For first time video editors, iMovie on a Macintosh is sometimes very astonishing. It is fast, easy, quick, and can produce nice looking stuff. Learn a few dozen tips and tricks in iMovie, and sometimes you really don't need anything more impressive. Simple, just works, etc.

So, if I were just going to occasionally pump out some simple videos, I would definitely buy the Mac and use iMovie.

If VIDEO QUALITY and professionalism were my bottom line concern, however, the kind of computer becomes irrelevant. You need good editing software, and for that you should research the major competitors, and then pick the kind of computer you get based on that.

The big decision for camera, right now, is to get an HD camera or not. A decent HD camera is going to push you up into $800-->$2000. Egads.

From all the info you provided, I'd be tempted to look for: a one-year-old refurbished iMac, Final Cut Express, and then spend everything left on the camera. Borrow an external microphone from your audiophile friend. :-)

Also: platform familiarity may sway you. If everyone around you is using Windows and you are always a Windows user, you may just find Macintoshes annoying, because you'll have no Apple nerds supporting you. Plenty of people stick with Windows for that reason, and it's a better reason than we give it credit for. :-)

I don't want to get into a Mac vs PC debate, but I will say as a PC user for video editing for 4 years now, I have no problems editing with a PC. I use Sony Vegas, which is a very good program, and the pro version is very comparable to FCP. There are 3 versions of Sony Vegas, all include 30 day free trials, if you have a PC now, try it out, I think you will like it.

A computer regardless if it is a Mac or a PC, like it's been said is not going to make or break your video's. The things you really need to ask yourself is "how" you are going to be using the video, "how" you are going to film, indoors, outdoors, good lighting, bad lighting, subjects with lot's of motion. What is your final output, the web?, DVD's? What kind of audio do you need? Think about those questions, then start pricing your video camera.

Then simply talk with some people in your area that do video editing, maybe a community center, etc, see if you can use some of their equipment to train on, to try out...

This way you can really compare apples to apples, so to speak ;)

Spend money on better audio. Editing on a PC is fine.

I totally agree with the Macbook Pro Option running Final Cut Express. I use Premier and Final Cut Express and I think either option is viable. I wouldn't rule out even using iMovie for a while until you learn and get used to the mechanics of editing and shot selection.

I have seen a lot of churches and businesses that want to get started on making videos and spend a lot of money on buying all the latest equipment, without spending some time on how to structure the video itself. With that in mind, I would suggest a couple things that haven't been mentioned:

1. Join a film and video co-operative if they have one in your local area. I joined one for $75 a year, and also took courses through them. They also offer great discounts on equipment rentals. This leads to my second point,

2. Consider organizing all our interviews, so you can rent the video cameras, microphones, and lighting you need all at once. You will be able to save money this way, and look towards budgeting for the camera you want once you are in a position to know what options your would find useful. You are really only using the camera and equipment when you are shooting, but you will be using the computer on a more regular basis for the editing. Consider the amount of videos they want you to do, how long they are, and what purpose they will be used for.

3. This might also free up some money to take some training ( online or community college) that would help you with the actual organizing and using the software.

Just some options that I didn't see discussed. Hope some of that helps.

You would be fine if you really want a Mac, You could get a pretty good DSLR Camera with the extra 700 then add lenses(Miss read "Answer below")... When you say camera I took it you mean a still camera? as I figured you already have a video camera due to it sounding like you already started some of the filming process. The thing about Macs and Video Editing software is the software is general easier to learn to use and is Great software. But on the other hand for the things you are doing you could buy a copy of "Adobe Premier Elements" or lots of other cheap/easy to use Windows Based Video Editors out there. Macs are said to be better for Video editing, but I have seen Films/Movies/Video's edited, cut and made with a Windows PC turn out better than a Mac and the same for the Mac.

