New Adobe Premiere User- Review - Not Impressed

[Terrance5FBE]

I am new user to Adobe Premiere and so far this product is terrible compared to standard features in Final Cut Pro. Lets start Mouse does not click, cant drag media,  Panels and Windows Closes, Volume adjustment does not stay, Media has to be copied to computer and never moved, No idea how this is regarded as one of the best software when it slows my workflow down continuously. Will give it a few more tries but ready to move on back to FCPX. 

[ah.photo]

@Terrance5FBE  I'm always an advocate for "use whatever software works best for you", I've seen some things that FCPX does very well, and on the flipside many things I've seen Premiere do better than FCP. So you gotta use what's best for you... but maybe I can at least try to address some of the issues you're running into with Premiere:

Lets start Mouse does not click, cant drag media

I'm not sure if this is indicative of a different computer issue, but Premiere definitely supports clicking and dragging media, including clicking a dragging media from your bin into the source panel or into the timeline directly. An issue I've seen some newer Premiere editors run into when they try to perform a click and drag operation, is drag from the wrong spot. I typically recommend dragging on the thumbnail/icon, because if you drag from somewhere else (like between the label and the icon) you may not be clicking ON the clip.

That said, this particular issue is still a bit vague, and there are other factors too (ex. are your tracks targeted and sources patched?), so more detail here could help.

Panels and Windows Closes

Any more info on this? They shouldn't unless you're manually closing or collapsing a panel. I can't say I've ever run into this issue.

Volume adjustment does not stay

Do you mean when changing the volume paramater of a clip? If so, make sure you haven't added multiple keyframes to volume, a screenshot might help here though

Media has to be copied to computer and never moved

This is the default behavior. A standard import into a Premiere Project, by default, does not touch the source media at all. Personally, I prefer this, because I'd rather not have Premiere manage my media unless I tell it to.

That said, you CAN setup other import behaviors. If you go to File > Project Settings > Ingest Settings you can define the ingest behavior for whenever you add new clips. One of those options is the ability to automatically copy the footage from your source media to a destination of your choice - this way you don't need to copy the footage manually in Finder ahead of time if you don't want to.

You mentioned moving files (vs. copies) and yes, Premiere (even with ingest settings) does not MOVE your source media. At most, it copies. This is because in order to move the clip entirely, it would require deleting source media and that's just a recipie for disaster. Trust me, you don't want Premiere deleting your source media. It's been a while since I've used FCP but to the best of my knowledge even FCPX doesn't delete source media: at most it copies it (just like Premiere.)

If you like FCPX's feature of having it copy media for you to a centralized location, then I'd suggest turning on "Copy" as an Ingest Setting for your projects.

[Terrance5FBE]

Thank you for the input, I have been editing video for over 15 years I am currently using 27" imac 2020 i7 16 GB RAM - on my timeline sometimes it takes like 3 clicks to move the timeline cursor to the spot i want it to be at on the timeline. I am clicking on the vertical timing notch bars and I do drag from the thumbnail, Also when I use the magic mouse to scroll through the video while video is playing, scrolling can only go as far as the vertical axis, FCP I can keep scrolling. If I have all panels open and click any of the other options like coloring, effects or editing my panel closes and goes to the audio panel, which is very strange. In full screen mode I can not stop fast forward or pause the video I have to go back to Adobe Premiere editing window, FCP X I can play pause and stop and rewind and fast forward. For media storage I may need to setup Premiere to copy media which will take up more space on my computer, have not had a chance to adjust these settings. Also in FCPX I can add all my LUTS and Coloring Effects to the software and it is always available. So far in Premiere I have to browse out and select the coloring effect each time I want to use it. So still got some playing around to do and adjusting but so far def not what I expected, will continue to look for ways to optimize computer but this is has been very frustrating. Thanks!!

[R Neil Haugen]

Every one of these pro level NLEs is different than the others. Whether it's Premiere, Avid, or Resolve ... the working process to get from "here" to "there" can be very different, but "there" can be achieved in all of them.

But they're all just fancy hammers ... tools. Use what works best for your needs.

