Lab

Video-editing software

Video is a fantastic medium for capturing life's pivotal moments, but videotapes tend to comprise 10 per cent movie gold and 90 per cent tedium. The solution is video-editing software. Sorting, ordering and truncating video clips is at the heart of all such packages, whether they're aimed at casual home users or seasoned professionals.

Most video-editing software also lets you add effects, text, transitions (for moving from one clip to another) and overlays (to combine multiple clips simultaneously). Home-oriented packages present these features as presets, while more sophisticated software gives increased flexibility via precise, comprehensive controls. If you're just tidying up footage of a holiday or family event, these features may seem superfluous, but as your experience and ambitions grow, the ability to add corrective lighting effects and create stylish intro sequences can be a great source of satisfaction.

Video is an exciting art form. If you fancy making a sitcom or zombie slasher movie then precise editing tools can help you realise your artistic vision. The more sophisticated software here is perfect for business use, too, letting you generate animated graphics for DVDs and websites. DVD authoring is something everyone can benefit from and it's built into all the packages here.

Great expectations

This Labs covers video-editing applications under £100, although most cost around £40 and the most expensive is only £62. However, even at this price you should expect great things from video-editing software.

If you're taking your first steps in video editing, choose a package that focuses on ease of use. It's a priority for everyone, but particularly for those who are unfamiliar with the editing process. More ambitious users should also look out for advanced features. Keyframe editing allows you to use different settings at different points on the timeline, with the software morphing settings between these points. Ripple editing options are important, too, as these dictate if and how clips move when you alter an earlier clip on the timeline - essentially, whether they move to make or fill the space, or stay where they are.

Another area to which we've given special attention is format support. Your preferred software will be useless if it doesn't work with your video camera, or a camera you're likely to buy in the future. Video devices are slowly moving from standard definition (SD) to high definition (HD), so even if your current camera is an SD model, it's important to choose software that's well equipped for HD. Support for HDV cameras is available across all six packages reviewed, but the newer AVCHD format is less widely supported and export to HD DVD and Blu-ray discs is currently rare.

Editing video should also be fun. Some of the packages reviewed here are a joy to use, while others are the opposite. To avoid the video nasties and discover your very own movie star, read on.