According to online reports, on October 4, 2017 Adobe announced the release of Premiere Elements 2018 as the latest version of Premiere Elements, the successor to Premiere Elements 15. What's New appears to be headed by a change in the version numbering. Starting with this latest release, the version name for subsequent versions will take on the upcoming year of the release rather than following the prior numbering system of 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15.
I will be taking a first hand look at all aspects of Premiere Elements 2018 in this blog post in the days to come.
Today, the following Adobe online information for this new version caught my attention
http://www.adobe.com/products/premiere-elements/buying-guide.html
The page includes links for Features, Reviews, Learn & Support, Buying Guide, Free Trial, Elements 2018 Family, and Buy Now. The "buying guide" information includes the comparison of Premiere Elements 13, 14, 15, and 2018. The "Elements 2018 Family" members are pointed to as Photoshop Elements 2018, Premiere Elements 2018, and Photoshop Elements 2018 in combination with Premiere Elements 2018.
Download of Premiere Elements 2018 was started using the Free Trial link in the Adobe link cited above. After the sign in with the Adobe ID and Password, the System Requirements seen before download include Windows 64 bit only requirement (same as for Premiere Elements 15). When actually setting up for the download, language selection includes
Windows
French
Italian
Japanese
Dutch
Polish
Russian
Swedish
Turkish
Chinese - Traditional (here, but not included in the System Requirements Free Trial details)
Chinese - Simplified (here, but not included in the System Requirements Free Trial details)
Czech
German
English
Spanish
Mac
French
English
Japanese
German
I set the Free Trial for the English language. The name of the file downloaded to the my computer Downloads was PremiereElements_2018_LS31_win64.exe. Install was shown as 5.6 GB. In the Options dialog during installation, the language selection included (as written)
English (North America)
Deutsch
Espanol
Francais
Italiano
Nederlands
Svenska
Polski
Cesky
Pyccknn
日本語 (Characters for Japanese)
简体中文 (Characters for Simplified Chinese)
The Free Trial period of use was listed as 30 days.
For those interested in Photoshop Elements 2018, Adobe's overall getting started information for that product can be found at the following Adobe link which includes a Free Trial download link.
https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-elements/download-trial/get-started.html
It was interesting to note that during installation of Photoshop Elements 2018 (install 4.0 GB), the Option dialog's language selection included Traditional Chinese and Korean as well as Simplified Chinese.
WHAT'S NEW
(at first glance)
According to the Adobe "What's New In Adobe Premiere Elements" document
https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-elements/using/whats-new.html
the Premiere Elements 2018 "New Features" include the following
Candid Moments
Adobe how to details found at
https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-elements/using/candid-moments.html
Smart Trim
Adobe how to details found at
https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-elements/using/smart-trim.html
Create A Freeze Frame With Motion Title Guided Edit
Adobe how to details found at
https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-elements/using/freeze-frame-with-motion-title.html
Create Bounce Back Effect Guided Edit
Adobe how to details found at
https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-elements/using/create-bounce-back-effect.html
Fix Action Cam Footage Guided Edit
Adobe how to details found at
https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-elements/using/create-bounce-back-effect.html
Create An Animated Social Post Guided Edit
Adobe how to details found at
https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-elements/using/creating-animated-social-post.html
Also, the Elements Organizer 2018 slideshow has a new format and is described by Adobe HERE. That Adobe document also includes a link to the Elements Organizer 2015 slideshow details.
A separate "First Look & Try" blog post will be created for each of the above. The Adobe documentation appears to be comprehensive for the new features; nonetheless, the new features will be "road tested" and commented on in the blog posts here moving forward.
WHAT'S DIFFERENT
(at first glance)
New Version Naming System.
Release year in new version name instead of sequential numbering; consequently, new release is named Premiere Elements 2018 instead of Premiere Elements 16.
Note: In Expert workspace Help Menu/About Adobe Premiere Elements, the rolling display is topped with name Adobe Premiere Elements 2018 with Adobe Premiere 16 in small print underneath that.
Burn To Disc, ISO IMAGE, And Folder Opportunities Gone For Blu-ray And AVCHD.
Export & Share/Disc presents with a DVD tab only with
Type choices of Disc, ISO Image (4.7 GB), ISO Image (8.5 GB) and with
Resolution for SD 576 720 x 576 or SD 480 720 x 480. A standard versus standard
widescreen burn to appears to be related to need for the NTSC DV versus PAL DV
project preset.
This feature removal is a serious consideration for those
considering going to Premiere Elements 2018 from a Premiere Elements version
earlier than Premiere Elements 2018. Also see Adobe's October 4, 2018 document
"How To Share To DVD or Blu-ray"
This link content states "Blu-ray and AVCHD disc
burning is not supported in Adobe Premiere Elements 2018". Although not
stated and no Blu-ray and AVCHD tabs were found under Export & Share/Disc,
it is assumed that Premiere Elements 2018 also does not support Blu-ray and
AVCHD burn to ISO Image or Folder or Disc.
TOUR OF PREMIERE ELEMENTS 2018 Windows 64 Bit WORKSPACES
(with comparisons to prior version Premiere Elements 15 Windows 64 bit details..reference "Premiere Elements 15 First Look found HERE and follow the companion "Premiere Elements 2018 Daily Discoveries" blog post found HERE.)
The Premiere Elements 2018 program opens to workspaces that look the same as those seen in Premiere Elements 15. Minor differences, if any, are found opening a workspace's tabs and menus.
Expert Workspace (refer to Figure 1)
(with comparisons to prior version Premiere Elements 15 Windows 64 bit details..reference "Premiere Elements 15 First Look found HERE and follow the companion "Premiere Elements 2018 Daily Discoveries" blog post found HERE.)
