What's the best way to edit 4K and HDR video using video editing software?

In my experience if the editor doesn’t have a powerful Pc or Software, the best way is to take proxies of the 4k and HDR raw footages into low resolution format eg:- 1080p QuickTime mov/mp4 or 720p mov/mp4 ,so you can easily handle the footage with your software and pc or else use a Industry standard professional software to edit if you don’t have a powerful pc then you can take proxy then edit with the proxy and after the edit relink with the raw footages and export your final output. Thank you!

To edit 4K and HDR video effectively: Use powerful hardware and professional-grade editing software. Set project settings to match video resolution and frame rate. Optimize playback settings for smoother editing. Consider using a proxy workflow for improved performance. Pay attention to HDR color grading for accurate results. Enable GPU acceleration for faster rendering. Use high-quality export settings for the desired output. Calibrate your monitor for accurate color representation. Save and backup your work regularly to prevent data loss. Utilize hardware acceleration and relevant plugins/extensions for optimization.

For efficient 4K and HDR editing, ensure your hardware meets the requirements. Use optimized editing software supporting these formats. Employ proxies for smoother playback and faster editing. Utilize high resolution monitors for accurate color grading. Lastly, export in appropriate settings for quality retention.

To edit 4K and HDR video effectively one should take care of the following things listed below : 1) Make sure your PC / Laptop is capable enough to deliver the required output. 2) Use professional Video Editing Software that can perform complex tasks with ease. 3) Take video resolution and frame rate into consideration along with the project settings. 4) Always stick on proxy workflow for improved performance. 5) Change the default export(automatic) settings to manual and make sure you export the video at a higher bitrate. Don't forget to turn on GPU acceleration for faster rendering.

Editing 4K and HDR video demands optimized workflows. Start by ensuring your hardware supports the resolution and color depth. Utilize proxy workflows to ease editing by using lower-resolution files while retaining the quality for final output. Leverage software that supports HDR color grading and previewing to maintain color accuracy. Optimize your editing software's settings for efficient playback and rendering, ensuring a smooth editing experience while preserving the high resolution and dynamic range of the footage.

Create Proxies for all high-res video files; Before you adjust anything to get your PC to stop sounding like it is blasting off into space. Create a batch of proxies and get ready to be amazed. Proxies are low-res versions of your clips that allows for easy(er) workflow regardless of computer capability. I typically go for ProRes Medium as it allows for enough data in the image to color somewhat accurately but it is not too big of a file that would bog down the system.

Adjust your settings... yes? What settings? We've gone over proxies. We've gone over timeline setting matching. But where is your cache set to? An SSD? or a 5400rpm drive? What about playback resolution? Is it still set to high quality playback? Are you utilizing the CUDA cores on that expensive NVIDIA card or are you still set to software playback and encoding only? I'm asking these questions to point out that proxies are only a small part of the solution. Optimized playback for higher res files requires a lot of boxes to be ticked. Google my questions or hit up YouTube. You will not regret the results will make on your "slow system"

Editing 4K and HDR video demands robust software and capable hardware. Use software optimized for handling high resolution and HDR content. Utilize powerful computers with sufficient processing power, RAM, and graphics cards. Employ proxy workflows to edit smoothly without compromising quality. Ensure your software supports HDR color grading and has the ability to export in HDR formats. Regularly update both software and hardware for optimal performance and compatibility.

Once you've smoothed out playback issues with proxies, gpus, cache, ram allocation, drive type/speed and a plethora of other settings. You should be in a much better spot to cut. My suggestion is to cut the raw. Do not start adding color correction, plugins, motion movies. Effects in general. That should all happen after your edit is as tight as can be. Once you and your client are happy with the cut. LOCK the edit. Get them to sign off. And then, only then do you go down the road of sweetening your edit. Think of it as a pipeline and stick the the correct order.

DaVinci Resolve excels in color grading due to its professional-grade tools, HDR support, real-time playback, and integration with editing and audio. It offers a cost-effective solution, making it the top choice for precise and efficient color grading in video production, whether you're a beginner or a pro.

This really depends on what your workflow is and what software you have at your disposal. Though I'll answer this just like I did for audio mixing. IF you have the budget, hire a pro. Color Colorists have a job for a reason. Because they are experts. Off my soap box on that. Sans budget, you're the colorist. HOPEFULY the footage was shot log or neutral. If that is the case. LUTs can be an unexperienced color correctors way of getting sweet looks. They can be a great jumping point for more experienced guys too. Software wise most editing programs have limited built in color adjustments. Then come in the plug-in like Magic Bullet offers. The next step? DaVinci Resolve. It really all depends on what you edit on, and what you have access to.

To be honest optimizing workflow can mean so much. Here's my take on it. Google Posthaste. Setup a Project in your chosen NLE. Set up your bins and sequences and save a template. Add it to Posthaste and thank me later for making your life so much easier every time you start a new job or project. Workflow isn't only how you handle footage or how you set up timelines. Its structure. Cleanliness of file structures and consistency.

Proxies, Proxies, Proxies. They are the easiest way to optimize editing workflow with highres footage. Create them before you even create a sequence.

To edit 4K videos smoothly on a low-specification PC, you can optimize your workflow & save a lot of time by using Proxies. If you're editing a 4k video, make sure to create proxies before getting starting with the editing process.