Apple unveils new 64-bit Final Cut Pro X

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Apple on Tuesday took the wraps off a revolutionary 64-bit upgrade to Final Cut Pro, dubbed version X, which will arrive on the Mac App Store in June for just $299.



Apple previewed the new software Tuesday during the FCP User Group SuperMeet at the National Association of Broadcasters conference in Las Vegas. Final Cut Pro X will be sold through the Mac App Store starting in June for the low price of $299.



The Cupertino, Calif., company promised that the new version of Final Cut Pro will be "as revolutionary as the first version of FCP," Eric Reagan of Photography Bay reports.



Final Cut Pro X has been rebuilt from the ground up and will include support for all processor cores through Grand Central Dispatch. In a move sure to please professional users, the new version of FCP will support high-definition 4K resolution.



Other notable features include editing during import, scalable rendering and a resolution independent playback system, director and editor Rob Imbs reported via Twitter.



Director Larry Jordan noted on his blog that Apple's presentation on Tuesday was nearly identical to the presentation given to industry professionals six weeks ago.



Final Cut Pro X ColorBoard | Source: Apple via Larry Jordan



In February, Jordan revealed that Apple had invited a group of power users to preview the new version of Final Cut Pro. Though he was unable to give specific details, he promised the update would be "a jaw-dropper."



Final Cut Pro X Effects | Source: Apple via Larry Jordan



Preview of updated Final Cut Pro X UI | Source: Photography Bay



As reported by Photography Bay, new features in Final Cut Pro X include:



Fully color-managed Final Cut based on colorsync.

Resolution-independent playback system up to 4K formats.

Background rendering built into application.





Automatic import features

Media editing before ingest.

Image stabilization. "Deal with rolling shutter on the way in."

People detection.

Shot detection, can detect medium shots, close-ups, etc. during import.

Non-destructive color balance as media is being ingested.

Audio clean-up, with options to eliminate hum or rumble during import.

New automatic import features | Source: Rob Imbs



Media management



Range-based keywords, allowing users to add keywords selected ranges within a clip without subclipping.

Smart collections, a method for categorizing media by type, number of people in shot, framing, etc. "Smart collections looks very iMovie-ish."

Clip connections: "primary audio and video are locked synced together," with no way to accidentally knock them out of sync.

Final Cut X timeline | Source: Photography Bay



Improved timeline

Magnetic timeline: "If you slide a clip down the timeline, long clips (i.e., secondary audio) won?t collide with other clips. The other clips will drop down to a new drag and nothing is pushed out of sync."

Compound clips: "You can combine multiple clips into a single clip to make sequence easier to understand. Everything that is associated with compound clips is still accessible, but moves together with later edits."

Inline precision editor: "You can double-click on the seam between 2 clips and the timeline opens up to show what?s outside the handles."

Auditioning: A non-destructive way to compare edits and effects, allowing users to "throw effects or b-roll into timeline" during the organization process.



Streamlined audio editing

Auto-syncing audio waveforms, "like a built-in PluralEyes."

Playhead scrubs to audio-sample level for aligning audio in between frames.

Pitch-corrected audio skimming.

Fade heads are built-in to audio wave forms. No more keyframes.

Built-in clip retiming.

Color matching. "Click a clip and pick one to color match it to. Click and it?s done instantly."

Mix and match footage. "No more transcoding before input."





Similar to iMovie, Final Cut Pro X offers a film strip view for content. Users can highlight sections of content in the filmstrip view to add keywords. "Selecting those keyword items brings up just those sections of content," Reagan noted.



In a nod to power users, Apple claims to have designed the new Final Cut Pro so that "everything can be driven from the keyboard."



The software also reportedly adds "localized adjustments," which allow users to select an object -- like a face -- and make adjustments to only that part of the image. Users can also adjust the area and feathering of the local adjustment.



Apple also touted the performance of the current version, Final Cut Pro 7. The company noted that it is popular in the indie film community and essential for the broadcast community.



