To get the most from your valuable HD video assets, you can download a trial version of Premiere Elements, Adobe’s easy-to-use video editing and sharing software. Using Premiere Elements alongside Photoshop Elements, you can take your unedited HD video clips from the Organiser and turn them into a tightly-edited movie, complete with transitions that help you move smoothly from one clip to another.

Here, we’ll show you how to get to grips with Premiere Elements’ tools so that you can edit HD video like a pro. In this tutorial we’ll show you how to trim away any boring bits to create a short but entertaining movie.

This saves your audience from having to endure hours of unedited footage 
of varying quality. You’ll also learn how to use Premiere Elements’ tools to add animated captions to clips and reduce problems such as camera shake.

We’ll finish off by demonstrating how Premiere Elements makes it easy to share your edited movies with family and friends, courtesy of its export options, to sites such as Facebook.

Step by step how to edit HD video using Premiere Elements

01 Import clips
Launch Premiere Elements, then click on the Organizer tab to launch the Organizer. Go to File>Get Photos and Videos>From Files and Folders. Browse to the folder containing your video clips and click Get Media.

02 Project settings
Click on the first clip’s thumbnail and then Shift-click on the last clip to select them all. Go to Edit>Edit with Premiere Elements Editor and click OK. In New Project, name the project ‘Travelogue’. Tick Change Settings. Choose DSLR 720p24 to suit our Canon EOS 500D-sourced clips.

03 Preview the edit
Click OK to launch your new Travelogue project. The ten shots will be placed along the Sceneline in numerical order. Tap the spacebar to preview your movie in the viewer. When you’ve watched the rough edit, drag the Shuttle slider to the left to rewind the blue Playhead to the start of the programme.

04 Non-linear editing
You can swap the order in which shots appear to change your narrative. In our Sceneline, we clicked on the thumbnail of the girl by the bread shop (Shot08). Then we dragged this shot left to place it before the lady selling paintings. A vertical blue line will appear to confirm the shot’s new place in the programme.

05 Trim a clip
Next we click on Shot03 in the Sceneline. Below the viewer is a blue bar. Small grey trim icons will appear at the start and end of the shot. Drag the start trim icon to the right to trim 21 frames from the beginning of Shot03. This makes the train start moving as soon as you cut to this shot.

06 Stabilise things
Next we clicked on the candle shot’s thumbnail in the Sceneline. This handheld shot wobbles about too much. Click on the Edit Workspace tab. Scroll down to the Video Stabilizer section and drag the Stabilizer icon onto the candle clip. Go to Timeline>Render Work Area to preview the stabilised clip.

07 Cool it down
In the Edit Workspace scroll to Image Control and drag the Colour Balance (RGB) icon onto Shot02 in the Sceneline. Go to Window>Properties. Toggle open Colour Balance (RGB). Drag Red to 85, Green to 94 and Blue to 142. This cools down the warm lighting, creating healthier skin tones.

08 Add a transition
In the Edit Workspace, click on Transitions. Many of the transitions are rather tacky, so we dragged the classic Cross Dissolve between Shot04 and Shot05 on the Sceneline. Preview the transition. More showy transitions (like Bouncing Cubes) will date your productions, whereas dissolves are timeless.

PAGE 1: How to edit HD video using Premiere Elements – steps 1-8
PAGE 2: How to edit HD video using Premiere Elements – steps 9-18

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How to set up your DSLR for video recording
HDSLR: 10 essential tips for editing DSLR video
Time lapse photography: how to shoot stunning sequences without any hassle

In this tutorial we’ll start by answering some of photographers’ common questions about DSLR video, then explore some of the finer points of making HD movies, such as how to pace your film, understanding frame rates and what direct controls on your camera can make the DSLR video process easier for you.

Common questions about DSLR video recording

Video cameras have been around for years, and I can even shoot decent movies on my phone,  so why is there such a buzz about filming with an SLR?

You can shoot high-definition (HD) movies with camcorders, compact cameras, and increasingly phones and tablets. However, despite these devices being convenient and offering simple point-and-record handling, DSLRs have two distinct advantages when it comes to capturing video.

Firstly, they have interchangeable lenses, enabling you to give successive clips very different looks. Secondly, the larger imaging sensors inside DSLRs make it easy to achieve a very shallow depth of field, which can help to give footage they’re capturing more of a cinematic look and feel.

