Comparison of video editors
general
| Final Cut | Premiere Elements | |
| video windows | 2: viewer + canvas | 1 |
| multiple editing tools/modes | yes | only selection tool and time stretch tool? |
| linear timeline view | yes | yes |
| storyboard view | no | yes |
| clock display | at left of timeline and above monitor view | below monitor view |
| clock format | hours:minutes:seconds;frames | hours;minutes;seconds;frames |
timeline
| Final Cut | Premiere Elements | |
| clip appearance in timeline | any of - name at beginning/end - thumbnail; name at beginning/end - filmstrip | name plus any of - thumbnail at beginning - 2 thumbnails at beginning/end - filmstrip |
| overlapping clips | no | |
| playhead snaps to clip boundary | yes | no |
| can select clip boundary | yes | |
| move forward/back by single frame | left/right arrow keys | left/right arrow keys |
| move forward/back by larger unit | Shift+left/right: move 1 second | Shift+left/right: move 5 frames |
| move to next/previous edit | up/down arrow keys | no? |
| skim via mouse over timeline | no | no |
| zoom in/out | Option-+, Option-- | |
| zoom to entire sequence | Shift+Z |
clip movement
| Final Cut | Premiere Elements | |
| add clip from library, inserting | drag from library into insert area; shifts all unlocked tracks (splitting if necessary) | drag from library; shifts all tracks (splitting if necessary) |
| paste clip, inserting | Edit->Paste Insert | Edit->Paste Insert |
| add clip from library, overwriting | drag from library into overwrite area | Ctrl+drag from library |
| paste clip, overwriting | Edit->Paste | Edit->Paste |
| delete clip, rippling | Sequence->Ripple Delete (Shift+Delete); ripples all tracks if possible, otherwise only the containing track | Edit->Delete and Close Gap (Delete); ripples all tracks if possible, otherwise none |
| cut clip, rippling | Shift+X | Edit->Cut |
| delete clip, lifting | Sequence->Lift (or Edit->Clear) (Delete) | Edit->Clear (Shift+Delete) |
| cut clip, lifting | Edit->Cut | no? |
| move clip, rearranging | drag+Option | Alt+drag |
| move clip, overwriting | drag | Ctrl+drag |
| move clip, inserting | drag+Option | drag |
| insert gap | use Select Track Forward, then drag right | |
| delete gap | - select gap and delete it - use Select Track Forward, then drag left | select gap and delete it |
| replace clip | yes | |
| track lock | yes | no (present in full version of Premiere) |
trimming
| Final Cut | Premiere Elements | |
| clip edge indicates whether clip has been trimmed | no | yes (only when clip is selected) |
| trim clips via edge dragging | yes; ripples only when using Ripple tool | yes |
| adjust clip edges via keyboard | yes: brackets ([ ]) trim by 1 frame; Shift+bracket trims more | |
| trim clip to playhead | yes, by dragging clip end to playhead or via Extend Edit | yes, by dragging clip end to playhead |
| extend clip to playhead | yes, by dragging clip end to playhead or via Extend Edit | yes, by dragging clip end to playhead |
| select region of clip(s) in timeline | yes; selection displayed under monitor view and in timeline; can set in/out points in timeline directly | |
| cut/delete selected region | yes | |
| split clip at playhead | yes, via Scissors tool |