Sony vegas video editor

Video editing software

Vegas Pro (stylized as VEGAS Pro, colloquially called Sony Vegas) is a video editing software package for non-linear editing (NLE). The first release of Vegas Beta was on June 11, ^[4] The software runs on Windows operating systems.

Originally developed as audio editing software, it became an NLE for video and audio, starting from version Vegas Pro features real-time multitrack video and audio editing on unlimited tracks, resolution-independent video sequencing, complex effects, compositing tools, bit/ kHz audio support, VST and DirectX plug-in effect support, and Dolby Digital surround sound mixing.

The software was originally published by Sonic Foundry until May , when Sony purchased Sonic Foundry and formed Sony Creative Software.^[5] On May 24, , Sony announced that Vegas (and most of its "Creative Software" line) was sold to MAGIX, which formed VEGAS Creative Software, to continue support and development of the software.^[6][7]

Features[edit]

Vegas does not require any specialized hardware to run properly, allowing it to operate on any Windows computer that meets the system requirements.^[8]

In the areas of compositing and motion graphics, Vegas provides a varied toolset, including a 3D track motion with control over z-depth, and spatial arrangement of visual planes including plane intersection.

Many of the visual effects processing in Vegas follow an audio-like paradigm. Effects can be applied at any stage of the visual signal flow or event level. Moreover, track level and output level effects (such as reverb), delay and flange audio effects are applied in a digital audio system, like Pro Tools, Cubase or Sonar. Master output effects can also be controlled and manipulated over time by the use of Master Bus track automation envelopes.

One major drawback of Vegas is that although it started as an Audio Multitrack NLE, it has no MIDI capability at all (with the exception of control-desk and synchronization). For this reason, the use of Vegas is restricted only for post-production audio or for the Video NLE market.

Vegas features integration with 24p DV. It is also one of the few NLEs which can convert other formats to 24p (or any format to any other format) without any kind of a plug-in or third-party application support. It is the only NLE that allows multiple instances of the application to be opened simultaneously. Clips and sequences can be copied and pasted between instances of Vegas. One example of this can be rendering a sequence in the background while the user continues to edit in a different instance of Vegas in the foreground. Vegas provides sophisticated compositing including green screen, masking, and key-frame animation. Nesting allows a prior project to be included in another project, modularizing the editing process so that an array of tracks and edits become one track for further editing. Any changes to the previous project become reflected in the later project. Nesting is especially helpful in large, complex or special effects projects, as the final rendering suffers no generation loss.

MAGIX Vegas Pro supports scripting technology which provides task automation, simplified workflow, and greater efficiency and productivity. Free and paid pre-written scripts are available from the Vegas community on the web.

Version history[edit]

Each release of Vegas is sold standalone, however upgrade discounts are sometimes provided.^[9]

Vegas Beta[edit]

Sonic Foundry introduced a sneak preview version of Vegas Pro on 11 June It is called a "Multitrack Media Editing System".^[4]

Full release[edit]

Vegas [edit]

Released on 23 July at the NAMM Show in Nashville, Tennessee, Vegas was an audio-only tool with a particular focus on rescaling and resampling audio. It boasted support for popular formats like DivX and Real Networks RealSystem G2 file formats.^[10]

Vegas Video beta (Vegas beta)[edit]

Released on 10 April ,^[11] this was the first version of Vegas to include video-editing tools.

Vegas Video (Vegas )[edit]

Released on 12 June ^[12]

Vegas Video LE [edit]

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (July )

Vegas Video [edit]

Released on 3 December This release added:^[13]

