So far, I’m rather impressed with Premiere Pro CS3 by Adobe. The user interface is precisely what I expect from Adobe, and in being familiar with their other design software, there really was nothing that threw me for a loop. I did notice that the “Capturing” feature more closely resembled Final Cut Pro by Apple than it did in previous versions, but this is certainly not a criticism. The process was much less complicated than I was actually anticipating. I did have a slight issue with the audio and video matching up while I was selecting clips, but this went away after the video was actually recorded to my laptop. I just had to make sure to allow extra time before and after my clips to ensure that the desired film was actually recorded, since I was unsure whether the recording was tied directly to the video or the audio components.
I gave this product five stars for many reasons. The first and most prominent reason is that it’s simply Adobe, and they have yet to really let me down. I’ve been watching Photoshop grow up from v.5 to today, and it just keeps getting more and more sophisticated and well-spoken in its delivery and functionality. Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 follows the same pattern of growth with all the Adobe family traits.
For instance, I’m in love with the navigation zoom system for the timeline. Easily zoom in and out as you wish, focus wherever you want. I’m also crazy about the volume controls right on each audio track, without having to go into each individual piece and adjust the levels.
I have very few complaints. I happen to like to use longer clip names when working with a lot of video clips. It helps me to keep them organized. Unfortunately, Premiere Pro isn’t very friendly to long file names. Right above the preview panel, is a tab which contains the clip’s name, and an under tab to access clip effects and settings. I’ve resorted to undocking the preview panel to have constant access to the effects panel. So, now my preview panel just hangs out on my screen and tries to stay out of the way when it’s not in use. I actually like it better this way, because I can see very steady results of the effects I apply or have applied, which works really well for fine-tuning color levels and like corrections, or when working with filters.
All in all, Adobe Premiere Pro is a very easy program. From capturing to creating it makes its elements obvious and well laid out. It’s obviously much easier if you have video editing and/or Adobe experience. If this is your first time editing video, you will probably have the same initial struggles and confusion that comes with trying any new design program. But, once you have a basic understanding of where everything is (mouse-over anything you’re curious to get a brief explanation), you’re ready to begin.
One thing I did find rather curious was the application of the filters. Most of them, when applied, show no immediate visible effect to the image. The user has to go into the specifications and fiddle with the numbers in order to generate any visible effect. This would be normal for adjustment effects, but for the fancier, more abstract filters, I would expect a more dramatic initial result just to have a faster basic understanding of
what each filter does, like they do in Photoshop. Several of the filters are taken straight from Photoshop, and most of them work really well. It’s neat to see filters I’ve used for years in video format. I’d actually like to see more creative filters in the application than what’s offered. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be much in the way of plugins from online vendors at the moment for this product. I hope that this changes as it ages.
I give Adobe Premiere Pro full marks for usability and design. I love how easy it is to adjust color and contrast, and just the way it handles overall. I would recommend this to anyone interested in editing video.