Slideshows
Introduction
The Magix video editors are great for creating video slideshows. Especially when using Timeline mode, frame-
accurate syncing of music can be easily achieved and many options are available for slide transitions (not that I am
suggesting they be used a lot; how many whizzy flip transitions/fades do you see in a Hollywood movie?). The Section
and Camera-ZoomShot Effects can be used to create great-looking slideshows.
Fun Facts
There is almost zero information in any of the Help resources on the special requirements/features for slideshows. Here is some information that will help you create great slide shows.Functions
Change Photo Length
Accessed on the RC menu of an image object, it provides the controls for adjusting the length of a photo: • The “sec” box allows setting of a length minutes, seconds and frames. • “Apply to Selected Range” means just that. When you have set up a blue range along the timeline, only the images in that range will have their length changed. This feature is of limited value because you can more-accurately choose which images to change using the standard Windows convention of CTRL or SHIFT click. If you have selected multiple images, when you click OK to change the length, you’ll get a prompt: Choose the result that you want. • “Apply to All” means that the length of all images on track 1 will be changed. • Any videos on track 1 will not be changed. • If you tick “Apply to selected range” and then click “Apply to All”, nothing happens because, logically, you cannot do both. It must be either one or the other. Magix should have greyed-out the “Apply to All” button when the “Apply to selected range” box is ticked. Note: Do not tick “apply to selected range” if you do not have a range set up. Weird things happen all along the track if you tick “apply to selected range” without a range set up.Transition/Fade Controls
Access the Transition options dialogue by clicking on the icon at the left left corner of an object, shown in the red box. Click the icon of the object that is being faded-into. So, for the two objects, click the icon of the second, following, object. Unfortunately, the Transitions dialogue closes each time you click one of the options; you have to reclick on the transition box to re-open it to set the other options. • Choose the desired transition for the options. • “Apply to all objects in the track” will apply the selected transition to all objects, before and after the object you have clicked on. This includes video objects. • “Apply to all of the following objects in the track”. As for “Apply to all objects”, but only to the following objects on the timeline ie the objects to the right. This is a great feature if you have have, say, two songs and want to adjust only the later images to match the second song. • “Transition Length”. This is how long the transition actually takes to complete. I use it to adjust the total length of the images. You can use it in conjunction with the photo length to achieve matching video and audio. As for Photo Length, you can choose to apply the effect to only a range. Ensure you do actually have a range set up, otherwise undesirable things happen all along the track.Track 1 - The Image Track
Track 1 is where it all happens. The functions for multi-image length adjustment and applying effects “to all images” only work on images that are on track 1.Track 5 - The Audio Track
Oddly, while Magix is purportedly track-agnostic, that is that any object can be placed on any track, when using the slideshow features, the audio objects need to be on track 5. If they are on other tracks, they will be merged and/or stretched/moved when you use the “Change Photo Length” and transition adjustments options, resulting in unwanted audio object trimming/editing. Additionally, locking a track causes unwanted object repositioning when using the slideshow features. So, if you’re using a sound track, place the audio objects on track 5 and they won’t be affected when you adjust the image lengths or transition time.
Introduction
The Magix video editors are great for creating video
slideshows. Especially when using Timeline mode,
frame-accurate syncing of music can be easily
achieved and many options are available for slide
transitions (not that I am suggesting they be used a
lot; how many whizzy flip transitions/fades do you
see in a Hollywood movie?). The Section and
Camera-ZoomShot Effects can be used to create
great-looking slideshows.
Fun Facts
There is almost zero information in any of the Help resources on the special requirements/features for slideshows. Here is some information that will help you create great slide shows.Functions
Change Photo Length
Accessed on the RC menu of an image object, it provides the controls for adjusting the length of a photo: • The “sec” box allows setting of a length minutes, seconds and frames. • “Apply to Selected Range” means just that. When you have set up a blue range along the timeline, only the images in that range will have their length changed. This feature is of limited value because you can more-accurately choose which images to change using the standard Windows convention of CTRL or SHIFT click. If you have selected multiple images, when you click OK to change the length, you’ll get a prompt: Choose the result that you want. • “Apply to All” means that the length of all images on track 1 will be changed. • Any videos on track 1 will not be changed. • If you tick “Apply to selected range” and then click “Apply to All”, nothing happens because, logically, you cannot do both. It must be either one or the other. Magix should have greyed-out the “Apply to All” button when the “Apply to selected range” box is ticked. Note: Do not tick “apply to selected range” if you do not have a range set up. Weird things happen all along the track if you tick “apply to selected range” without a range set up.Transition/Fade Controls
Access the Transition options dialogue by clicking on the icon at the left left corner of an object, shown in the red box. Click the icon of the object that is being faded-into. So, for the two objects, click the icon of the second, following, object. Unfortunately, the Transitions dialogue closes each time you click one of the options; you have to reclick on the transition box to re-open it to set the other options. • Choose the desired transition for the options. • “Apply to all objects in the track” will apply the selected transition to all objects, before and after the object you have clicked on. This includes video objects. • “Apply to all of the following objects in the track”. As for “Apply to all objects”, but only to the following objects on the timeline ie the objects to the right. This is a great feature if you have have, say, two songs and want to adjust only the later images to match the second song. • “Transition Length”. This is how long the transition actually takes to complete. I use it to adjust the total length of the images. You can use it in conjunction with the photo length to achieve matching video and audio. As for Photo Length, you can choose to apply the effect to only a range. Ensure you do actually have a range set up, otherwise undesirable things happen all along the track.Track 1 - The Image Track
Track 1 is where it all happens. The functions for multi-image length adjustment and applying effects “to all images” only work on images that are on track 1.Track 5 - The Audio Track
Oddly, while Magix is purportedly track-agnostic, that is that any object can be placed on any track, when using the slideshow features, the audio objects need to be on track 5. If they are on other tracks, they will be merged and/or stretched/moved when you use the “Change Photo Length” and transition adjustments options, resulting in unwanted audio object trimming/editing. Additionally, locking a track causes unwanted object repositioning when using the slideshow features. So, if you’re using a sound track, place the audio objects on track 5 and they won’t be affected when you adjust the image lengths or transition time.
Slideshows