• New Video Effects – Lens Flare, Light Rays, Film FX, Color Curves, Mirror, Remap, Deform, Convolution, Linear Blur, Black Restore, Levels, Unsharp Mask, Color Grad, and Timecode Burn filter.
• Batch Capture with Automatic Scene Detection – Captures DV with automatic scene detection, batch capture, tape logging, still image capture and thumbnail previews.
• Red Book Audio CD Mastering with CD Architect(TM) Technology – Used for burning Red Book audio CD masters directly from the Vegas timeline with ISRC, UPC, and PQ list support.
• New Sonic Foundry DV Codec – Introduces a DV codec developed by Sonic Foundry that offers artifact-free compositing and DV chromakeying.
• DV Print-To-Tape From The Timeline – Prints projects to DV cameras and decks from the Vegas timeline.
• Windows Media(TM) File Editing – Creates and edits Windows Media(TM) files.
• New MPEG Encoding Tools – Used for producing MPEG-2 files for DVD productions.
• Dynamic RAM Previewing – Temporary RAM/render-free previews for analysis and tweaking of complex video FX without rendering.
• VideoCD and Data CD Burning – Burning projects directly to VideoCD for playback on most DVD players or data CDs for playback computers' CD-ROMs.

Vegas [edit]

Released on 6 February This release added:

• Advanced Color Correction Tools
• Searchable Media Pool Bins
• Vectorscope, Histogram, Parade and Waveform Monitoring
• Application Scripting
• Improved Ripple Editing
• Motion Blur and Super-Sampling Envelopes
• Surround Mixing
• Dolby® Digital AC-3 Encoding certified and tested by Dolby Laboratories
• DirectX® Audio Plug-In Effects Automation
• ASIO Driver Support
• Windows Media™ 9 Support, including Surround Encoding
• DVD Authoring with AC-3 File Import Capabilities
• Integration with DVD Architect Via Chapter Marker Passing

Vegas b[edit]

Released in April ; added HD editing and 24p support.

Vegas e[edit]

Released in November ; This is the first release of Vegas under the ownership of Sony; Sonic Foundry had sold Vegas alongside Sound Forge and other programs to Sony Pictures Digital for US$18 Million that same year.^[14]

Vegas [edit]

Released in April

Vegas [edit]

Released on 18 April

Vegas [edit]

Released in September Version 7 is the final Vegas release to include Windows support.

Vegas Pro [edit]

Released on 10 September

The first Sony Vegas version to go with the "Sony Vegas Pro" branding instead of the regular "Sony Vegas" branding. It also moved the timeline to the bottom by default, but users can still move it back to the top.

Vegas Pro [edit]

Vegas Pro is the first version of Vegas Pro to be ported to bit systems.

Vegas Pro [edit]

On 11 May , Sony Creative Software released Sony Vegas Pro with greater support for digital cinema including:

• Support for 4K resolution
• Native support for pro camcorder formats such as Red and XDCAM EX

The latest release of Sony Vegas Pro is Vegas Pro e (Released on 13 May ), which includes features such as new white balance video FX.

In , Sony Creative Software purchased the Velvetmatter Radiance suite of video FX plug-ins and these are included in Vegas 9. As a result, they are no longer available as a separate product from Velvetmatter.^[15]

Vegas Pro 10[edit]

Sony Vegas Pro 10, released on 11 October This release added:

• Stereoscopic 3D Editing
• Comprehensive Closed Captioning
• GPU-Accelerated AVC Encoding for limited formats (Using NVIDIA CUDA). With the release of Vegas 10d, support was extended to some AMD GPUs (via the OpenCLGPGPU API).
• Image Stabilization
• Audio Event FX
• Track Management
• Elastique Pitch Method
• OpenFX plugins support
• A few more updates and UI changes

Version 10 is the final Vegas Pro release to include Windows XP support.^{[citation needed]}

Vegas Pro 11[edit]

Sony announced Vegas Pro 11 on 9 September , and it was released on 17 October Updated features include GPGPU acceleration of video decoding, effects, playback, compositing, pan/crop, transitions, and motion. Other improvements were to include enhanced text tools, enhanced stereoscopic/3D features, RAW photo support, and new event synchronization mechanisms.^[16] In addition, Vegas Pro 11 comes pre-loaded with "NewBlue" Titler Pro, a 2D and 3D titling plug-in.

Vegas Pro 12[edit]

Sony released Vegas Pro 12 on 9 November Updated features include enhanced 4K support, more visual effects, and faster encoding performance. Vegas Pro 12 is dedicated to bit versions of Windows.

