Video Review of Avid Studio For The iPad
Yesterday Avid released a new video editing app for the iPad, called Avid Studio for iPad. It’s meant as a direct competitor for Apple’s own iMovie. And in the short amount of time I’ve been able to use it, I’d say Avid Studio is already the winner in this competition.
All video editing software titles, whether they be desktop or mobile apps, pretty much do the same thing. But in the Avid Studio vs. iMovie competition, Avid has a couple of weapons that Apple can’t touch.
First, with Avid Studio for iPad, you have access to all of the media on your iPad. That means for example if you download videos, movies or TV shows from iTunes, you can access and edit those files in Avid Studio. With iMovie that’s not the case…you’re limited to what the camera captures or what is imported via the camera connection kit.
And second, Avid Studio for iPad allows you to export your projects and then open them up in Avid Studio for PC. That means for example you can do some quick, on the go, mobile editing of your videos on the iPad and then export your projects to iTunes or iCloud. You can then access those projects using Avid Studio on your PC to continue on with more power-hungry editing. Again, Apple offers nothing of the sort.
Is there anything wrong with Avid Studio for iPad? Not really. The app has crashed on me a couple of times while using it (but mobile Safari does that as well). And there are a few bugs here and there. But that’s common for brand new apps.
There is one thing I wish Avid would do though; make a Mac version of Avid Studio! They’ve got the Windows and iPad markets covered. So why not close the loop with a Mac version too? I’m certain it would be an instant hit.
To learn more about Avid Studio for iPad (currently just $4.99) look for it in the app store or click here.
* Note to anyone who will be using this app. Don’t expect great performance if you have an iPad 1. Video editing (and all resource intensive apps) need an iPad 2.
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Great overview. Two things Avid says works that I have not been able to get working are 1) IPAD 1… That’s a big one since I grabbed it because they said it was supported. And 2) Importing media via the Camera Kit. When I plug it in the app asked to rebuild the library but nothing is imported.
@Pete – What type of video are you importing (AVCHD, iPhone, etc.)? Can you play the video on your iPad outside of Avid Studio?
If you can’t play the video on your iPad at all, the video is in a format not supported by the iPad. If you can but it doesn’t display in Avid Studio, my guess is it’s in a format not supported by Avid Studio.
Editing video on an iPad 1 is asking quite a bit though. My guess is that technically the software runs on an iPad 1 but it’s not that great of an idea to do it…and that Avid should have specified that an iPad 2 (and soon higher) is recommended.
Did some digging. I think there are 2 things going on. First. I agree that this is an IPAD 2 or 3 app. I’ll get there and I already bough the app so I can’t complain.
Second is just weirdness of the camera connect. I had 2 files. 1 MP4 and 1 MOV. Don’t know what I recorded the MP4 with but the MOV was an iPhone 4.
Nothing was working until I found a post that said to create a DCIM folder and put the files in that. I did and magically it half worked. IPAD saw the connecter, opened the folder but only showed the MP4….
This has nothing to do with the Avid app so I won’t boar you any further. Safe to say the Camera Kits is a bit temperamental.
Thanks!
excellent product review, nice and clear on how to use and the features, might be just the program for making quick videos, thank you Dave
Thanks Dave for a great review and tutorial. This looks like a premier video editing app that everyone will want.
Hi Dave,
have discovered – and right away bought – this app today and there you are already with a review!!
While I haven’t had the time yet to try the Avid app you have reassured me that I made a good purchase (gotta love that!!). And the price is nice, too.
As usual your review is also a brief tutorial, to the point and factual. Am very fond of them.
Thanks Dave!!
Detlev
(Germany)
You said you edited footage from a canon DSLR, but then say that it only will edit videos that the iPad will play. On my experience, I can transfer footage from my t2i or t3i to my iPad, but no app will edit or play them.
What canon DSLR did you use, and was it 720,1080 etc?
@Marshall – The footage shown on the iPad was shot with a Canon 60D, 1920×1080 30p. The footage plays fine on an iPad 2 both inside and outside of Avid Studio.
Hello,
we prepare powerpoint and convert them with isping to swf flash.
Now we are looking to a converter, so the changed powerpoint can run on
ipad, We know th way MP4, but we dont want to change in a video!
Maybe you have an idea.
Thanks
Rolf
Well, the one thing I wish Avid would do is make Avid Studio available for Windows XP.
Will this work with AVCCAM? I am shooting on Panasonic AF100 and GH1/GH2. It would be greta to review footage, make notes, minor edits etc.
Very good review of this exciting App!
If you want to create a DVD of the final product,do you
Have to export to Avid Studio on a pc?
Also when you create a video file of the project,where
does the file get stored?
Thanks again for the great review,
Peter
Dave-
I have a few questions about your YouNew Player.
1. Can the linkable logo be in the lower right corner?
2. Can the “height” of the player control bar be increased?
I think you see where I’m going… I want to obscure the YouTube
logo link.
Great review – thanks. I am troubled by demoing the casual use of some copywrite – protected materials (Michael Jackson?) w/o any mention that these materials cannot be legally used (if for any distribution beyond your own viewing “at home”)
Really Rick? Really?
Please explain your reaction. Yes – really. There are many folks out there who think using commercial (rights restricted) material is “ok”. If you mean “duh” – we know, then I understand. If you mean “don’t worry about it” then, I rest my case. It was a great demo but it gives the idea that you can legally use any music.
@Rick Raglow – Under law, it’s called Fair Use. If you’re not familiar with Fair Use, you can read all about it here:
http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/chapter9/index.html
And you can see specific examples of Fair Use and music, here:
http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/chapter9/9-c.html#4
Dave – thanks. I did not mean to cause a flap. I am familiar with Fair Use and was not commenting on how you used it in your review/critique – your demo was excellent. I was only making a comment that some (too many I’m afraid) do not know the legal use of protected materials and could have been confused – especially now that these materials are a “click away” in your iTunes library. I just thought it was a good opportunity to make a statement – I totally relaize that most of your audience for this demo video knows the law – however, MANY young folks (and older folks) do not and abuse it every day. Perhaps this is not the proper venue for my venting and I apologize. I’ve been producing media for over 30 years and have been asked hundreds of times to use protected media. This is not an issue that is going away. Keep up the good work!