What to Do After You've Shot Your Video

Capturing the action with your digital video camcorder is only the first step. Editing your “footage” and creating a DVD to share with friends and family is the fun and creative part. For that, you'll need video editing software. There are several options – including high-end products like Adobe Premier and Apple's Final Cut Pro – but there are also some great products for serious home video shooters who don't want to break the bank. For Windows users, both Adobe Premier Elements and Pinnacle Studio offer a large set of digital video editing tools for under $100. You can edit clips and add titles, transitions and effects. And both allow you to create DVD's of your movies pretty easily. Though it costs a bit more than Studio, Adobe Premier Elements offers more functionality, including the ability to export your movies for use in a wide variety of formats – including cell phones! Apple's iMovie remains the affordable option of choice for Macintosh users. As an integral part of the iLife suite of applications, iMovie offers not only a strong set of video editing tools, but also access to DVD authoring, music composition and more. If you need a more robust program, Final Cut Express HD expands your video editing options.