To your Question: A Mac is not going to make your video's any better at all, the Editing software will not make your Videos better, The only thing that will make that better is if you take the time to learn the ins and outs of the editing software you decide to use. So spending the extra $1000 on a Mac because you think the mac can make better videos, easier and such is not gonna happen without invested time, it is not the mac or its software that makes the movies its You and the time you spend learning how to do what you need to do. You can do the very same things on a PC with Windows Video editing software if you take some time and learn what that software can do for you(Read Reviews).
A Mac may be easier for you may not, it is generally easier but for what you are doing right now it really will not make a difference because you probably are not going to get into advance stuff that makes using the PC Editing software any Harder, You will have to think ahead and if you are going to be doing this a lot more and get into it or if this is the only project and its done..., If you Get a good editing package for yourself. You have to remember if you buy a Mac you still have to buy the software, unless you use what comes with it. I am not sure if I-Movie comes with it think a basic version comes not 100% though. If you buy a PC the same but with the PC you can use it for everything you need to do not just the editing, because you already know how to do the stuff and where to get it on a PC since you never used a Mac. In Today's internet age you can get mostly any editing software you want(within reason, going with a PC I would get nice and cheap in price Adobe Premier Elements for what you are doing, it is a just a cut down version of Adobe Premier, you more in likely will not be using the very advance options that may be cut out of it plus $79 compared to $800 for software do the math, plus you can get trials of PC software and check out the software before you buy it) and if you don't know how to do something, go on Google do a search for what you are trying to do and you will get thousands of tutorials and Videos that show you exactly how to do it.

This Mac Question is a matter of opinion you will get hardcore Mac fans telling you one thing and Windows fans telling you another, and they will be bias and not in your best interest. Research Research Research - Reviews Reviews Reviews. Reviews are these peoples jobs and some may be bias but by reading a few of each, it is there job to give you the best information and facts or people will not read there blogs review sites they lose money and they lose there job...

Do a search for best video editing software in your price range for PC and Mac then read the reviews on the software pick one of each you think will work best for your project.

For the **Video Camera** if I were you I would go in look at some of the Video Camera's you are interested in write names & models down "within your price range" and take a night looking them up online reading there reviews and weighing your options, and read more than one review per camera read quite a few to get a grasp some reviews may be bias towards brands and such, that way you will get a good idea by reading some different reviews for each camera. Then pick what best suits your needs, ask more specific questions on here as you go through the process. Do not be Impulsive & skimp on the Video camera because in the long run you will regret it, and do not let the sales reps talk you into buying anything right there that is there job and most of them have no clue which is better or will do what you need. In that case it really wont matter what Editing software you are using you just will not get what you want without the right camera.

You do Photography use that knowledge basics are same with editing software and the camera you pick.

That being said I have 1 Mac and 4 PC's 3 Desktops and 1 Laptop. IMO I think Macs are easier for most Video editing, but with a mac things come as a cost like upgrades and such for the future.

You may also think about getting a Desktop type instead of a laptop as it is going to have more processing power and work faster for encoding and transferring and the editing process, You can always do the shots on the camera then take them back to a nice quite fast desktop to do your editing and research... Laptop will not help in that and will probably make things harder. Just my opinion.

Plus ask yourself is a basic Macbook going to be fast enough for you to edit your videos and do what you want with them at a speedy rate so you are not pulling your hair out and wanting to boot it out the window. I can not really answer that question because I do not have a Macbook just a desktop. Plus PC's are generally easy to upgrade for cheap in case you really get into this Video and editing stuff and start to do more you will want a faster computer and that basic Macbook may go to waste in 6 months to a year, because it doesn't have the power and fastness you need.

I would go with a Better Camera and lower priced Windows Laptop, if the case is you totally need a laptop... You usually get what you pay for, as a Photographer you should know that first hand.

Hope I helped some, sorry bout any spelling and grammar mistakes, I am in a rush have to head out just wanted to get some basic thoughts and questions out for better responses..

P.S. I'm a guy but I can see how the name confuses people. :) As for my Computer Knowledge, I have a degree in computer science and before that was a Computer Technician for years. Like you said my Mac platform is probably off-the-mark, but that does not mean a Mac is necessary for what he is doing"

That was no disrespect to you "TheMacUser" at all you sound like you have great knowledge and experience in Video Editing and the such...

