1stVideo from Vericorder, while having some great audio tools, non-destructive editing and a wonderful editing interface, is a disappointment.  I watched a video over at Hand Held Hollywood and got very excited to pick up this video editing app for the iPhone.  However, in my excitement I missed one key factor about the $9.99 version of 1stVideo.  The output resolution is a maximum of 480 x 360. That is very small.  And the compression is not good at all.

See the comparison of the tennis ball on the racket below.  The picture on the left is the final output from 1stVideo.  The picture on the right is from ReelDirector.  Note more than just the size of the image.  On the 1stVideo image on the left you cannot even distinguish the strings on the racket. (click image below to see full size)

I had been looking forward to this app, and now I’m left disappointed.  I’ve been using ReelDirector since it came out.  It  is a less expensive app and quality of the final project is FAR superior.  The problem I have with ReelDirector is that you can’t watch multiple clips at a time. If you want to watch more than one clip at a time to see how your edit looks, you have to render the video first.   I wanted something better than Reel Director but 1stVideo isn’t it.

What 1stVideo has going for it is it’s interface, audio tools, and scrubbing.  They are actually really awesome and blow ReelDirector away.  The interface is really nice and I love being able to quickly scrub to set my ins and outs, then drop in video clips.  Check out this video to see these elements. I agree with Vericorder that this is the world’s most advanced video editing suite running on a mobile device.

1stVideo is also WAY more accurate for detailed editing nearly down to the frame. I loved making quick changes and instantly watching the whole video without rendering to see how they looked.  Unfortunately though when you do render and do your final output the video, the quality is so poor you regret using this app.  I know I’m harping on this output of quality, but it’s just so important, I can’t believe for an app with a starting price of twice their competition (right now) would have a lower output quality.  Vericorder calls this the consumer edition, but the quality is less than we get on our “consumer iPhone” we are using.

While ReelDirector has to be rendered out to be viewed in full, what it does have going for it is the ability to add titles (while basic, they work well).  ReelDirector also allows you to add transitions between clips, either individually, or for the entire project at once.  There are 27 different transitions to choose from.  ReelDirector also has the ability to upload music files from you computer and then you can add those right into your timeline.

While 1stVideo does have nice audio tools, non-destructive editing and the ability to watch and scrub through multiple clips without rendering, the quality is just so poor I cannot recommend it over ReelDirector.  It doesn’t matter how nice or powerful your tools are, what really matters is the final product.  Also, without a way to import music, add titles or even add transitions, it’s pretty much a deal breaker for filmmakers.

Journalists and other News people may not have an issue with this.  They will want to look into the Networks edition of this app with higher quality output and direct connection to studio servers for uploading to newsrooms.  I do believe this does requires a monthly fee, however there is no pricing information on their site at this time.

All in All, I highly recommend picking up Reel Director as it works great, has the ability to upload music and most of all, the final product looks great.  I’ll be keeping my eye on 1stVideo and hope they improve the quality of the outputted video.  There is a ton of potential in 1st video and with better compression, higher quality output and a few updates, it could be a superior app.  In fact I know it would be.

Reel Director is currently on sale for only $3.99/£2.39.  For that price it’s a no brainer. (Normally it’s $7.99)  Get it here: [AppStore Link]

1stVideo has an introductory price of $9.99/£5.99.  I recommend waiting till compression and output is improved before purchasing. But you can get it here: [AppStore Link]

As I mentioned above, there is also a Networks Edition of 1stVideo that allows higher quality output.  It’s free to download, but you can’t export without signing up with the company for the additional features.  However you can still use this app to get a feel for the interface and see what it does have to offer.  I hope they update it, the output size.  It could be HUGE for them.

Note:  There actually is a way to “watch” multiple clips in ReelDirector by selecting the music and hitting play, but it’s so choppy it’s like watching a fast paced slideshow.

Josh Ernstrom writes the Short App Reviews and News for the iPhone & iPod Touch blog, and has given me permission to re-post his review of 1stVideo - thanks Josh