Vegas Pro 13[edit]

Sony released Vegas Pro 13 on 11 April It brings new collaboration tools and streamlined workflows to professional content producers faced with a wide variety of multimedia production tasks. This is the final Vegas Pro release under Sony's ownership. The last Sony Vegas Pro 13 build was # MAGIX released a rebranded version build #

Available in three new configurations:

• Vegas Pro 13 Edit: Video and Audio Production
• Vegas Pro Video, Audio, and Blu-ray Disc Creation
• Vegas Pro 13 Suite: Editing, Disc Authoring, and Visual Effects

Vegas Pro 14[edit]

MAGIX released Vegas Pro 14 on 20 September This is the first release of Vegas Pro under the ownership of MAGIX. It features advanced 4K upscaling as well as various bug fixes, a higher video velocity limit, RED camera support and various other features. This was the last version of Vegas Pro to have the light theme set by default.

Vegas Pro 15[edit]

Released on 28 August , Vegas Pro 15 features major UI changes which claimed to bring usability improvements and customization. It was the first version of VEGAS Pro to have a dark theme, and it also allows more efficient editing speeds, including adding new shortcuts to speed up editing. Vegas Pro 15 includes support for Intel Quick Sync Video (QSV) and other technologies, as well as various other features. It also changed the VEGAS Pro icon into a V.^[17]

Vegas Pro 16[edit]

Released on 27 August , Vegas Pro 16 has some new features including file backup, motion tracking, improved video stabilization, ° editing and HDR support.^[18]

Vegas Pro 17[edit]

Released on 5 August This release added:^[19]

• Nested timelines
• Improved video stabilization
• Planar motion tracking/video tracking
• Smart Split Edit
• Dynamic storyboard and timeline interaction
• Bézier masking OFX-Plugin
• Lens correction plug
• Improved Picture-In-Picture OFX plug-in
• Automatic slideshow creator
• Screen capture
• Improved multicamera editing
• Improved color grading
• Length show
• Experimental MKV reader

Vegas Pro 18[edit]

Released on 3 August This release added:^[20]

• Motion Tracker Panel
• Improved Video FX, Transitions and Media Generator windows
• 8-Bit (full range) pixel format
• Black Bar Fill plug-in
• Denoiser plug-in
• Flicker Control plug-in
• Style Transfer plug-in
• Integrated graphics card driver update check
• The Lens Correction FX has got an additional zooming factor
• Export and Import of VEGAS Pro preferences
• Reworked screen capture utility VEGAS Capture
• Incremental Save
• A more detailed render progress dialog
• Swap video files
• New Video Scopes options
• VEGAS Prepare
• VEGAS Hub explorer window
• Alternate High DPI mode
• Logarithmic Exposure adjustment
• Some more legacy features were hidden by default, use Preferences > Deprecated Features
• Event edge handles

Vegas Pro 18 has suffered from serious stability issues, causing it to have a 35% positive review score on the distribution platform Steam.^[21]

Vegas Pro 19[edit]

Released on 18 August This release added:

• Improved user interface
• Improved color grading
• Improved effects
• New cloud-integrated content management and acquisition.
• Live streaming

Vegas Pro 20[edit]

Released on 10 August This release added:^[22][23]

• File Drop for fast collaboration
• Automatic project collections
• Local project archives
• Speech to Text functionality including automatic subtitle generation (official release - subscribers only)
• White Balance controls in the Color Grading Panel
• Hue adjustment curves in the Color Grading Panel
• VST3 Support for audio editing (beta)
• VST bit bridge (beta)
• Optical Flow mode for Warp Flow and Smart Split
• Real-time Optical Flow for the Slow Motion FX
• Normalize button for events
• Fade In/Out included in Paste Event Attributes
• Automatic region creation in Scene Detection
• Honeycomb and Color Planes presets for GL transitions

Reception[edit]

Major broadcasters have utilized the software, such as Nightline with Ted Koppel.^[24][25] Several films have used Vegas to cut their features.^[26]

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

External links[edit]

VEGAS Pro pricing

Alternatives to VEGAS Pro

View all alternatives

VEGAS Pro Reviews

5 reviews of 83 View all reviews

• Industry: Media Production
• Company size: Employees
• Used Monthly for 2+ years
• Review Source

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VEGAS Pro:

I started using VEGAS Pro back in the 00's at a multimedia company. As an audio editor and composer, VEGAS Pro allowed me to quickly edit music to film—the time-stretching and snapping tools are unparalleled—and being able to cross-dissolve video clips simply by dragging them made life so easy. I miss you, VEGAS Pro

Pros

It's hard to think of any other video editor that allows you to run full audio tracks with VST plugins in-line with your video tracks. If you're an editor who needs to do full mixes while you edit video, this is the app for you.

