Beginner's video editing software suggestion please.

[Riley Blue]

I have several (around 20) hours of video from my recent LeJoG drive, much of which is uninteresting through-the-windscreen stuff. However, I'd like to edit the best bits into something half an hour long, mainly for ourselves as a reminder of a great trip. I'm OK using Lightroom and Photoshop for images but have never shot video before - any suggestions on what to use?

Something easy to get to grips with and preferably free or low cost please as I doubt I'll use it that much in the future. I'd like to be able to do fades, mix music with background engine sounds and add captions.

PC is running Windows 7.

[BigMacDaddy]

Windows Movie Maker is the basic & free option, can be downloaded as part of the old Windows Live Essentials pack if you google for that (no longer supported officially but still available and works).
If you don't mind buying something I always found Pinnacle Studio to be pretty powerful but simple to use, decent range of effects and the interface is pretty straightforward whilst giving plenty of options.

[Bob Dong]

Davinci resolve is what a videographer friend of mine recommended after I said a similar thing + colour/contrast correction but I've not got round to trying it yet. Freeware version on their official site

[InitialDave]

I use Sony Vegas, mainly because I got a copy cheap.

[Riley Blue]

BigMacDaddy said:

Windows Movie Maker is the basic & free option, can be downloaded as part of the old Windows Live Essentials pack if you google for that (no longer supported officially but still available and works).

Thanks, have found and downloaded it.

[Jimmy Recard]

Similar question - can anyone recommend something that a beginner could use to add some speech bubbles (or similar) to a video?

I've tried Lightworks and Windows Movie Maker but can only work out how to add a title or credits - not a speech bubble for one or two seconds in the video.

I've got some track day videos that I want to put speech bubbles on (you can't really hear what's being said but I can remember it)

[Aphex]

I've not used it myself but Humble Bundle have some editing software at the minute

https://www.humblebundle.com/software/vegas-pro-ev...

[Jimmy Recard]

Aphex said:

I've not used it myself but Humble Bundle have some editing software at the minute

https://www.humblebundle.com/software/vegas-pro-ev...

I've heard of Vegas Pro years ago but never used it.

If that will do what I want, I'd be happy to pay the $25 asked there. Does anyone know?

ETA: I bit the bullet, paid my $25 and downloaded it. It's excellent! Easy to use and does what I need perfectly. I'd recommend it. Well worth the $25.

Edited by Jimmy Recard on Tuesday 28th May 16:33

[singlecoil]

Bob Dong said:

Davinci resolve is what a videographer friend of mine recommended after I said a similar thing + colour/contrast correction but I've not got round to trying it yet. Freeware version on their official site

The free version is well up to the task under discussion, and is substantially better than any other low cost options, and arguably better than most of the expensive options.

[Phunk]

Another great free option is Adobe Premiere Rush - super easy to use