I need Help to decide about Final Cut Express/and Pro

[Mary Leidescher]

Hello everybody!!!!

I don't understand exactly the biggest different between Express and Pro, I work before always with Pro at the School and now I must decide for my own wish one to buy for me!, the price is a big difference, but Technical too?? like with Compression Possibility's???, the think is so, that I prefer to pay one time more but to be satisfied, but it can be Possible to be satisfied with Express too!! I`m not very Professional , is only for my own School works.

Thank`s

Mary

[PieroF]

I suggest you to read this discussion about this topic.

Couple notes on the list in the 1st answer of my link:
- point 8. was true up to FCE version 3.0; starting from versions 3.5 FCE provides the same keyframing model as FCP (except that you cannot handle keyframes in the timeline but only in the viewer)
- point 15. means FCE does not have an FXScript builder, but you can still write fxscript plugins in a text editor and add them to the FCE plugin folder.

Basically:
- FCE is limited to editing DV, HDV and AVCHD formats in its sequences (but can import basically all QT supported formats, that however are always converted to the sequence format before editing)
- FCE comes with only LiveType application (and before version 4 also with SoundTrack - but not Pro); no Motion, Compressor, Color, etc.
- FCE doesn't provide Media Manager, Render Manager, source timecode handling, time remapping, 3-way color correction, batch capturing, and other tools mainly targeted for professional use
- however FCE features are strictly a subset of FCP features (also standard shortcuts are the same, but are not customizable), so if you know how to use FCP you also know how to use FCE... as long as you are not trying to use one of the missing features.

Personally I find FCE perfect for a non professional use, since it has most of the power of FCP without its cost.

Piero