My Best Friend is a Independent Film maker. I have watched him and his team do all kinds of stuff and they had to make due with what they had, rent barrow what ever it was because of his Budget. In University he used a Mac for all his editing and the such and he loved it. But once he was done University his budget was not big enough for everything so he had to make due with what he had and could get on his budget, I think that is what this guy is trying to do, So for a long time my friend and his team had to use a PC and Adobe for all his Video editing, because that was what he had and could afford at the time.

Anyway like I said I have only 1 Mac and its old, I barely use it except for some basic editing that does not need a lot of power and done fast(Very Rarely), My Knowledge is probably off when it comes to Mac's but $1000 for a macbook used for video editing seemed a bit cheap "price wise"("Even though they are Video editing ready right out of the box)". Mac's are usually very expensive, All I meant was spend 1000 now on a cheap one and 6 months - year down the road you may need to buy a whole new one due to your needs wanting more faster or depending how your your interest in Video and editing comes along.

That is Why I suggested a normal Windows PC because most people have access to them, cheaper if a upgrade is needed and allows for upgrades where some Macs do not really leave room if you are buying the cheapest one. Plus most people know how to use a PC better and way more experience, unless you are going pro have the budget then go grab the Mac but IMO I think the money could be spent better on Camera and other accessories and software needed.

Use a PC and some editing software to see if you even like what you are doing and if this will become a hobby or just dwindle off into nothing once the project is done. In that case Money Could be Wasted on a Mac.

Like said the Camera with HD is one of the most important things with a good audio Mic at that, then comes the computer and editing software. You probably have access to a Windows PC. Do your homework download some trials of what you decide to use. Try them out on some short video's. Like I said in today's day and internet age you can get Video how-to's do anything step by step with any popular Editing Software either way you are gonna have to do your homework. Fast and easy with a Google search. You are going to need research and some sort of training anyway.

But then again a Mac could be your best bet, that will be your choice after you weigh all the factors, & research you do.

There are a lot of enthusiasts and pro's that have very nice and the best of everything Mac's for editing and Pro Camera's which for this project it seems like you do not really need. A enthusiast or Pro sometimes seem to think the normal person need all this stuff also, in most cases you do not. Work with what you have.

Some actually a lot of Enthusiasts and pro's in there field "no dis-respect" including myself, but in any Enthus-hobbyist and job the best is always suggested when it usually not always needed, when you work with the best, you tend to think that is the only option, that is in any field so watch out for people saying buy overpriced stuff or the newest out, which in most cases will not be the best for you.

Dana sounds like she has some experience at computing-in-general, and a level head on her shoulders, but her knowledge base on the Mac platform is off-the-mark. She is right in doing your homework first though... LOTS OF IT. Find out from other A/V professionals and agencies what they use and why, and if you want FACTS and numbers, please contact me or any other professionals who are forced to use both systems. Now, here's my input...

Okay, I'm sure these other guys have good intent, and EVERYONE has belly-buttons and opinions. However, as a professional videographer and designer - I use both platforms, but I can tell you that it is MUCH more troublesome AND expensive to get the same results if you use a PC rather than a Mac. I alternate between the two at work & home. There is only 1 question and 1 answer: Do you want the cheapest or do you want the quality? You will have to make a decision as to which is most important, or to find the perfect compromise (which is what you'll end-up doing). When recording on-the-fly to a hard drive it is most important to have a fast hard drive (10,000 rpm preferably), like the Cheetah... so you don't drop frames as you dump. If you are compressing the video on-the-fly you also need to consider a fast multi-core processor (Intel Core2 Duo, 2+ GHz cycle speed) and a good videocard on-board (256+ Mb VRAM nVidia or ATI). THESE are the essentials you must achieve first - otherwise your camera and platform don't really matter.