This is one of the reasons professional filmmakers are shooting everything from wildlife documentaries to Oscar-nominated movies on DSLRs, often referred to as ‘HDSLRs’. They can get beautiful, sharp pictures for a fraction of the cost and size of their usual heavy-duty outfits.

Why can’t a camcorder – something that’s designed purely to shoot movies – get this ’film’ look?

It really is all down to the size of the sensor. A typical camcorder has a sensor size that measures a minute 2.4×1.8mm, or 4.3mm². In comparison, the sensor inside a typical SLR like the Canon EOS 650D is 22.3×14.9mm, or 333mm². This means that a 650D has a sensor size that’s almost 77 times larger.

The full-frame Canon EOS 5D Mark III goes one step bigger, with a sensor that measures 36x24mm, or 864mm² – that makes it 200 times the size of the typical camcorder sensor. The larger the sensor, the more light it can capture and the shallower the depth of field it can record.

Fit a ‘fast’ lens (one with a very wide maximum aperture) to a full-frame camera and you can record footage with creamy-smooth blurred backgrounds and foreground detail that leaps off the screen.

It sounds too good to be true. There must be a catch?

It’s true to say that it’s still relatively early days for film-making with SLRs, with big steps forward being made in terms of video controls, features and picture (and audio) quality with successive new cameras.

There have been some teething troubles though. Take focusing, for instance. SLRs still aren’t great at it when they’re recording video. Because the sensor needs to be constantly exposed to light, the camera has to be in Live View mode with the mirror locked up.

This means that it can’t send light to the phase-detection autofocus system that provides such fast and accurate results in normal stills photography.

The camera can still focus while it’s filming, but it has to rely on a slower method that involves measuring the contrast in the image.

This can result in the picture dropping in and out of focus as you film, so it’s often more preferable to autofocus before you record each clip, then switch to manual focus to lock the focus distance in. When you’ve finished recording the segment, you can then refocus.

If I have to use Live View, I won’t be able to see the scene through the camera viewfinder?

That’s right – with a traditional DSLR body, you’ll have to view the live feed on the DSLR’s rear screen instead. Although this is fine for stills photography, it can be a bit frustrating for film making.

Having to hold the camera for long periods in such a way that you can see the screen can be tiring, and it can also be tougher to track moving subjects than when you have your eye glued to the viewfinder.

DSLRs with flip-out LCD screens, such as Canon’s 60D, can make it more comfortable to shoot for long periods, as well as making it easier to record video at more interesting angles – such as a worm’s eye view at ground level, or at arm’s length overhead.

An entire cottage industry has built up on the back of HDSLRs, and there are many variations of shoulder rigs and Steadicam-style supports available that have been designed to help you get smooth handheld footage. We’d still go for a tripod most of the time though.

Is it easy to record sound as well?

Yes, all DSLRs that shoot video come with built-in microphones. These are quite small and underpowered, which means that you need to be close to the action to pick up sound.

You might be able to get frame-filling footage of a distant bird with a 500mm lens, but the only sound you’re likely to pick up will be your own heavy breathing! Not all mics record the audio track in stereo either.

In short, the sound quality of an DSLR doesn’t live up to the crisp high-definition picture it produces. Camera manufacturers recognise this, which is why the latest DSLRs feature external microphone jacks, and it’s worth investing in a decent hotshoe-mounted boom microphone for much clearer sound.

So, what’s the best way to piece all my clips together to make my own Hollywood blockbuster?

It’s the editing stage that can make or break a film, but first you’ll need the software to chop up your footage and rearrange it. Adobe Premiere Elements gives you all the basic controls that you need for under £100, although there are many good quality alternatives available.

When you come to start editing, be ruthless and ditch all the boring bits, and try to include plenty of cuts between shots to keep things interesting.

PAGE 1: Common questions about DSLR video recording
PAGE 2: A simple setup for shooting DSLR video
PAGE 3: What are they key DSLR video controls?
PAGE 4: How to pace your HD movies?
PAGE 5: What are frame rates?

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How to set up your DSLR for video recording
HDSLR: 10 essential tips for editing DSLR video
49 awesome photography tips and time savers

DSLR Video: how to set up your camera to record HD movies

Step 1: Choose the definition

Decide on the resolution you want to shoot your movies at. This will partly depend on what you need your video for, but it will also be determined by how long you want the maximum clip length to be.