Cons

Sadly, VEGAS Pro is only for Windows. Since switching to Mac, I've had to stop using Vegas. But I switch back in a heartbeat if they put out a Mac version.

Alternatives Considered

Adobe Premiere Pro and Pro Tools

Reasons for Choosing VEGAS Pro

Adobe Premiere is slow and cumbersome. VEGAS Pro is fast and reliable.

Switched From

Adobe Premiere Pro

Reasons for Switching to VEGAS Pro

VEGAS Pro does it all. Video and audio.

• Industry: Information Technology & Services
• Company size: Employees
• Used Weekly for 2+ years
• Review Source

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Still one of the best video editing tool for single camera projects

I'm very happy with the software.
Sure, there is a bit of a learning curve but once you master the shortcuts and the logic
Editing becomes super fast, and you can automate most actions through scripts or plugins.

Pros

First : It's a highly flexible tool for whom you can code your own scripts to automate actions.
Second : The real time preview is a real time saver.
Third : It's affordable, and upgrades to get the lastest version are cheap.
And most importantly : It doesn't slow down your computer or crashes as much as it's direct competitor.
So that you can render your project while still working (in your browser for instance) on something else less computer intensive.

Cons

The out of the box "picture in picture" feature was overly complicated without a plugin.
The multicam was cumbersome.
Not sure if they improved it in their latest upgrade to something faster to produce and easier to edit like in Final Cut Pro X.

Alternatives Considered

Adobe Premiere Pro

Reasons for Choosing VEGAS Pro

Workflow was too time consuming. Access to a limited feature set was limiting our creativity as well.

Reasons for Switching to VEGAS Pro

Computer requirements were too demanding. Everything seemed very slow and eventually crashed the app (or the computer). The opposite of what I was trying to achieve.

• Industry: Entertainment
• Company size: Employees
• Used Daily for 2+ years
• Review Source

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I created over videos on this software over the course of 4 years - Amazing experience

Amazing. I used this software daily for years, I know it so well.

Pros

I love how easy and approachable Vegas Pro is. I mostly used Vegas Pro 12, using it almost daily. I was pretty much always working on a project in Vegas Pro. It is much easier to get into than Adobe Premier Pro and After Effects. It's a great alternative to Final Cut Pro if you don't have a Mac!

Cons

I experienced several crash issues in the past, though I am sure they have dealt with many of those problems in recent updates. Other than that, no compaints!

Alternatives Considered

Adobe Premiere Pro

Reasons for Switching to VEGAS Pro

Easier to get into.

• Industry: Entertainment
• Company size: Self Employed
• Used Daily for 2+ years
• Review Source

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You are on your own

The customer service is so poor that the overall experience is frustrating at best. At worst it costs me money because i can no longer sustain a project session without the software freezing and losing work.

Pros

After years of use and watching a decline in stability update after update, I am saying goodbye and helping people understand there is no after-purchase support with this product from MAGIX.

Cons

Once some of the best video and audio software on the market has become bloated and unusable, glitchy, and unreliable. This is a buy at your own risk software. There is NO support. None. Nada. To even get to a support request you have to click through pages of FAQ and suggestions that are also no help before you can actually submit a support request. After you submit your request there isn't even an automatic email that lets you know your request has been submitted. I have used this software for 20 yearsand I am now looking for a more reliable company. Because once you purchase, you are on your own.

Alternatives Considered

Adobe Premiere Pro

Reasons for Switching to VEGAS Pro

Familiarity over decades of using the product. I will be switching to Adobe.

