When comparing HitFilm 2 vs Apple Motion 5.1, the Slant community recommends HitFilm 2 for most people. In the question“What are the best layer based compositing software tools?” HitFilm 2 is ranked 2nd while Apple Motion 5.1 is ranked 5th. The most important reason people chose HitFilm 2 is:
You can import .obj, .lwo or .3ds models right into your composites, then texture and animate them. No 3rd party plug-in required.
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Pros
Pro Import 3D models
You can import .obj, .lwo or .3ds models right into your composites, then texture and animate them. No 3rd party plug-in required.
Pro It has a free express version
Pro 2D & 3D motion tracking
A 2D track is built in HitFilm and the "Camera Solve" part of Mocha comes integrated with the software.
Pro Powerful particle simulator
Physics based 3D particle simulator that can interact with surfaces and forces. You can have custom particles, size randomness, bounce, different emitters, etc. It can even be set to animate based on audio waveforms.
Pro Real 3D
Particles, models, lights, camera tracking, effects, etc are all in true 3D space. You don't have to manage object or effect depth or angles by obfuscation.
Pro Mac & PC support
Works on both Mac OS X and Windows.
Pro Powerful presets & visual effects
Color grading, motion blur, lights, flares, 3D muzzle flashes, procedural fire, etc. They both work out of the box and can be heavily customized. More than 150 visual effects and more are added constantly.
Pro Beginner friendly
Amazing all-in-one starter software thanks to a lot of powerful presets and a simplified workflow. There are tips, guides, explanations and easy access to community support. The interface is intuitive and easy to overview.
Pro 3D camera data support
Pro Splash screen
Gives access to community.
Pro Full keyframe curve editing
Pro Animation with "behaviors"
Pro Extensive list of filters, effects and animations
Pro Share directly to YouTube at 4K resolution
Pro 2D and 3D compositing
Pro Particle effects
Pro Intuitive interface
With a single-window layout you can understand the workflow quickly and start using it fast.
Cons
Con No OMFI support
Open Media Framework Interchange (OMFI) is a platform-independent file format intended for transfer of digital media between different software applications.