Step 2: Set the frame rate

Some cameras provide a choice of frame rates. The standard for Europe is 25fps and 30fps is the default for the USA. Use 24fps for a cinematic look – or choose 50 or 60fps for a cool slow-motion effect.

Step 3: Sound options

Your DSLR will also record sound, but this needs to be planned carefully to be of any use. If you’re going to add a commentary and music, you may simply want to turn the sound recording off.

Step 4: Mic mechanics

To improve your sound, use a plug-in microphone. A hotshoe mic is a simple option, but a tie-clip mic on a long lead is a good low-cost solution for recording someone speaking.

Step 5: Switch to manual focus

Your camera may be able to autofocus while recording, but you can’t rely on it to stay on target for the full take. Any errors could ruin the shot, so consider switching to manual.

Step 6: Using AF
If you must use autofocus, pick the option with care. You can use live and face detection options while recording, but Canon’s Quick mode should only be used beforehand.

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HDSLR: 10 essential tips for editing DSLR video

DSLR Video: a beginner’s guide to shooting HD

Make no mistake, editing DSLR video is an exciting adventure. The chance to polish and perfect your HDSLR movie is as creative, challenging and rewarding as capturing the footage in the first place.

Among the many reasons for this is that editing offers so many opportunities. If you don’t like the length of a scene you can trim it, if you don’t like the way the story is developing you can alter it, and with myriad audio options (narration, sound effects, music) to choose from, you can dictate the atmosphere of your DSLR video. And if it doesn’t work? Just change it again.

Contrary to popular belief, editing DSLR video doesn’t have to be an expensive habit, either. There are dozens of PC and Mac video-editing programs available, ranging in price from free or a few pounds to several hundred pounds for the pro stuff, so if you do get the bug there are always more sophisticated options to investigate.

Before you get started, though, here are 10 tips for editing video shot with your HDSLR that are the pillars upon which most proficient productions are created. These aren’t just arbitrary DSLR video tips – they’ve been tried and tested, and have become part of the grammar of HDSLR filmmakers everywhere.

HDSLR: 10 essential tips for editing DSLR video

HDSLR Tip 1: Know your footage
The reality of shooting movies is that, even for short productions, the amount of footage you capture can be extensive. Recording a band performance for a music video can involve numerous takes and several hours of footage for a three-minute song. It makes sense to get to know your material. Review each of the takes (or all of your footage) and note down the shots you like, the ones that work particularly well or any that don’t look usable. If possible, note the timings of these shots too – it will make them easier to find later.

You now have the pieces of your jigsawpuzzle, so start prioritising the main chunks: the shots you know you want to use and where you’d like them to be in your movie.

HDSLR Tip 2: Think in visual stories
Editing provides the chance to direct the viewer’s attention. Just as a photo with a shallow depth of field will point the audience to where you want them to look, editing puts you in charge. Consider the story you want to tell and construct short sequences that will carry the message effectively. Ask yourself if a clip advances the story or not. If not – sometimes even if it’s a beautiful image – it’s time to chop it out.

HDSLR Tip 3: Use closeups for emphasis
There are many different shot sizes you can use when shooting a DSLR video. An Extreme Long Shot, for instance, is useful for establishing location, and for showing the whole scene. Midshots – with people cropped from the waist up – are the bread-and-butter shot of moviemaking – and are ideal for people when talking.

However, when editing you need to punctuate these wider shots with at least the occasional close-up. Close-up shots are essential for showing detail that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to make out on a TV or PC screen. These tightly cropped shots also provide intimacy.

HDSLR Tip 4: Take care with captions
All decent video software comes with built-in titling facilities. Don’t get carried away with this, as it’s easy for your credits to become longer than the movie itself. Make sure that titles are kept well away from the edges of the screen, as some screens crop off more of the image than others, and leave any text on screen long enough for you to read it through out loud twice – slowly!

HDSLR Tip 5: Insert editing
One way of disguising the join between shots is to make the cuts in the soundtrack at different points to the cuts in your DSLR video. For instance, you may have a long-length shot of a the best man’s speech at a wedding that needs cutting to size. You could edit out some of the speech in such a way that the soundtrack appears to be continuous, but you can’t do the same for video, which will jump where these cuts are made.