I work daily in both Pr and Resolve. I dislike working in Resolve intensely ... I can't set that app up so the GUI is like I would prefer, there's always at least HALF of my screens wasted with stuff I don't need to see or use, but other things I do need have to be clicked through to get to. And it doesn't use half of the controls on my Tangent Elements panel, and I can't change that either.

A good friend LOVES LOVES LOVES editing in Resolve, loves the UI, for him it's the most straight-forward logical thing he's ever seen. More power to him!

As to the LUTs, it's just one of those things you need to learn about this complex and complicated app. They have a chart for where you can park your LUTs on your machine such that they naturally appear in the drop-down slots in either the Basic or Creative tabs.

Easiest is probably Program(package files)/Adobe/Common/LUTs, and then create folders in that location named Technical (Basic tab) and Creative (Creative tab). That's what I tend to use on my PCs,  and I think it is the same both Mac & PC.

As to drag/drop ... an issue that gets nearly all noobs at some point (sure got me!) is Source and Track targeting. To the far left of the control header block on the timeline panel is a gray area ... the very far left edge is for Source targeting.

Meaning if you click in the gray box so it shows either an A-number (audio tracks) or V-number (video tracks) you get a blue block. That tells Premiere where (or if!) you want video & audio to "land" on the timeline when dragged from the Source bins.

When you first create a sequence by dragging a clip to a blank timeline panel, it typically won't 'set' the Source target blocks active. Or, weirdly, you'll get either an audio or video track active, not both. Drag/drop the next clip you get either nothing at all 'taking' to the sequence, or you get the audio or video depending on what's 'blue'.

So the user needs to make sure there are Source targets showing blue to the far left.

Neil

[ah.photo]

EDIT: Neil beat me to it! Lots of great advice in his post too.

Hi again @Terrance5FBE , there's some good information in here that I think might help

Clicking/Performance

This still might be harder to naildown as there could be several factors. For example, using media not optimized for editing and Premiere needing to catch up. One advantage FCPX does have is it's configured very specifically for Macs and their higher core count, and FCPX may create proxy or preview media in the background (Premiere does not do this automatically - but you CAN make proxies or previews manually).

I can't say for sure it's a playback optimization matter, but usually those are good places to start.

If I have all panels open and click any of the other options like coloring, effects or editing my panel closes and goes to the audio panel, which is very strange.

What you're looking at there (very top of the screen) are what Premiere calls workspaces. Think of them as presets or salvos for panel configurations that you use for different tasks. When you click one, it returns to the last state that particular workspace was in, and you can also always "reset to" the saved workspace layout at anytime.

That said, these workspaces are fully customizable. You can create new workspaces, add panels to them, and save them. For more info: https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/using/workspaces.html

In full screen mode I can not stop fast forward or pause the video I have to go back to Adobe Premiere editing window,

In full-screen playback, you should still be able to control the playback with keyboard commands (spacebar, JKL, arrow keys, etc.). That said, if you're looking to keep the button bar for playback, the I would suggest using "Maximize Frame" instead. By default, pressing ` will maximize the panel your cursor is over, and SHIFT + ` will maximize the active (selected) panel (you can always change these keyboard mappings). This takes that one panel and fills your screen with it, press again and it restores.

 For media storage I may need to setup Premiere to copy media which will take up more space on my computer, have not had a chance to adjust these settings.

As I mentioned before, FCPX should be no different. FCPX either leaves the media where it is, or copies it to the Library. If it's setup to copy, it's increasing the file size of the library. Unless I'm missing something about FCPX (which in all fairness I may be), the storage considerations would be the same with either program.

Also in FCPX I can add all my LUTS and Coloring Effects to the software and it is always available.

Admittedly Premiere doesn't have the most straightforward way of doing this, BUT you can in fact install LUTs for more permanent use by moving your LUT files into specific directories. Then whenever you boot up Premiere, those LUTS should appear in their appropriate dropdowns.

More info: https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/using/looks-and-luts.html#InstallCustomLUTfiles

[Terrance5FBE]

Thank You !!

[Warren Heaton]

@Terrance5FBE 

---

I have been editing video for over 15 years

Were you using Final Cut Pro classic prior to Final Cut Pro X being introduced?  Premiere Pro is very similar to that.

