Cyberlink PowerDirector Ultra

When I picked up my Canon D10, I didn't realize that it only recorded movies in .mov format. As such, my old editing software standby, Windows Movie Maker, was no longer of use to me.

After checking out some reviews online, I DL'ed Cyberlink PowerDirector Ultra - $89. I've been tinkering around with it and without reading any instructions, it's pretty intuitive thus far.

Editing, trimming, and adding transitions is pretty easy once you get the hang of it. You can also easily add music to your video (personally, I'm not a fan of this - as I enjoy the sound of the ocean and screaming drag, but... to each his own).

The one pretty cool feature is the Chromakey picture-on-picture availability, which allows me to say, take a photo of a lure on a green table, remove the green, and post it over the video (better seen than explained - see minute 1.16 of the Speckled Trout video).

You can also green screen video - so I suppose you could tape yourself in the kayak in your living room in front of a large green sheet and superimpose yourself...say...paddling in a volcano or something.

It also uploads directly to Youtube, or Facebook and saves in pretty much any common video format, including HD. You can also easily burn to DVD.

Here are a couple of existing videos that I had, and quickly "post-produced". It gives some nice examples of the titles, transitions, inclusion of still photos, and the chromakey picture on picture. --VJ

Specks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb7JwbLUm_E

Jack Crevalle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFzVx0-4fSc

its good that you found something you like, but I would have just converted the .mov files into something usable by windows movie maker..

As a side note, I use Sony Vegas to edit my videos

I tried several .mov to .avi or .mov to .wmv conversion programs. They all resulted in loss of both picture and sound quality.

This tool would have done what you needed. It does not reencode the video (that's why you get the degraded quality and sound) but simply repackages it to be read as an AVI.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/mp4cam2avi/


BTW, if you ever have any computer questions, shoot me a PM. Senior in college (UNF) for computers and have been building them since I was about 12.

Nice work, I really like the added effect of adding the lure picture like that. Very nice.

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Malibu Pro Team

Divx Author. Doesn't degrade the video and converts it to the .divx format. The last 87 mb .mov video I converted was brought down to 17 mb by Divx Author. You can't upload .divx to youtube, but you can to photobucket.

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I have been banned from this site because I acted like a jerk too often and show a total lack of respect to others and the management of this site.

That wouldn't help him much as Windows Movie Maker can't open and edit Divx files. That's why I use Sony Vegas. Opens and exports everything

Gosh, maybe you fishing comp geeks can tell me how to convert a gulp shrimp to a DOA SHRIMP:) I just look at the pictures

Guess that is why I was in the insurance business:)

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...that makes two of us.

Can you post a picture that shows how you mounted the camera inside your kayak? I just made a mount for mine (Pentax) that sits atop my rod holder but am always open for better ideas.

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Tarpon 120

I can....but it's hardly mounted

it's just a 9 dollar tripod with bendy legs... ziptied and duct taped to a wooden dowel. I keep it in one of my 4 rod holders.
....hardly hi-tech, but it gets the job done.

I just finished this but haven't tested it yet. Took apart a small tripod and mounted it to a piece of aluminum that I attached to my front rod holder.

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Tarpon 120

Very nice setup.
Make sure you hose that sucker down everytime. Most camera hardware isn't the least bit saltwater-resistant.

Okay, you guys got me thinking now. I have an old small camera tripod laying around and I took the top section off. Come to find out it fits into a Scotty base...



for front shots...



and also into my custom pvc crate (¾" pvc)...



for over the shoulder shots...

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I have been banned from this site because I acted like a jerk too often and show a total lack of respect to others and the management of this site.

Lookin' good BNZ.....except to see some "over the shoulder" bent rod photos/video reel soon.

...and since it was requested, here's my sad excuse for a camera mount