Instead, insert other cutaway images into the timeline to disguise these cuts in the soundtrack. In a similar vein, although the speech may be highly entertaining, 20 minutes of video of a guy stood up delivering it may not make for the most thrilling on-screen action. The solution is to run the soundtrack continuously but match it up with shots of the guests enjoying the spectacle, or perhaps archive footage or stills refl ecting the content of the speech, showing the groom in suitably embarrassing moments or what really went on after too much absinthe on the stag do in Prague…

HDSLR Tip 6: Don’t cross the line
Although using varying camera angles of the same subject will help keep things interesting, it’s important that you don’t go too far around – or someone that was on the right-hand side of screen in one shot will suddenly appear on the left, facing the opposite direction. This is horribly disorientating and confusing for the viewer, for obvious reasons.

Cameramen talk about not ‘crossing the line’, and this is also known as the ‘180 degree rule’: you can move from in front of your subject to behind them, but you must not cross their path. It’s one of those cardinal rules we mentioned before.

HDSLR Tip 7: Avoid jump cuts
Don’t get carried away with all the wipes, fades and other transitions. A simple ‘hard cut’ is usually the best option. The difficulty is that one shot can be too similar to the last, resulting in the picture jumping on screen at the cut point. To avoid this, ensure that the camera angle and shot size changes between shots.

One way to avoid jump cuts is to insert a completely different shot between two similar ones – such as the reaction of an onlooker. These are known as cutaways.

HDSLR Tip 8: Continuity
Continuity helps HDSLR filmmakers and editors avoid small but often diverting mistakes. Consider everything in each of your clips: is a character smoking a full cigarette in one shot but in the next it’s down to the butt? Perhaps in the following scene it’s back to being a full cigarette once again. A small error, perhaps, but confusing for an audience. It’s very easy to do – as you will be cutting things out of chronological order – and different shots edited together may have been actually shot on different days.

The internet is littered with classic movie mistakes. Watch and learn – try to keep track of what’s what, even while you’re filming, so you can minimise the potential for errors later on.

HDSLR Tip 9: Music, maestro, please
Music is the glue that holds your HDSLR movie together, so it should be used with care. All editing software allows you to include – and edit – audio, while serving up some useful sound effects, which you can use to add an extra element to your film (applause, bird song, comedy noises).

Copyright- and royalty-free music can be purchased (usually for a one-off fee) and adds a professional touch to soundtracks without being overly expensive or creating tricky legal issues. If you do want to use a song by a favourite band or artist, you need to consider any public broadcast/performance of your movie, as you would need to obtain the copyright holder’s permission to use the music. The Performing Rights Society (www.prsformusic.com) can help with this.

Music can be added as a separate track in the movie-editing timeline – with the ambient noise (recorded with your DSLR video) being faded in and out as required. This is a great trick for smoothing out your edit points, so they are less noticeable when played on the screen.

HDSLR Tip 10: Decide output options
Choosing the correct output option for your production is important, as the decision is about quality. If you want to maintain as much of the HD quality as possible, you should look to burn the movie to DVD or, better still, Blu-ray discs.

However, if you want the movie to be viewed online then it will need to compressed by your editing program into a file that can more easily be uploaded to the internet. Of course, with DSLR video you can always output to several different formats as necessary.

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How to set up your DSLR for video recording
DSLR Video: a beginner’s guide to shooting HD

The new iPad is finally here, boasting several new features for photographers.

Following months of speculation, Apple has confirmed its third-generation iPad tablet, which offers users a new 5-megapixel iSight camera with advanced optics.

The new iPad camera uses a backside illumination sensor, auto white balance and face detection, as well as record full HD video at 1080p.

Another boon for photographers is the new iPad’s Retina display, which Apple claims makes iPad photos more crisp and lifelike. The iPad’s photos and videos are rich with detail, the company says, due to the tablet’s AX5 chip.

The Retina display on the new iPad offers 2048×1536 resolution, 44% greater colour saturation than the iPad 2, and 3.1 million pixels — four times the number of pixels in the iPad 2 and a million more than an HDTV, Apple claims.

Other features for photographers on the new iPad include a new iPhoto app and WiFi + 4G wireless technology.

The new iPad price will remain the same as the previous generation, suggesting the iPad 2 price tag could could drop.

Apple said its new tablet will be in stores by 16 March, while pre-orders are accepted now.

Improved multiple video uploads are part of Vimeo's new redesign

Video sharing website Vimeo has unveiled its new redesign, the centrepiece of which is a new 2x larger full-width player.

The company says it has also developed new ‘smart browsing’ capabilities, which include a pull-down video discovery bar on the video page that enables users to explore their feed, recently viewed videos, watch later queue and Vimeo’s new ‘Related Videos,’ which suggests videos based on similar videos that other people have ‘liked’.