---

I am currently using 27" imac 2020 i7 16 GB RAM

---

The 27-inch iMac is a great all-in-one for Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, Devinci Resolve, Media Composer, etc., etc.

---

on my timeline sometimes it takes like 3 clicks to move the timeline cursor to the spot i want it to be at on the timeline.

Unless you adjust the Zoom handles ahead of time, the Time Ruler at the bottom of the Program tab is always your full edit from start to finish.  It's a single click along that Time Ruler to get anywhere in your edit.  Also, Shift 3 to focus the Timeline tab, Backslash to fit the assembly (like Shift X in FCPX), then either click in the Timeline Time Ruler or if you have an extended keyboard start entering the timecode that you want to go to and press enter.

Also when I use the magic mouse to scroll through the video while video is playing, scrolling can only go as far as the vertical axis, FCP I can keep scrolling. 

---

If you want to skim video with the Apple Magic Mouse, hover over the picture in the Program tab as you swipe your finger across the surface of the Magic Mouse.  Doing this in the Timeline tab scrolls the window (same as using the Hand Tool).

---

If I have all panels open and click any of the other options like coloring, effects or editing my panel closes and goes to the audio panel, which is very strange. 

---

You're changing workspaces.  Each one is optimized to show the panels used during the corresponding task.  So, when you click "Editing" you get the tabs most needed while editing.  When you click "Color", you get the tabs most needed for color correction and color grading.  The workspace buttons are arranged from left to right to reflect the common order for an editing workflow.  It sounds like you might prefer a custom workspace.  Use the Window pulldown menu to show or hide the panels that you prefer, click and drag them to where you would like them to be located, and then choose Window > Workspaces > Save as New Workspace... to save our preferred arrangement.

---

In full screen mode I can not stop fast forward or pause the video I have to go back to Adobe Premiere editing window, FCP X I can play pause and stop and rewind and fast forward. 

---

When in full-screen mode, use the keyboard shortcuts to control playback.  So, J, K, and L, Home, and End.  If you're using the standard keyboard that comes with most 27-inch iMacs, then you'll use Fn + Left Arrow for Home and Fn + Right Arrow for End.  All of the keyboard shortcuts work while in full-screen mode.  I'm just listing the most common ones.  Hover Scrub while in full-screen mode is an excellent feature request!

---

For media storage I may need to setup Premiere to copy media which will take up more space on my computer, have not had a chance to adjust these settings. 

---

Premiere Pro will link to your media where ever it is on your hard drive with no need to copy it.  It sounds like you're describing Final Cut Pro X that defaults to "Copy to Library" unless you check "Leave files in place".  To Final Cut Pro X's credit, that it defaults to creating ProRes "optimized media" is something that I'd love to see in Premiere Pro.  As far as media organization goes, I prefer to create a folder for each project that contains the source footage and then save the Premiere Pro project file to this location with all of the Project Settings set to "Same as Project".  It keeps everything in one place and when the project is complete there's that one folder to archive.

---

FCPX I can add all my LUTS and Coloring Effects to the software and it is always available. So far in Premiere I have to browse out and select the coloring effect each time I want to use it.

---

You can set LUTs at the clip level at the bottom of the Interpret Footage dialog box.  Select all of your clips in the Project tab or Bin tab, then choose Clip > Modify > Interpret Footage...  

Premiere Pro Interpret Footage dialog box with the Input LUT set to None

---

So still got some playing around to do and adjusting but so far def not what I expected, will continue to look for ways to optimize computer but this is has been very frustrating. 

---

Have you had a chance to review the tutorials for Premiere Pro?

https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/tutorials.html


There are also plenty of helpful users here in the community.  

[Joost van der Hoeven]

Can you please share your system info? Like OS and version, CPU, RAM, GPU vRAM, Pr version? Thanks. Also a screen grab of your issue will be helpful.

FAQ: What information should I provide when asking a question on this forum?
https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro-discussions/faq-what-information-should-i-provide-when-a...

[Christian.Z]

Well, if you are going to work on PP the same way you worked on FCP, Premiere is going to end up cleaning the cupboard of your neighbours home.
Be patient to learn the ins and outs of PP, it will take some time to adjust from one workflow to another