The Premiere Elements 2018 program opens to workspaces that look the same as those seen in Premiere Elements 15. Minor differences, if any, are found opening a workspace's tabs and menus.
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| Figure 1. Premiere Elements 2018 Windows 64 bit Expert Workspace. |
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| Figure 2. Premiere Elements 2018 Windows 64 bit Quick Workspace. |
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| Figure 3. Premiere Elements 2018 Windows 64 bit Guided Workspace. |
- Add Media: 2018 and 15 options same.
- Project Assets Palette: 2018 and 15 options same.
- Workspaces Availability: 2018 and 15 same tabs for Expert, Quick, Guided, and, in some countries, eLive.
- Easy Access Tabs Found In Middle Of Screen At Project Start Up open to same features in 2018 as in 15. Easy Access Tab's "Add Media" opens the Add Media Tab at the top left of the Expert workspace; "Create a template based movie" opens Create Tab to reveal Video Story, Instant Movie, and Video Collage; "Tell a story using Titles" opens to Titles display; "Learning video editing" opens to Guided workspace/Guided Edits choices.
- Create Tab still houses the features for Video Story, Instant Movie, and Video Collage.
- Export & Share Tab still houses choices of Quick Export, Devices, Disc, Online, Audio, and Image, but...now there is only a DVD choice under Disc, no more Blu-ray or AVCHD opportunities...more on this area to come.
- File, Edit, Clip, Timeline, Text, Tools, Window, and Help Menus have same options (2018 vs 15) with following exceptions: Tools Menu now includes the Candid Moments option and no longer includes Favorite Moments.
- FIX, EDIT, ADD opportunities in vertical bar to right of Expert workspace have same content (2018 vs 15) with the following exceptions: under Tools icon in that vertical bar, Candid Moments has been added to the options there, and no longer includes Favorite Moments. No new effects were found under EDIT/fx Effects (video and audio), EDIT/Transitions (video and audio), ADD/Music (Music Score and Sound Effects), and ADD/Graphics. More later on Titles content accessed in this vertical bar. Note: only the EDIT/fx Effects (video and audio), EDIT/Transitions (video and audio), ADD/Transitions (video and audio), ADD/Music (music scores and sound effects), and ADD/Graphics counts have been done so far.
- Organizer Tab is located at bottom left of workspace for an access to the Elements Organizer.
- Add Media: 2018 and 15 options same.
- No Project Assets Palette: 2018 and 15 options same.
- Easy Access Tabs Found In Middle Of Screen At Project Start Up open to same features in 2018 as in 15. Easy Access Tab's "Add Media" opens the Add Media Tab at the top left of the Quick workspace; "Create a template based movie" opens Create Tab to reveal Video Story, Instant Movie, and Video Collage; "Tell a story using Titles" opens to Titles display; "Learning video editing" opens to Guided workspace/Guided Edits choices.
- Create Tab still houses the features for Video Story, Instant Movie, and Video Collage.
- Export & Share Tab still houses choices of Quick Export, Devices, Disc, Online, Audio, and Image, but...now there is only a DVD choice under Disc, no more Blu-ray or AVCHD opportunities...more on this area to come.
- File, Edit, Clip, Timeline, Text, Tools, Window, and Help Menus have same options (2018 vs 15) with following exceptions: Tools Menu now includes the Candid Moments option and no longer includes Favorite Moments. Reminder: Remove Effects option is only option available in Quick workspace Clip Menu (2018 or 15).
- FIX, EDIT, ADD opportunities in vertical bar to right of Quick workspace have same content (2018 vs 15) with the following exceptions: under Tools icon in that vertical bar, video tools now has Candid Moments included, and Favorite Moments has been removed. No new effects were found under Edit/fx Effects, EDIT/Transitions, and ADD/Graphics. More later on Titles content accessed in this vertical bar. Note: only the EDIT/fx Effects, EDIT/Transitions, ADD/Music (music scores and sound effects), and ADD/Graphics counts have been done so far. Reminder: Quick workspace (2018 or 15) has only 20 of the numerous video fx Effects, 16 of the numerous video transitions, all of the music scores and sound effects, and 15 of the numerous graphics that are available in the Expert workspace.
- Organizer Tab is located at bottom left of workspace for an access to the Elements Organizer.
Guided Workspace (refer to Figure 3)
In Premiere Elements 2018 Windows 64 bit, same lesson themes are use in both the Quick Guided and Expert Guided workspaces. The lesson themes are
- Basic (4)...same in 2018 and 15.
- Video Adjustments (5)...1 new in 2018: "Fix action cam footage" plus 4 same in 2018 and 15.
- Audio Adjustments (2)...same in 2018 and 15.
- Fun Edits (7)...3 new in 2018: "Create a freeze frame with a motion titles", "Create an animated social post", and "Create Bounce Back Effect" plus 4 same in 2018 and 15.
In Premiere Elements 14/14.1, the path to a Guided tutorial to be followed in the Expert workspace was started by clicking on Expert tab followed by Guided tab in the row of Premiere Elements 14/14.1 workspace tabs. At that point and moving forward, both the Expert and Guided workspace tabs remained highlighted in black during this feature. Use of Quick Guided also displayed highlighting of both Quick and Guided workspace tabs.
In the case of Premiere Elements 15 and 2018, the selection path is Expert tab (or Quick tab if tutorial is done in Quick workspace) followed by Guided tab, but then only the Guided tab remains highlighted in this feature.
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To be continued
Work in progress, always rechecking for accuracy.
For miscellaneous notes to myself during this Premiere Elements 18 First Look, please refer to the Premiere Elements 2018 Daily Discoveries blog post found HERE (also a work in progress).