New search filters allow users to narrow results by length, credits, copyright, relevancy and more, as well as search for videos with Creative Commons licenses.

New privacy options include the ability to keep your video stats and ‘your activity’ feed private, as well as block other users.

Visit the Vimeo website for a full list of the new features.

The redesign will be tested by a set number of registered users before going live. If you would like to sign up to participate, visit the Vimeo blog for more details.

Canon, Nikon, Sony and other camera manufacturers are increasingly putting high-def video recording tools at the top of their digital SLR feature sets – and with good reason. The large sensors. awesome low-light performance and massive lens ranges offered by current DSLRs makes them appealing to a whole new breed of filmmakers, as well as photographers. If you’re a newcomer to ‘HDSLRs’, then this is for you: a guide that cuts through the jargon and explains how to get started with high-definition movie-making…

DSLR HD video: what do I need to know?

Shooting high-definition video 
with a DSLR is a relatively new concept. Some people love it, not just because it adds another string to your camera’s bow, but because the video that some of these new cameras can produce is of broadcast quality. In fact, DSLRs – or HDSLRs – are being used more and more by professional film and television makers because the bodies, lenses and add-ons are much cheaper than traditional broadcast video equipment. In particular, DSLRs provide a far greater range of affordable lens options compared with the top-end movie cameras.

Sounds good. So who are the people who aren’t convinced about HD video on DSLRs?

Traditional photographers have been rather suspicious about it. Video has been a gizmo on pocket cameras and mobile phones for some time – and some people think it’s out of place on a serious stills camera. They think they’re paying for a feature they won’t use.

Do they have a point?

Put it this way: having HD video facilities on a top-end DSLR may make it cheaper because it increases the number of people who might buy it. Furthermore, it became a relatively easy feature to include once manufacturers started adding live view to their cameras – a feature that few stills photographers who’ve used it would want to do without.

What’s the connection 
between HD video and live view?

DSLRs have a mirror and prism system that enables you to see the scene through the lens. When you take a picture, the mirror rises, the viewfinder goes dark and the image is captured by the sensor. Live view feeds the picture from the sensor directly to the LCD – the mirror is kept raised, and the viewfinder can no longer be used. HD video recording is simply saving the live view feed to the memory card instead of just displaying it.

What level of video quality can be expected from a DSLR?

The best DSLRs can record full HD – which has a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels – at 24 to 30fps. This is the same resolution as video on a Blu-ray disc. Some SLRs are capable only of the lower resolution of 720p HD, which has a resolution of 1280×720 pixels. This is still twice the resolution of the DVD format, however. Lower resolutions, such as VGA which is 640×480 pixels, are often provided as an option for longer clips or for web use.

But surely my DSLR has more pixels available than this?

True, but only for stills. The amount of data that would need to be recorded every second would make higher resolutions impractical. Besides, there would be no televisions capable of playing such footage – the best ones are capable of displaying only 1080p full HD video.

What sort of file formats do these DSLRs record video in?

If you think the choice between RAW and JPEG for stills is complicated, you’ll be baffled by the formats used by modern video devices. There are two parts to a video format. First, there’s the container – the way that data is packaged as it’s recorded. And then there’s the codec – the algorithm used for coding and decoding the data. 
It isn’t necessary to worry about this too much because the container and codec are decided by the camera you use – and videos can be translated from one format to another at the editing and output stage. Nikon and Olympus DSLRs use the AVI format, Canon DSLRs use a variation of MOV, and Panasonic and Sony work with a new format called AVCHD.

Can I still record if I use specialist lenses – like a macro or super-telephoto?

Absolutely! One of the main reasons that serious moviemakers are currently swapping their standard camcorders for DSLRs is the huge choice of lenses that you can get for them. Most video cameras have a built-in superzoom, with an often-substantial zoom ratio. However, they don’t offer a decent wide-angle view. Ultra-wide lenses and even fisheyes are widely available for most DSLRs. And you can use other lenses too – such as macro and ultra-telephoto settings.

Just as important to the moviemaker are the wide-apertured lenses that can be bought (or hired) for DSLRs. The narrow depth of field that you can get using even a low-cost 50mm f/1.8 prime lens is almost impossible to achieve on affordably priced camcorder gear. And such ‘fast’ lenses are available in practically every focal length – from the wide-apertured wide-angles used by professional documentary photographers to the ‘long-tom’ telephotos used by pro sports shooters.