• Industry: Entertainment
• Company size: Employees
• Used Weekly for 2+ years
• Review Source

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Vegas Pro Is The Underrated NLE King

I've been using Vegas Pro for about 10 years. I've been tempted by the competition, and indeed have incorporated things like Filmora for more casual edits and easier titling. But if I need to do a complex edit, like the one I did for my award-winning short film, I go to Vegas Pro. It's reliable, stable, feature-rich and affordable.

Pros

Vegas sits on a very sweet spot: it's a single-purchase license (versus things like Premiere which are only available through subscriptions), but it's not too much more expensive than more enthusiast offerings such as Filmora. For that one-time payment, you get a lifetime license to one of the most established non-linear editors in the business. There's a wealth of support and information online (which sets it apart from newcomers) and the business model is much more small-business-friendly than the Adobe subscription model.

Cons

Magix acquired Vegas from Sony a few years back but not much has changed. I really wish there were better built-in titles, for example. Better support for hardware acceleration of the timeline and edit process. The titling issue in particular usually means I have to edit my footage further somewhere else. But to be honest, the NLE workflow is good enough that I don't mind the extra steps for titling.

Alternatives Considered

Adobe Premiere Pro

Reasons for Switching to VEGAS Pro

The single-license purchase model made VEGAS Pro a no-brainer when choosing it over Premiere.

View all reviews

Related categories

Awesome video editing software

3 months ago

Comments:Although it is a wonderful and simple program, for beginners it has a big obstacle because of the difficulty of the user interface, because I used to use more professional programs such as Adobe Premiere and After Effects and professionals in general, it will be very easy for them

Pros:

Sony Vegas Pro is a very useful program that we often need to use in our projects, as it can be used to edit video clips, and the program is characterized by the fact that it can create or modify videos in very high quality up to 4k and 2k. The program is characterized by an easy, comfortable and coordinated interface in terms of the tools that are used compared to other editing programs, and Sony Vegas contains a wide range of effects that make a simple video a professional work. One of the beautiful features in it is the availability of video editing tools and audio editing tools in one program, and this is great for those who want high resolution in the image and sound at the same time. Vegas is characterized by the ease of using some tools and commands in the editing and video editing operations, such as the processes of dividing events and restoring deleted parts, the ease of using the drag and drop method on the same track or from one track to another, as well as the ease of accelerating and slowing down speeds. One of the things that I used a lot in most of my videos is adding transitions and effects, the ability to draw masks, add 3D effects, cancel video shakes, provide multiple styles in writing, formatting and moving texts, and add motion blur.

Cons:

One of the most common problems with Sony Vegas Pro and its recent decline in popularity is the delay in downloading new versions and new features, users are looking forward to new and powerful features to make their work easier in terms of the power of artificial intelligence to save time and effort

If you’ve seen one video editor, you’ve seen them all. That isn’t true though of the Vegas suite of video editors. You won’t have seen a user interface quite as ugly as Vegas’s. While other editors go out of their way to make what appears on the screen look exciting and fun so that the editing experience is as enjoyable a part of movie-making as holding the camera and shouting “cut,” Vegas seems to have gone out of its way to make you take the footage-cutting business seriously. Elements on the page are frustratingly small. Graphs look Very Important but make all but the fiddliest of editors wonder what they’re seeing. The grey background sucks out any idea that doing creative stuff with moving pictures is something to be celebrated rather than endured.

That’s surprising because the Vegas suite of software tools was originally developed by Sony as part of its Creative Software portfolio, and Sony are better known for making tools that are sleek, sexy and as aesthetic as they are functional.

The functionality at least remains. Head to the top end version and you’ll find that the Vegas Pro Suite has a host of tools that are likely to satisfy professional editors and confuse hobbyists. Multicamera editing can handle as many as 32 different camera sources. “L*a*b* color space” gives detailed control over color. The “L*a*b* Histogram view” shows channel distributions of images. Editors can also use NEWBLUEFX looks, Boris FX BCC Match Move Unit, and proDAD Mercalli V4 image stabilization. That all sounds very impressive and the image stabilization will make drone footage noticeable smoother. But strip away the fancy language and what you end up with is many of the same features that you can find on other video editors.

