How to edit .mov files for free? -- simple edit.

I have a 7D, and I have barely touched the video, but I took one today, and all I want to do is cut 40 seconds off the beginning. I have windows movie maker, but it cannot edit .mov files. Is there some free software out there that will let me edit the .mov files?

Again, all I want to do is cut off the first 40 seconds from the movie.

Any help would be appreciated.

.mov files really suck hard.

I use Sony Vegas, and to edit my .mov's I had to downgrade to an older version of Quicktime (I know what you're thinking "WHAT THE ****!")

Use zoombrowser to export it to an AVI.

Coppatop65 - I'm not sure why folk think that they have to "edit *.mov" files.....

My Canon SX10 and Fuji HS10 both save video in the MOV container, and I certainly don't edit either the SX10's 640 x 480 MOV, or the HS10's - either level - of HD MOV.

The cameras save H264 video in Apple's Proprietary MOV container.

H264 is a subset of MPEG4 - controlled by the Motion Picture Experts Group (can Google that) - and can either use the *.avi or *.mp4 extensions. H264 is just a later and more efficient/compressible version of MPEG4 - also called MPEG4 AVC - Advanced Video Codec.

You can strip the MOV container from the H264 - the result is then "Vidname.avi". That gives you a smaller filesize to convert or edit. However, as H264 is quite recent, I don't know if all Editors in Windows can handle it.

However, it converts readily to Compliant MPEG4, which most Editors handle. (Or Xvid4, better than MPEG4, and a converter / editor standard in Linux.)

If you just want to remove 40-seconds from the head of a file still in the MOV container, and use the remainder in the MOV container, you can use Avidemux, free for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Download and install Avidemux. Works very well in XP - can't say for Vista or Win-7, as I haven't used those.

Open Avidemux, and drag-drop your MOV item into the window. It will ask you, "H264 detected" and options. Click the "No" button, and your file will open in the window.

On the bottom slider bar - advance your video to the 40-second point, and click-in the A-marker. If you are retaining all of the rest of the video, the B-marker will go at the end of the video.

Go to - File > Save > Save Video - click, name your extract, and select a Destination. Avidemux will cut the video at the closest reference-frame to your 40-second A-marker, and Save the Re-named remainder between the A and B marker points, into the Destination directory.

From that directory, just run the video to be quite sure the cut was accurate. Rarely, you might need redo it, moving the A-marker back a few thousandths of a second to get the cut at the reference-frame, but usually not.

Avidemux doesn't alter the original file while doing this - it copies the A > B section as an extract and exports it - that's why the new filename is needed.

You can strip the MOV container from camera H264/MOV clips with Avidemux. Drop the Video into Avidemux, under Video on the left, select "MPEG4 AVC (x264)" (x264 is the OpenSource converter) - Audio leave, as Copy, and export Format, at the bottom, is AVI.

If not sure that your Editor uses H264 - just convert to compliant MPEG4 instead.

You can use Filters, Sharpen, Brighten, etc, and resizing, in Avidemux. Or just convert your MOV to MPEG2, resized to a DVD compliant *.mpeg(2) file. (Format exension is "MPEG PS (A+V)".

Use the *.mpeg(2) in DVD-Styler (free for Windows, Mac, Linux) - to create a DVD ISO, compliant DVD-fileset, or with Intro and Menus made in 'Styler, burn to TV-playable DVD.

If not clear - post back....

Dave.

Thanks, I will try that out. All I want to do in the edit is cut out the first 45 seconds of the video. They are pointless to what i was filming, and just take up space.

Dave, thanks for your help.


EDIT: Never mind, got it working. Thanks for your help.

DanielFotografie wrote in post #11459084
I use Sony Vegas, and to edit my .mov's I had to downgrade to an older version of Quicktime (I know what you're thinking "WHAT THE ****!")

I had to do this same exact thing :\

but yea, I use sony vegas pro. not sure if adobe after effects is better... but I'll stick with vegas. I'll also try and get twixtor if I can. it's good if you want to use slow motion effects

Milo08 wrote in post #11461129
I had to do this same exact thing :\

but yea, I use sony vegas pro. not sure if adobe after effects is better... but I'll stick with vegas. I'll also try and get twixtor if I can. it's good if you want to use slow motion effects

Cool!

I'm switching over to Adobe Premier. tired of ****ty vegas.

you can do that in quicktime... not sure if it needs to be "pro" version or not, but set the playhead to where you want the clip to start and hit "i" (for in point) and then go to the end of the clip and hit "o" (for out point), then just go File -> Trim To Selection and save or export to a different container.

If you're just chopping the first 45 seconds, you can do that from within your playback menu *on* the 7D itself. Look in the manual.

This YouTube video will walk you through the process of converting .MOV to .AVI
It worked Great for me

http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=tnL9k_bH2vs

DanielFotografie wrote in post #11459084
.mov files really suck hard.

I use Sony Vegas, and to edit my .mov's I had to downgrade to an older version of Quicktime (I know what you're thinking "WHAT THE ****!")

.mov is a standard... I can drag and drop raw footage right into my timeline, never had an issue with premiere.

If you just need to cut, you can use Canon's included Zoombrowser software. You have to have both the .mov and .thm file in the same directory for it to work. It's pretty quick as it doesn't have to do any conversions.

http://www.squared5.co​m/
Mpeg Stream Clip. one of the best and freest conversion tools out there.

Also... .mov is becoming (if it isn't already) an industry standard. it edits 100% natively in premiere on mac and pc, and 10000% natively in Final Cut Pro. It hasn't taken over Avid yet but its pushing hard. you have to remember Canon designed their video capabilities for professionals, use professional software, it will give you far less headaches. If good quality video was easy and free there would be absolutely no market for it and no one would develop software or hardware to push it along.

I am a Premiere Pro editor first, then a Final Cut editor, then an Avid editor. It truly, truly pays to use to good stuff.
Sorry if it sounds a bit harsh. since I went with Premiere Pro back in 2004 I've never run into a format that I cannot work with. The only thing that gives me trouble is Apple Pro Res 422 but its because I refuse to pay for quicktime pro... I just cut that stuff on final cut at work.

You can try Appgeeker video converter, it handles video editing like trim, crop, take effect, watermark, rotate, etc. And it comes with video conversion function for process all video/audio files.

Check the possible solution here: How to edit and convert MOV files