Mobile Computing News

Photo: Stock.Xchng

We’ve been running a series of posts detailing the must-have tools for freelancers working in the contemporary knowledge economy, having written a general guide and a more specific guide for freelance writers. Now we shine the spotlight on freelance editors, looking at the right video camera, computer and software combination for your needs.

Gadget: a camera

Photo: Sony

The video camera (and digital camera) landscape now runs the gamut from very cheap but rather impressive to exceptionally expensive. As a pro freelance editor, you want to have a very good camera to work with right off the bat. If you’re a bit shy on budget and high definition is not a need, the classic Sony PD-170, which is no longer being produced but can be found in various second-hand markets, is a mainstay for good reason: it works very well. If you are looking for pro camera which records HD content, the Sony DSR-PD177P gives great bang for your buck.

Must-have: a computer, of course

Editing suites have come many strides from the once raw cut-and-paste editing techniques of years gone by, to contemporary systems built entirely on computers. The thing is, though, you still need a powerful computer to do it all on. We’re against being tethered to one location, so we would recommend a laptop over a desktop any day.

If you prefer a desktop, spend your money on a solid workstation. Fortunately, there are myriad options available, and, as long as your machine has over 4GB of RAM, a solid graphics card and a contemporary Intel processor – Intel Core i5 and upwards – then you should be fine.

If you’re inclined to going mobile, Apple’s Macbook Pro range was built, in part, with your needs in mind. They’re not cheap laptops, but they’re very capable when put through their paces and the one-two mobile combination of a Macbook Pro and Final Cut Studio 3 works very well.

Finally: that software

Photo: Apple

Which brings us to the software. If you do opt for a Mac, then Final Cut Studio 3 would be your primary choice for serious editing. Virtualising Windows software will bring your machine to a crawl, so if you’re biased towards Windows software, than purchase a Windows computer.

For the Windows community of editors, your options are Adobe Premiere Pro (which is also available for Mac), the rather pricey Avid Media Composer and Sony’s Vegas Pro.

The takeaway

The trick for a freelance editor is to mix and match. If you can, download trial versions of all the software and put them all through their paces. Then choose the one that sits best with you. As for a camera, see if you cannot take a few models on a test run and see which give the optimum results for your pocket. But the trick is to get the balance right – you want to come across as a professional and therefore you need pro-quality equipment at agreeable prices.