In effect then, video editors considering buying Vegas’s software have to compare not just the suite as a whole but they also have to decide which particular version they might want to buy and at what price. It’s a tough ask, especially when they’ll also have to compare the value of a set price to Adobe’s subscription pricing.
And in the end, it’s not likely to matter a great deal because despite the slate-grey of the professional tools, all of the versions are as functional, comprehensive and well-made as their competitors.

Review this softwareTry it now

Video editing software

VEGAS Pro is a professional video editing program. Previously known as Sony VEGAS Pro, is produced by MAGIX, who bought the company in It provides tools to edit a number of different video products with the capacity to author DVDs and Blu-rays. The editing suite is advanced, which means it can deliver professional results.

Get to grips with the workflow

The editing software in VEGAS Pro is ideal for movies, TV shows, music videos, and more. As with many professional programs, the tools require some editing experience and some learning in order to be used effectively. Fortunately, the workflow in this program has interactive tutorials to teach you how to use it.

Once you begin to understand the workflow and the interface you will see that VEGAS Pro is an intuitive program. It offers innovative tools, keeps the user in mind, and gives you the chance to customize your workspace. You can move and add windows to the docking area so that the tools you require are right where you need them.

Top range of tools

There are many tools, such as adding subtitles, using filters and effects, and optimizing images. The features are sufficient for professional editors to work on video projects. Using this program, you can slow down playback, composite images using chroma key, and adjust the white balance.

Adding visual special effects and other editing can be done to a clip directly in the timeline rather than a separate editing window, which makes VEGAS Pro a fast way to work. Your editing doesn’t need to be limited by the tools available as this powerful software gives you the control with multicam editing, masking, and image stabilization.

You have the capacity to work with HD, 4K, and 8K resolution footage, and it gives you the capacity to enhance footage that has been created at a lower resolution. VEGAS Pro appreciates that the visual is only one side of the story, which is why there is a great suite of editing tools too. The program comes as a standalone purchase or as a subscription.

Expanded capability with plug-ins

VEGAS Pro supports Open FX plug-ins, which means the number of features is vastly increased. This is vital for creativity, as the possibilities for what you can achieve are almost endless. You can use third-party effects, creating a chain that uses up to 32 plug-ins to get the desired result. One particular plug-in that is useful for cinematic effects and color grading is the ability to import and export LUTs or Lookup Tables.

Once your work is complete, it needs to be delivered in the right format, which is something this program can help with. You can choose from the most common templates or formats as well as customizing your render. The software works in a smart way to enhance the speed of the hardware when rendering, which makes it a quick process. You can drag and drop your project using the VEGAS DVD Architect to author Blu-ray or DVD discs.

Everything you need in one package

It can be quite challenging to find a program that meets all of your needs. VEGAS Pro comes close with the OFX and other great features. However, the price tag, the learning curve required, or simply the style of the interface could have you looking for a program that feels more comfortable for you. There are other alternatives for you to try.

Anyone familiar with the industry standards in editing will have heard of Adobe Premiere Pro. It is a real-time editor that comes as part of the Creative Cloud subscription, which means you can’t buy it as a one-off purchase. It provides a good number of features and tools and is useful for collaborating on projects.

Another popular tool among professionals is DaVinci Resolve. There are over functions to choose from, including video stabilization and color correction. It is particularly good when it comes to collaboration, which means different experts within a production team can use it to achieve the finished product.

If you work with graphical editing and compositing, then HitFilm Pro might appeal. The video effects are advanced, and it comes with audio editing tools and effects to match. There is a strong focus on compositor effects while maintaining more traditional features.

High-quality editing

VEGAS Pro is a complex and comprehensive program, which doesn’t hold back on delivering the tools that professionals need. It provides tutorials to assist beginners in using its software and supports plug-ins to ensure a choice of effects. This, combined with the speed for editing and rendering, makes it a useful companion for professional editors.

The latest version includes a large number of new features. We now see unified color grading, GPU-accelerated decoding for formats AVC/HEVC, nested timelines, HLG HDR color support, and optical-flow slow motion.