If you did not know, Camtasia is a professional level video editor which you can use on both Windows and Mac.
It is good for the level of balance as well as control you have over the video which you are editing which make it a good choice for any videographer who wants to use it.
It is also a great choice for any web content producers who want their videos to look as unique and professional as possible.
The program was previously called Camtasia Studio, so if you see this name, it is essentially the same software.
It has been in use and consistently updated on PC and its popularity spawned the Mac version which has been in use since 2011.
The software is bug-free making it a great option if you want a smooth experience.
Like a lot of good video editing software, it can be quite an investment of time and money if you want to learn to use it, and because of this it is worth doing as much research before making a purchase so you are sure the software will suit your needs.
Because of this, we have put this list together so you will know if this software will be what you want.
So, if you are looking to get some professional video editing software, and you are considering Camtasia, and want to know how good it is, keep reading this Camtasia review!
Camtasia Quick Summary
For a quick summary of Camtasia, we are happy with this powerful piece of video editing software and it runs well on both Mac and Windows.
It is incredibly effective being one of the best and most capable pieces of editing software, however, you are definitely paying for this with the price being a little expensive compared to some other similar programs.
Luckily, the software is quite easy to learn to use with an interface which is easy to work with, and the support which is offered for the service makes dealing with issues and learning to use the software easy!
Camtasia offers a very wide variety of different media formats you can work with and the degree of freedom and control you are given is impressive while still being easy enough to control.
You can also use the compatible iOS and Android app to make it simple to transfer any media from your PC or Mac to your mobile device easily.
You can also easily render and export your video directly to specific platforms like YouTube, Google Drive, or Vimeo amongst other choices.
If you have never used any video editing software before, this will still be a great choice to use with Camtasia having some great tutorials built into the software and easily available.
The tutorial is made by TechSmith and does a great job to help you learn to work the software.
If you want to try Camtasia, you can do the free trial which lasts a month, or you can just buy it.
What Is Best About Camtasia?
- Has a professional set of features
- Complete control over effects
- Supports 4K video
- Great tutorials to help you learn the software
- Great for exporting directly to specific platforms
- Mobile app works well with the base software
What We Do Not Like About Camtasia?
- Much more expensive than some similar software which offers similar features
- Has a relatively limited preset library
- Some of the deeper features for editing do not have the best UI to work with
Review Of Camtasia
It is worth noting before we get into this is because this software has so many features, there is simply not enough space to get into everything, so we will instead focus on the features which are used the most commonly and you will get the most use out of, however, if a specific feature is missing we will acknowledge its absence, however, Camtasia does not miss many bases.
When you first start using Camtasia you will immediately notice that the interface may be a little busy for most people’s taste, but once you understand the intricacies of the design (which does not take long with the great tutorials) you will quickly understand why everything is where it is.
Before having to scramble around and work out where you are, the first time you load the software, the first TechSmith tutorial will pop up and talk you through the interface to make sure you know where everything is, a better idea than many other editors throwing you in the deep end to have to scavenge to find tutorials.
Once the first tutorial is completely you will be told where to find other tutorials so you can them at your own pace.
The interface of Camtasia is split into 3 main sections being the track timelines which are located at the bottom, the effects and media library at the left top section and then the preview on the top right.
You will also get a properties panel at the very top right once you start to import and add in effects.
Getting your media in is simple and will not take too much effort with a simple file open structure.
All of your media will be organized into the media bin which will also let you access the preset media as well.
You also have the option to use media accessed from your Google Drive account which is useful for the people who rely on using Drive for transferring media.
Using Your Mobile With Camtasia
Using the compatible app is a great way to transfer data between your PC or Mac and your mobile and is a great relatively unique feature which this software supports.
All you have to do is select to connect to a mobile device from the file section and you will have simple instructions on how to connect your devices.
While we do not want to drive this point home too much or get into the details of how it works exactly, this makes transferring any media you have from your phone incredibly simply and quickly compared to how tedious this process can be without a feature like this being built-in.