I use a Mac by preference because they come dressed to kill right out of the box and ready-to-go (iMovie software (Free on a Mac) will suffice for your current needs, FinalCut Pro has a steep learning curve for people who don't already know video lingo & editing techniques). Drawback: Macs aren't cheap because they ARE ready to do what you want them to - without upgrading memory and videocards, or installing lots of additional (often expensive) software as you WILL have to with a Windows-based system. Price the new iMacs or MacBook Pro laptops, and then build an equivalent Windows-based system at www.pricewatch.com from the ground up, and consider you will STILL need additional software for the PC, so price THAT too. You will then realize that doing anything other than 320x240 pixel MPEGs will cost $2,000 on the computer hardware/software end, and then you'll need to consider a local camera store for RENTING an HD vidcam as you need it, or spending another $1,000+ on that end of the solution. Wait, don't kill yourself yet...

There are no simple & easy answers to your question, and surely none that will make you happy to have $1,700 (half of what you'll really need) to spend. But now you're armed with a little education at least. My opinion: With $1,700. I would let your company/boss know that they'll get half the quality because they're spending half the money they should, and then I'd get a 13" MacBook with 4 Gb RAM and a 500 Gb hard drive ($1.650.) through Apple, and a Canon mini-DV camcorder from BestBuy or somewhere for about $250 and start your video profiles... iMovie will be GREAT for what you're doing. *Use GOOD lighting for good quality! THIS is the perfect middle-of-the-road solution for YOUR budget. If you have detailed questions (as to why this or that?), just ask someone who's been doing it professionally for entirely TOO LONG... Have fun with it and enjoy more credit than you'll deserve -- that's how it usually goes! : )

NOTE: Ms. Connelly is correct that you WILL outgrow your system, Mac or PC, entirely too soon, but with the Mac you will have saved yourself a lot of time and headaches to do what you need done here. For YOUR particular plans of "video profiles" I think an out-of-the-box Mac solution would be best (Apple features free online tutorials of all the incredible stuff iMovie will do, and YES, it comes free on EVERY new Mac - as does GarageBand, which is GREAT for audio editing and composition). As you make money you will upgrade your video input to an HD camera, upgrade your software to FinalCut Pro, and upgrade your system to an iMac 24" with 512 Mb of video, or maybe even like me - the Quad-core Mac Pro system. My Windows system at work keeps me entirely too busy with keeping it running efficiently (downloading new virus definitions, rebooting frequently and installing new patches & updates constantly)... I'm too old and too busy for THAT crap. I just want a computer to work & play on -- WITHOUT all the constant maintenance and system tweaking that I have to do with Windows-based boxes. I'd rather use a Linux system that Windows if I could. ENJOY what you do, and if you enjoy working & playing seamlessly... get the Mac solution.

P.S. Get a Windows aficionado to outline a $1,700. video-editing solution for you and then I'll do the same... dollar for dollar, feature for feature. Because you seemed to be asking how to best spend that amount for doing a particular job, so let's rock!

I personally would go with a Mac. Mac's make video editing fast & easy. Not to mention they have a great reputation & have the Quicktime component for video exporting if you want to use that. Final Cut Express is good for a start. Also, if you really want a budget and already have a screen and all, get the Mac Mini with 4GB of ram (but buy the 4GB of ram from a 3rd party site to save big $$). Camera isn't extremely important when you're starting out in videos. Once you get a good audience, the quality helps. But amazing quality isn't what'll get you the viewers.

Bottom line: Mac's are amazing, fast, and easy with Video editing. You don't need a good camera when you start out. Plus if you want to use a simple video editor, you can use the built-in iMovie and/or the built-in camera/mic (not recommended as much, though.)

First, ask for more money.

Unless your shoot is a long term project you might consider renting or borrowing camera / lights / microphones. Then you can put all your money into editing hardware and software.

Mac vs. PC is mostly only an issue when thinking about the bundled tools on them like iMovie since the differ. A good many of the tools are available on both platforms.

Final Cut Pro is the go-to answer for a lot of the serious people in video, but it is expensive, complex, and everyone I know has felt it had a high learning curve. For the work described it may be overkill. Macs tend to cost more but they are nicer. On the other hand on your budget you may need to lean towards a PC and have more left for the camera, mic, and software.

