We were very impressed with Shotcut during our latest review of the free cross-platform video editing software, capable of running on Windows, Mac, and Linux. You can read our original Shotcut review to get the full scoop.
As a free video editor, there is never any financial commitment when upgrading. Just a decision based on whether or not the new features are worth it. So let's take a look at what's new in Shotcut.
Same old interface
Let's start with what hasn't changed, which is the user interface. It's still pretty spartan, and if you're not familiar with it, it'll take a few minutes to get your bearings and figure out how to get started.
This is a flaw that was present during our last scan of this software. Either it's not high on the priority list or the developers are just happy with the look they went for.
Still, this is a minor issue, as a little research will help you figure out the ins and outs of what you can do with this video editor, and how versatile the interface really is.
For example, it has six different interfaces, such as audio effects and video effects, which you can change using the little menu at the top right of the screen – choose Record, Edit, FX, Color, Audio, and Player to access them too. . like their titles. they are explicit. You can also configure the appearance and your windows as you see fit.
different interiors
One of the great advantages of this software is that improvements and bugs are frequently introduced: since November 2020, more than a dozen updates have been released (the version number is actually its release date), and the The number of feature changes is too numerous to mention here, but they are all listed on the Shotcut news page.
Such a list shows that if a bug is discovered, it won't be long before it is removed, although it can lead to other bugs and the process never stops. But, to be fair, that is the fate of all software.
The main point here is that existing features are improved and problems fixed regularly, one of the main advantages of open source software.
Operating system restrictions
To take advantage of the latest operating systems and balance limited resources, Shotcut must limit its backwards compatibility. The latest version works with Windows 7 and above, Mac OS 10.12, or 64-bit Linux with at least glibc 2.27.
Mac users will be happy to know that Shotcut can run natively on new Apple Silicon-powered Macs.
Additions to the new edition
As expected by now, many new features have been added to this software.
Some of the ones we've supported include support for AV1, an open, royalty-free video encoding format, though working with it will slow down your computer (this is normal, we're sure).
Timing and keyframes
A new addition that we really liked is Time Remapping. It is well implemented and very easy to use.
If you want to edit a clip that is not in a format supported by this new feature, a pop-up window will appear informing you and giving you the option to convert it to a working format. Then open the keyframe window, altering the curve at will to speed up, slow down, stop, and even reverse time.
We wouldn't see any frame blending taking place, so you might see a staggering effect if the clip slows down too much instead of smooth motion. However, that's about the only downside we could find to this fun new ability.
Speaking of keyframes, this feature has been extended to many filters, including Mask, allowing you to change them over time, making them much more useful.
markers
Bookmarks are a handy way to keep track of a complex edit or if you're working in conjunction with other editors. You can add markers to remind you to add something at a specific time, or to make sure you replace a clip later, for example, and Shotcut has now added it to the timeline.
You can't add it to individual clips yet, but it's a step in the right direction. Also, you have the option to change the color of a marker, stretch it to give it a range, and change it to add a more useful name other than "Marker n".
A nice recent enhancement includes the ability to export bookmarks as a text file, which you can then copy and paste into your Youtube description, allowing you to create chapters in seconds. A nice time saver.
Voice over failure
However, not everything is sunshine and rainbows.
The most recent addition is known as Voiceover. As the name suggests, it should let you record an audio track directly from Shotcut, which you can then perfectly crop and position to match your footage.
Except we couldn't get it to work on the Mac we were using to test this software. Every time we tried to activate it, Shotcut would crash over and over again.
From what we understand of the implementation, it seems a bit complicated. But we would choose complicated over accidents at any time.
final verdict
Ease of use doesn't come to mind when you think of Shotcut, but everything you need to cut a video is there, and it shouldn't take you long to get to grips with the interface.
Most of the new features are very welcome additions, with support for more codecs, and running natively on Apple's newest chips is a definite plus. Sure, one feature we tested failed miserably for us, but for constantly updated free software, it's not too bad. Everything else we experienced worked as advertised, and it may not take long for this issue to be fixed in a future patch.
If you are looking for a feature-rich video editor without financial investment, you can do much worse than Shotcut. Go download it now. You may be pleasantly surprised.