Videomaker's 2005 Best Products of the Year (page 4)

Apple Final Cut Studio Video Editing Bundle ($1,299)

Apple lived up to its showmanship reputation at this year's NAB with the multimedia release presentation of Final Cut Studio. And the product lived up to the show. The FCO 5.0 improvements are stunning, with the ability to switch between and mix up to sixteen tracks of HD video (or standard def DV) simultaneously. The software also works with HDV natively. Soundtrack Pro left us breathless with its ability to fix damaged audio and with the ease of use in multi-layered sound design. One of our editors won a short video Special Effects award after learning Motion 2.0 in just 24 hours. We had fun authoring DVDs in DVD Studio Pro 4.0 after a 40-minute tutorial. The entire pack costs just $300 more than FCP by itself. If you use a Mac, this is a powerhouse.

Nero 6.6 Ultra Edition Disc Burning Software ($70, $100 boxed)

Nero bolted out of the starting gate in 1995 and has demanded attention ever since. At an extremely fair price, this PC platform-only software is not content with just DVD authoring and burning. It also edits audio and video, backs up non-protected DVDs, makes multimedia slideshows with still photos, backs up data files, assists with DVD labeling and much more than we can include in this paragraph. And they have some of the least expensive upgrade deals in the industry. How do they do it for less than $100?

Davis & Sanford Provista Airlift Tripod with FM18 Head ($340)

You don't need to spend an arm and a leg to have a solid leg (or three) to stand on (okay, we'll stop with the bad puns). With many tripods crossing the four-digit price point, a sturdy Davis & Sanford at $340 is very welcome. The Provista Airlift tripod with FM18 head is a sturdy winner with smooth tilts and pans. This lightweight aluminum support also comes with an air cushioned/pressurized center post for easy adjustments. The sliding base plate allows for fine-tuned camera balance.

iKan light kit (S200 $699, S200D $749 - includes DMX)

Fluorescent bank lighting has long been the tool of production companies with many more zeros behind their dollar sign than most of us have. iKan has brought these low wattage tools a bit closer to us independent video producers. The S200 has two 55-watt lamps in a 23"x7.8"x3.9", 12.2 lbs, aluminum case with barn boors. The unit has a built-in dimmer and is practical for the studio, with an optional DMX interface (a system for passing information from a lighting controller to a dimmer switch), while its barn doors fold to protect the lamps for easy portability in the field.

Sennheiser evolution wireless ew 112-p set ($500)

A wireless mic for $500, I'll take two. And it's made by Sennheiser, an industry favorite. All the editors were wrestling to test this UHF unit with its sturdy metal body. We liked the on/off button located under a door to protect it from being accidentally turned off. Sennheiser uses a proprietary noise-reduction system they call HDX that allows the transmitter to produce an RF signal that maximizes the microphone's signal-to-noise ratio and avoids the usual RF noise inherent in most wireless systems. They claim their audio sounds as good as a wired microphone and we agree.

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