If you store or record a lot of media on your mobile which you plan to edit, this feature should definitely put Camtasia above any other options you are considering which do not have an equivalent.
Working With Your Media On Camtasia
Once you have added the media you are looking to work with, all the other elements of Camtasia work cohesively together to ensure that you can edit your videos together easily.
All you have to do is drag the media to the timeline or the preview window to manipulate it to what you want.
Camtasia allows you to create as many or as few tracks as you will need as well as label, and rename them however you like.
You can also simply paste and cut your video however you want, and this process is simple and easy.
Doing steps like this is also very quick with little lag, so you do not have to worry about the process making your computer slow down.
You are also able to add any overlays or effects onto your video simply and all you have to do is select the effect you want and add it onto your timeline.
You can customize all aspects of the overlay to fit what you are looking to do.
Scene transitions are just as simple as the aforementioned processes with a simple drag and drop system which makes adding them to your media simple.
The interface works well with all of these processes and will ensure that you know exactly how all your media is being edited.
The only time this is slightly let down is when you get really deep into the customization where the UI can get a bit more murky, but even then it is not too difficult to work out how to use.
Another aspect which is often overlooked with video editing software is animated certain parts of your video which is not too hard on Camtasia either.
You will not have to worry about working with keyframes and you can instead overlay different tracks with start and ends sections to ensure that you get the effect you are looking for!
Working With Your Audio On Camtasia
While there are not as many audio editing options as some audio experts may desire, there are still a good amount of options which makes working with Camtasia a great choice for audio in videos.
You will very easily be able to separate audio from video on any media you import which makes working with these aspects separately easy.
This is great if you need to level volume or adjust speed or something similar to this.
Another useful feature which is included is being able to add narration directly onto your video while you are watching the program.
This is great for not having to worry about audio syncing up properly which can often be difficult.
Extra Video Features
There are some great bonus features which Camtasia includes which will be very useful for video editing once you start to use them.
A great example of one of these is chroma keying, or as it is more commonly known, green screening, which is great to have.
The chroma key feature is simple to use and will not take much practice.
Interactive Features
Another unique aspect to Camtasia which you do not often see on other video editing software is the interactivity features which it has, for example an interactive hotspot or a quiz.
These are great if you are creating something like a video tutorial or something which will be used on a learning application which makes this a great feature to have for online instructors who want interactive video.
The only catch is for videos which use these functions you will need to install the TechSmith smart player for them to work properly, otherwise they will just be a standard non-interactive MP4.
Using Screen Capture
Another useful feature which Camtasia has built in is a screen recorder which is something which you often have to get as a third party piece of software, so it is nice to have this included in the package.
It is simple to use with just a big record button in the top left of the screen.
It is a great and simple to use feature which includes audio and mouse tracking which can be toggled on and off and will even have a companion webcam recording if you want that alongside it as well.
And the best part is that it will immediately show up in your media bin once it is recorded.
Rendering And Sharing Video On Camtasia
After you have finished working on your video, you have plenty of options on Camtasia to get the video to be rendered exactly how you want it to.
You can choose to make the video a file local to your PC or Mac, or you can instead choose the video to be uploaded online to a specific platform like YouTube, Google Drive, Vimeo, or Screencast.com which is TechSmith’s own platform.
These are great options if you do not have space on your device for the fully rendered video which can be an issue for many.
Of course linking your account to services like these can sometimes be a hassle, but Camtasia makes the process as simple as possible.
Takeaway
Camtasia is an incredibly effective piece of editing software which uses all of its features in an incredibly refined way and does not have any striking omissions which will lead to needing any supplementary software.
You will however, have to pay the hefty sum of $299.99 for the software which is more expensive than a lot of its competitors, however, paying a one-off fee is far more preferable than a monthly subscription is to others.
The system is easy to use and the support which Camtasia has means you will never struggle when using it.
