - you can even schedule the burning process!
Easy Media Creator allows you to create soundtracks and playlists for your video. Analog formats can also be converted to digital formats within the software. I'll admit that Easy Media Creator is not as high quality as Corel VideoStudio, Adobe Premiere Elements or Movavi, but the program toolset is certainly still impressive enough. Which is why it makes it to my list of the top 10 nominees for best video editing program.

7. Corel DVD MovieFactory If you need to share video files quickly with others with minimal editing, you are going to love Corel DVD MovieFactory.
MovieFactory focuses on creating a CD, DVD and Blu-Ray disc containing your video production as quickly as possible. There are built-in templates which can be customized - you can spend hours playing with these. You can use the timeline and storyboard to gain control of the video editing process. There's even a nice option to create music videos.
This is a beginners' level video editing program and is a whole lot of fun to use. At intermediate or expert levels, the program is does not really make the cut.

8. Arcsoft The Arcsoft program has a simple appearance but is loaded with features. Hook up your camcorder to the computer to quickly start the video editing process. The program can then run a pre-check your imported video can highlight unwanted scenes to be automatically detected.
Drag and drop the imported clips into the storyboard for better control and visualization. Videos can then be split into smaller clips, audio can be embedded into scenes, while specific themes can be added to the videos. You can also create beautiful slideshows.

9. Sony Vegas Studio Premium
Sony Vegas Studio Premium is a great all-round video editing package that it takes into account the expertise of the user. Whether you are a newbie or professional video editor, the software has the feature set to support you.
What Sony Vegas Studio Premium does is that it recreates a video editing studio right in the comfort of your own home. You can conveniently makes DVD or Blu-ray copies of the videos you produced. Now you can preserve your beautifully shot HD videos into media and distribute them easily to friends and family.

10. Movieplus
If you're a newbie to video editing, Movieplus is well suited to your needs. The software follows a guided, step-by-step process to allow you to create your first video production.
The storyboard allows arranging and sequencing of your clips so that you can easily include the nice scenes and remove the unwanted ones.
Special effects, zooming and trimming are very well implemented and they allow you to transform an otherwise boring video into a professional production complete with solid, crisp effects.
Don't have time to wade through something like Adobe Premiere Pro to create a nice home video? Well, go for Movieplus because it is great for creating super videos with ease and without any professional knowledge.

Conclusion Whether you're a hobbyist shooting a home video, or a professional planning a formal video production, you absolutely need a robust video editing package.
The above 10 video editing programs are the best of the best and will help you preserve memories and produce cutting-edge, beautiful looking videos that you can keep for generations to come. Check out these programs, learn and experiment with them and make your videos better.
P.S. If you asked me to choose, my favorites out of the ten would be Corel VideoStudio, Adobe Premiere Elements, CyberLink PowerDirector and Movavi. You have to experiment to see which one suits you - but based on my experience those four are the ones I usually turn to.