Can I still use autofocus on my DSLR while shooting video?

Shooting video requires a DSLR’s reflex mirror to be fixed in the ‘up’ position as long as you continue to shoot, so that light entering through the lens reaches the image sensor continuously. You can still see what you’re shooting using the LCD on the back of the camera, but the viewfinder goes completely dark. The focusing systems used by SLRs also use the mirror, so different focusing methods are needed to ensure you have sharp footage. Autofocus systems can’t be guaranteed to work with all subjects, and it’s often best to set up the focus manually before you start recording,  and then ensure the subject doesn’t move out of the plane of focus.

Why do I need to record audio with an external mic when my camera can record all the sound?

Most cameras have a single built-in microphone that only records a monaural (non-stereo) track. The fact that they record in mono, rather than stereo, isn’t the real issue. Many professional add-on microphones are non-stereo affairs, because this is perfectly adequate for recording ambient sound and speech. However, the fact that the microphone is built in is a disadvantage. The proximity of the audio pick-up to camera and the user means that it can record the sound of your breathing, the autofocus motor (if used), and every slight touch of the camera that you make. Sound does not travel as well as light, and it is therefore important to get the microphone as close to the sound source as possible.

Any good DSLR should provide a stereo microphone socket, which enables you to connect a wired or wireless microphone. Many professionals, however, prefer to use a separate audio recording device instead. The video and audio are then combined during the editing process. Popular add-on microphones include the Sennheisser MKE400 and the Rode VideoMic

Can I record everything in Auto mode or should I adjust exposure manually, as with still images?

The amount of control you have over the exposure when shooting video varies from camera to camera. Some enable you to change the ISO, shutter speed, aperture and so on, in much the same way as you can when shooting stills. Realistically, however, you’ll have a narrower range of options.

A video is a succession of stills. You’re typically shooting 25 pictures every second – so this means that shutter speeds of 1/8 sec aren’t feasible. But fast shutter speeds aren’t always viable either, because this will create a flick-book effect on video of any moving subject. Keep shutter speeds to below 1/100 sec (unless you’re looking for super-sharp freeze-frame effects).

It’s because of this shutter speed limitation that your camera’s ISO control is often your most potent exposure weapon, allowing you to use the aperture that you really want. As people are attracted to D-SLRs for the wide aperture, narrow depth of field effects, one of the most useful accessories you can own is an ND (neutral density) filter. This cuts down the amount of light reaching the sensor, so you can use the widest apertures even in the brightest of light.

How long do memory cards 
last while recording?

The maximum length of a clip is limited to less than 30 minutes. But the way memory cards are formatted means clips can’t exceed 4GB in size, which will limit them to around 12 minutes. This should be long enough for film-making projects, where each shot is usually a few seconds or minutes long. It isn’t sufficient, though, for recording a play or a football match.

Should I use a tripod when shooting video?

We’ve all seen and suffered handheld home videos taken on a camcorder – and remember how sick they can make you feel! A tripod, therefore, is almost always essential for good quality footage.

This is particularly the case because (unlike camcorders) most DSLRs are not particularly well designed for moviemaking – you need to use Live View, forcing you to use the rear LCD as the viewfinder. You can see the screen at the back more clearly if you haven’t got to support the weight of the camera. A monopod is obviously a lot better than nothing.

When you really do need to shoot untethered to the ground, you’ll also find some interesting ‘rigs’ being sold that are designed to address the ergonomic issues of shooting video with your DSLR. Check out the Red Rock range at www. redrockmicro.com, the Zacuto rigs at www.zacuto.com and the range of supports at www.cameragrip.co.uk to see the shoulder-mounted systems that are becoming popular with pros.

What’s the simplest video editing program? And will it work with my camera?

There’s a huge range of video-editing software available, from free downloads to pricey professional packages. Most work in a very similar way, however, enabling you to import clips and arrange your different video shots and audio tracks on a ‘timeline’ – a kind of visual spreadsheet that allows you to cut and paste your movie together. Not all packages will work with all types of raw video footage. However, it’s almost always possible to convert your footage into a format that will work with a particular program using an additional piece of software.

A good all-round choice for those starting out is Adobe’s Premiere Elements – the video-editing equivalent of Photoshop Elements. This has more than enough power and tools for all but the most professional user.

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10 essential tips for editing DSLR video