Learn what new features the Sony Vegas Pro 12 comes with straight from Sony Creative Software’s offices, as well as how to to best utilize this software for your next project. 

Q: What are a few major features of Vegas Pro 12?

A: Some of the new features in Vegas Pro 12 include:

-Expanded Edit Mode
-Project Media Tagging
-Timeline Editing and Trimming Enhancements
-Edit Properties for Multiple Video Files
-Vertical Docking Windows
-Shape Masking Tools
-FX Masking
-Color Match
-LAB Adjust Plug-in and L*a*b* Color Space Histogram
-Layer Dimensionality Plug-in
-64-bit Audio Plug-in Support
-Project Interchange
-Smart Proxy Workflow
-Comprehensive S-Log/ ACES Workflow
-Stereoscopic 3D Auto-Pairing
-Panasonic P2 Support
-HDCAM SR (SStP) Mastering 
-Support Metadata Orientation Information for Still Image Formats

Q: What has been changed in this version, versus the past versions?

A: Besides the many new features added in Vegas Pro 12, we have a new version of Vegas Pro called Vegas Pro Edit.  It features the same award-winning video and audio toolset as the Vegas Pro 12 collection, but Vegas Pro Edit removes the disc authoring components to create a more cost-effective package focused on the art of the edit.

Q: How does the Vegas Pro 12 compare with other editing software? 

A: Our customers tell us that they prefer Vegas Pro not just for what we do, but how we do it.  The interface is straightforward, purposeful and logical.  There are hundreds of thoughtful,  forward-thinking innovations in the timeline and other areas of the UI that enable our customers to get their editing done quickly, with minimal keystrokes.  The integrated audio tools, compositing capabilities, and rendering options in Vegas Pro enable users to get their projects completed without a heavy reliance on round-tripping the media to other applications to accomplish those tasks. 

Another area of differentiation is in the area of innovation.  Over the years, Sony has been a technology leader and innovator with its Vegas Pro product line.  Vegas Pro was among the first NLE platforms to offer features like native format editing, real-time “no render” preview, support for 64-bit operating systems, integrated stereoscopic 3D workflows, file-based closed captioning support and 4K editing.  In that tradition, Vegas Pro 12 is the first affordable NLE to offer an integrated ACES (Academy Color Encoding Specification)workflow, using Sony S-Log source material. 

Q:  Are there any feature films/indies that have already used Vegas Pro 12 to edit? 

A: No, Vegas Pro 12 has only been available for a few weeks. Historically, our market is not the feature film market, but we’ve been a favorite in the indie film market, where filmmakers use Vegas Pro not just for it’s great visual editing tools, but also for its extensive audio recording/mixing capabilities and its compositing tools.  Our new Project Interchange tools in Vegas Pro 12 will be very useful for Vegas Pro filmmakers who want to collaborate with other creatives during the post-production process.

Q:  Can you describe the Smart Proxy workflow in a bit more detail?

A: Lots of today’s video files are tough to edit natively in realtime, especially on older hardware. The Smart Proxy process automatically and dynamically replaces these challenging clips with high-quality, edit-friendly HD proxies during the editing process.  Proxies are used when the preview quality is set for “Draft” or “Preview,” while the original clips are used when preview quality is set for “Good” or “Best.”  This enables the user to work at full speed in Draft or Preview with the proxies, and instantly switch over to the originals for masking, color correction, etc.  To ensure optimum quality, the original media files are used for the final render.

*If you are a sound pro interested in reading SCS’s Reviewer’s Guide and Product Descriptions, email blog@productionhub.com and we’ll send it over to you!