Sony Vegas Pro Editor's Review

Sony Vegas Pro is a victim not of production but of positioning. The features it has work well, and there's not really anything inherently wrong with it. The problem is that most users will fall into two camps, those who want the absolute best, and those who want the cheapest decent option, and this product falls into neither category.

The big selling point of Sony Vegas Pro is the introduction of 3D support. It takes a comprehensive approach, not only working with footage from dedicated 3D cameras, but allowing users to work with 2D clips via a stereoscopic effect.

There's also an excellent on-screen display system that can be easily customised to fit in with your preferred method of working and the particular tools and clips you have open at any time.

Overall, Sony Vegas Pro is very much aimed at the professional end of the market. Although there are some useful interactive tutorials, the sheer volume of on-screen options is likely to be offputting for anyone without a decent level of experience of editing to professional standards.

With this in mind, expectations inevitably become higher and that's where Sony Vegas Pro starts to fall a little short. For example, there are very occasional crashes that would be bearable in consumer use, but won't be acceptable for those working commercially. It's also not quite as smooth to use as some industry standard rivals and is missing a few features available elsewhere. While you may save some money buying this, it could be a false economy.

Pro's: Extremely powerful application; good interface for pros

Con's: Too complex for casual use; not quite complete for high-end use

Conclusion: Worth a try, but most people may find another product more suited to their needs and budget.