A massive bundle worth the extra money, containing absolutely every tool a video producer might need.

A new interface, smart albums, guided editing and photo merging keep Photoshop Elements ahead of the pack

Yet another leap forward for After Effects, which cements its status as the leading PC video compositing tool.

Support for latest video formats and a batch-media encoder, but supporting apps have seen little upgrading.

Not only slightly cheaper than the last version, but now Encore CS3 and OnLocation CS3 are included too.

Some powerful improvements – but you won’t get the most out of this unless it’s used alongside other Adobe apps.

For many years, After Effects (AE) was the only real choice for PC video compositing - everything else was in a different price/hardware league. But in the last couple of years, with the steady improvement of Pinnacle's Commotion and the huge price drop in Discreet's Combustion, AE isn't alone anymore.

A more mature version, taking it from sound cleaning and score creation to a powerful soundtrack composition tool.

As it focuses more on the new user, beginners will find this release easy to get to grips with.

Packed with features and closer to Adobe Premiere Elements, CyberLink PowerDirector 8 is close, but still not close enough.

With its limited editing features, it would be hard to see anyone choosing PowerDirector 5 over the Adobe, Pinnacle or Ulead competition.

The first Corel-branded VideoStudio adds one exciting new tool and lots of little improvements.

Another big improvement, but this time it’s enough to make PowerDirector a worthy alternative to its mainstream rivals

This version brings some real improvements, but there are still a few features missing.

Excellent features and performance, but it’s pricey and you need a suitably powerful PC to make the most of it.

Vegas has a huge array of editing features for the money, plus powerful bundled DVD authoring.

HDV support and seven video tracks make this a massive upgrade, but only for the plus version.

A great entry-level video editing app, but Montage is the only major addition unless you go for the Ultimate edition

Great real-time performance, particularly with high definition footage. But the EDIUS Pro software still needs a few more features to usurp the competition.

Pocket-sized digital camcorders are becoming more capable all the time. We round up ten of the best