Pinnacle Studio 21 Ultimate
Corel has shipped Pinnacle Studio 21 Ultimate, the latest version of its consumer-priced video editor with impressively powerful features (see post on the previous version) -- with technology including motion-tracking, multi-cam editing, and support for 3D and 4K and 360 degree video.
But the big news in Studio 21 is not just all the sexy new technology -- there's also a streamlined user interface that makes tasks both easier to get to and easier to perform.
You first click between the three major modes: Organize, Edit, and Author. Then in the Edit step, Pinnacle has consolidated all the controls in the one pane for direct access. You choose the type of action (Properties, Corrections, Effect, Pan and Zoom, Transition In / Out, or Time Remapping), and then see all the properties that you can control.
And now each individual property can be keyframed separately, for really precise control.
Similarly, the Author step has added the clever simplification of selecting the output format by file extension -- all the video format and compression options can then default. Another nice improvement is support for detachable windows, especially for working on multiple monitors.
And, of course there are an array of new features of interest:
- Paint Effects for storybook-like motion animation, stylized with cartoon or watercolor looks.
- Morph Transition between scenes, assisted by drawing a horizontal guide line at a natural cut point.
- Wide Angle Lens Correction to straighten out distortion, especially for action cameras.
- 3D Title Editor with robust controls for color / materials, effects, and motion paths.
Pinnacle Studio is available in three versions: Studio 21 for 6-track HD editing at $59.95, Studio 21 Plus for 24-track editing with additional pro-level features including 3D and motion tracking at $99.95, and the full-up Studio 21 Ultimate for unlimited-track editing up to 4K with all this technology, plus an additional 2,000+ effects, titles and templates.
Pinnacle Studio 21 Ultimate is a powerful tool packed with cutting-edge features, but with a clean and accessible interface -- and with very consumer-friendly pricing. And with the Studio Ultimate upgrade price at $89.95, this should be an easy decision to step up to the improved interface and new features.
Find Pinnacle Studio 21 Ultimate on Amazon.com