Choosing Vegas Pro or Magix?

Gran-Johansson wrote on 5/13/2025, 10:50 AM

At the Magix forum, I asked if I should choose Magix or Vegas Pro. The response was in practice that it is better to ask here.

So I ask you, while I continue with the transcoding problem I posted about a few days ago.

I started editing in 2003. With Premiere, which became Premiere Pro. Final Cut. Premiere Elements. Created no-budget projects. Domumentaries, shorts and TV-mini-series for public access television stations. In 2014, I had to buy another editing PC. Edited 3 TV-movies with Premiere Elements version 12. That PC is worn out, so I have a new one.

The present version of Premiere Elements has features which I dislike, so I am looking for another editing program.

I have spent a few thousand hours editing, in front of all with Premiere Elements. I am that kind of no-budget filmmaker who sometimes spend 20 hours per week editing, but then I have months when I don't touch the editing program. Since one quickly forgets, I am looking for an intuitive program. But I need a powerful one. To create one more doll movie. Move dolls in front of my greeenscreen. Use stop motion animation. Add 3d objects. You name it.

I installed the DaVinci freeware. And spent 8 hours with the first 78 pages in the Guide to Beginners. Difficult to learn.

Comparing different paywares, it looks as if Magix has the best offers. Plus a very useful user forum when one runs into problems. That is the reason why I ask here rather than in the forum for one of the competitors. But the different alternatives Magix offers are described in such a way that I find it difficult to compare them.
I failed to find the manuals. So I downloaded the trial version of Vegas Pro. Then I could read the manual for that program.
It was not intuitive for me that one has to choose render in order to export video. So I am asking myself if there are more such details which will force me to spend time on guessing where to click to do what I want to do.

I have used neither Magix Movie Studio nor Video Pro X. So I don't know how one uses them. Both should be easier to learn than Vegas Pro, but the question is if they are powerful enough.

There is no internet in the room where I do almost all editing. So I don't like when help is only available on the internet.

I plan to pay once for the program I choose, not subscribe to it. So I am not asking about the subscription alternatives.

When it comes to using AI features. Since I plan to edit HD, I have only 16 Gigabyte RAM and 4 Gigabyte VRAM.

It will take me a while to find out everything Vegas Pro can do, but I have read part of the manual.
AI masking. I have the impression that AI can delete moving objects but it is not clear for me if the program can also replace the background like the Hide V1 in Video Pro X16 Ultimate can do.
One can interpolate frames. But it is not clear for me if one can do more than a simple linear interpolation.
I have the impression that I can stabilize if a doll filmed in front of my greenscreen is shaky.
I have the impression that motion tracking works so I can easily add objects for the dolls to hold in their hands.
I have not been able to find out if there is luma keying in addition to the chroma keying.
Neither have I been able to find out if there is video denoising, to use when I am forced to use gain while filming.
I hope difference matte works.
I found no rubber band for adjusting the sound volume.

So what do you think? Is Vegas Pro the right program for me? Or Magix Movie Studio? Or Video Pro X?

I understand that I will probably need some different program to turn 3d objects into video. And use AI for lip movements when the dolls talk. Respectively stop motion. Plus more. But the more things which can be done with the same program, the better for me. If the program is so easy to learn that I manage to understand what I should do.

Comments

RogerS wrote on 5/13/2025, 12:58 PM

From what I have read VEGAS Pro is the main focus on the company at present and is clearly under active development.

For your needs there is a stabilize Fx, there is denoise under the AI Fx, motion tracking works and the suite also includes the excellent Mocha (which may also help you with your masking). If you do a lot of noise reduction consider NeatVideo which utilizes GPUs really well. For sound volume there is auto normalize now, automation and compatibility with 3rd party VST3s which can do just about anything.

jetdv wrote on 5/13/2025, 1:30 PM

I have used neither Magix Movie Studio nor Video Pro X. So I don't know how one uses them. Both should be easier to learn than Vegas Pro, but the question is if they are powerful enough.

@Gran-Johansson Why do you think that? Why do you think they will be easier to learn?

In short, you know Premiere best so it's going to be a learning curve to any new product. Personally, I think VEGAS is the easiest to use. Need a transition? Just overlap the two events on the timeline. Need an effect? Just drag it onto the event, or track, or media, or project! There's multiple places the effects can be added. And I find it easier to use than the other Magix products (of course, I've used VEGAS for over 20 years now...) About 2000 I was using Cinestream and the writing was on the wall that it was disappearing. I tried Premiere at that time but it did not work the way I think. VEGAS does - but I did have to force myself to use it for a complete project before I fully switched to it. Find a small project and give it a try.

Reyfox wrote on 5/13/2025, 1:57 PM

Wow. You do want the software to do a lot. I hope that your computer hardware is up to the task!

proDAD Hide is only good for 1 year.

I have Mercalli V6 plugin for Vegas. I love it, but had to pay I think $40 for it. But you also can stabilize with Mocha Vegas in Vegas Pro Suite, or use Vegas built in Video Stabilization.

As for object removal, again Mocha Vegas. Here is a link to Youtube TUTORIALS.

If you want a more powerful editing software, that would be Vegas Pro. Magix Movie Studio is the consumer editor, and Video Pro X is a more powerful version of Magix Movie Studio. As I wrote in the Magix forum, I own both.

Vegas has Chroma and Luma key.

Motion tracking is in Vegas natively, or again, if you get the Suite, you get Mocha Vegas. But again, not as easy as you would think, and again, computing horsepower is a plus.

Yes, Vegas does have Vegas Denoise, but again, your computer has to be up to that task, and rendering will be slow. As mentioned above, NeatVideo is pretty darn good, but you have to pay for it. I personally use Boris FX BCC+DeNoise ML.

Render/Export is the same thing. You render the finished video. It's the difference in terminology, that's all.

As with any editing software, whether consumer or more upscale, you will still have to learn where things are. Nothing is "in your face" with bold neon lighting.

I started editing with the Amiga Video Toaster doing a/b roll. Moved to PC with DPS Editbay, and had just about every version of Pinnacle software from 2002, in addition to Premiere v6, Avid Liquid, and Pinnacle Studio. I even own Davinci Resolve Studio. But my transition from Pinnacle Studio to Vegas Pro 14 was easy. Yes, I had to learn where things are, but with Vegas, everything is in front of you. Resolve has different pages and to color grade, you will have to learn how nodes work. I would personally skip Magix Movie Studio, but the cost is inexpensive, but you will have to edit "upside down" meaning the main video track is above all the other "overlays". As for what's "intuitive", that is subjective based on what one has used in the past. I adjust to the software and work the way it works.

But again, as was mentioned on the other forum, download the trial versions and see what works best for you and the style you like to edit. For me, it's been Vegas Pro for some time now.