Give some thought to your lighting.

Frame in close to the subjects (obviously depending, but the more a face fills the screen the better you can see it)

Again, audio is the most likely factor to be shortchanged. But, depending on the purposes of the work, the audio may be even more important than the video. Record in a quite place. Pay attention, even to background noise like ventilation and florescent light fixtures. If there is ANY way to avoid using an on-camera mic, do it! Mic close to the subject! Monitor the audio as you are recording.

Well it seems like you're about to start a rewarding journey. I'm slightly ahead of you on a similar path so maybe my experiences will help.

Finance challenged, I purchased a "re-conditioned" iMac from Apple/on-line and saved several hundred $$'s. They guaranteed it was as new, or really new, and it has been wonderful.

A learning curve? Yes but very manageable & intuitive. I'm not a geek, versed in Windows, not OSX, and had little difficulty. Bought David Pogues' Book, but now would recommend a new book on Amazon by Gary Rosenzweig who has a great video podcast: "macmost now" which you can catch on itunes, and I suggest you do it.

Also find Videomaker.com as they will deal with many of your concerns.

As for the iMovie/finalCutXpress/FinalcutPro debate. Well I've worked professionally in dozens of video projects and sure FinalCutPro is great... if you need it, which you probably don't @ this stage. iMovie is full featured, more capable then many know and too easily dismissed by some. Check it out and decide for yourself. I've learned it and love it, upgraded to '09 and it's pretty impressive.

Finally, for the sound. Among other things, I record voiceovers at a home studio. You need a good off-camera mic. For sure, and you MUST accept the fact that when recording you will use ear phones or buds at a minimum. A strong, drop it, mic is made by Sure and is a staple: either the SM-58 or the SM-57 are both recc'd by VO folks and I have an SM-58 which I use regularly. True it's not as sensitive as a condenser mic, but it's inexpensive, strong and works.

Last word: forget the laptop for now. You'll have your hands full filming, you don't need to be worying about where is the laptop?

Good Luck, have fun, and learn a bunch.

Get a better camera.

If you find it difficult to use PC, find a Mac nerds to do video editing for you. there's no reasons to spend $1000 on a Mac for doing things that are not our core competency while we can outsource a Mac nerds for less.

Mac or PC doesn't really matter, it's mostly the software and the camera that make the difference.

You make no mention of software, the default iMovie (mac) and MovieMaker (PC, windows Vista and 7 are much much better than XP's) aren't really that great. I like using Adobe Premiere pro, and Final Cut is also the other industry standard.

Dhaggerty, is right, keep in mind about having good audio, you might want to use an external mic, and most midrange camera's don't support an external mic input. So you could record the audio onto your laptop at the same time and then just sync the audio w/ the video in editing. You could even use two cameras, even just a point a shoot that can take HD video mounted on a tripod for some different angles while the people are talking, and you could cut back and fourth.

Truth is, Final Cut has no competitors, it is the easiest and most powerful editing software out there. But i think you will get better results with a better camera, you can get your editing working just fine on a PC.

If you plan on a future ivestment for the camera you wikk nuy right now, i would suggest a DSLR that shoots video and has manual exposure controls; their video quality is really good, and using different lenses gives yout video lots of options!

Damn, Douglas, I like your answer, you're absolutely correct, and it probably only took a couple minutes... way to go!

Get creative, get comfortable with the software and learn how to film.

TheMacUser - great points and you seem to know your Mac's and stuff more than I. I am new to Video editing myself, I do a lot of Photography, but I think both concepts can be made to work together in a lot of parts.

This comment is so true

audiogator - "I have seen a lot of churches and businesses that want to get started on making videos and spend a lot of money on buying all the latest equipment, without spending some time on how to structure the video itself."

That was the point I was trying to make stay in your budget and you do not need the best at first and all at once, also great suggestions.

Alexander Drachmann -

Get creative, get comfortable with the software and learn how to film.

Couldn't have been said better.