Apple boasted that there are 2 million Final Cut Pro users with a 94 percent satisfaction rate. It also said that Final Cut Pro is growing twice as fast as its competitors, and said that Adobe and Avid are "in a race for second place."



Photography Bay also has a rough video of Apple's announcement from Tuesday available on its site.



Last week, reports emerged that Apple had pressured other SuperMeet sponsors to back out of planned presentations in order to free up stage time at the event.



Apple's last major revision to Final Cut Studio came in July 2009 and added more than 100 new features, including real time collaboration via iChat Theater and expanded ProRes codecs.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 159
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,419member
    Woohooo 64-bit



    And a new interface!!
  • Reply 2 of 159
    rob55rob55 Posts: 1,291member
    When can I buy it?!
  • Reply 3 of 159
    mstonemstone Posts: 11,510member
    I'm following on Mac Rumors. Is there a better feed?
  • Reply 4 of 159
    rob55rob55 Posts: 1,291member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post


    I'm following on Mac Rumors. Is there a better feed?



    None that I've found. 9 to 5 Mac had an audio feed, but seems to have crapped out. Can't wait for all the official details on Apple.com later or tomorrow.
  • Reply 5 of 159
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mstone View Post


    I'm following on Mac Rumors. Is there a better feed?



    This guy's blogging it live: http://www.photographybay.com/2011/0...meet-liveblog/
  • Reply 6 of 159
    nerudaneruda Posts: 439member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    /12/apple_unveils_new_64_bit_final_cut_pro_x.html][ View this article at AppleInsider.com ][/url][/c]



    A lot of good technological updates, but I have to say that I'm not digging the iMovie 10-11 looking UI.

    http://twitter.com/fcpsupermeet
  • Reply 7 of 159
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Neruda View Post


    A lot of good technological updates, but I have to say that I'm not digging the iMovie 10-11 looking UI.

    http://twitter.com/fcpsupermeet



    Yeah, I know what you mean. The iMovie similarities are scaring me.
  • Reply 8 of 159
    laleslales Posts: 33member
    "promising it will be as "revolutionary" as the first version of the software"



    I'm a Apple fanboy, a very happy Apple stock owner, and a daily user of FCP.



    HOWEVER... this is a promise to take with a grain of salt. The first version of FCP was revolutionary only for its price point, and NOT for any other technical or creative reason. One could make the point that Premiere Pro was first at that price point.
  • Reply 9 of 159
    nerudaneruda Posts: 439member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by xanthohappy View Post


    Yeah, I know what you mean. The iMovie similarities are scaring me.



    I know what this reminds me of: http://twitpic.com/4k7835



    I'll reserve final judgment until I actually use it, but I freaking hate iMovie 10's UI. Damn you Randy.
  • Reply 10 of 159
    charlitunacharlituna Posts: 7,217member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Neruda View Post


    A lot of good technological updates, but I have to say that I'm not digging the iMovie 10-11 looking UI.

    http://twitter.com/fcpsupermeet



    Frankly I don't care about that aspect or the whole shot, people detection etc stuff that seems to 'imovie' so long as it can do all the professional level stuff and do it well



    And if the rest of the suite is equally improved power wise. If it is not then I will be very disappointed



    And I get why they are doing it. A more common interface encourages stepping up the levels because you aren't relearning but rather adding to your core knowledge.
  • Reply 11 of 159
    nerudaneruda Posts: 439member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by charlituna View Post


    Frankly I don't care about that aspect or the whole shot, people detection etc stuff that seems to 'imovie' so long as it can do all the professional level stuff and do it well



    I hear you, but the UI is the main way to make all of these professional features work and I absolutely hate the iMovie UI. I just think it is absolutely retarded IMO.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by charlituna View Post


    And if the rest of the suite is equally improved power wise. If it is not then I will be very disappointed



    Yes. Are Compressor/Color also 64 bit, GCD and Open CL optmized.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by charlituna View Post


    And I get why they are doing it. A more common interface encourages stepping up the levels because you aren't relearning but rather adding to your core knowledge.



    Good point, but that didn't stop Ubillos from going from iMovie 6 (very similar to the current versions of Fina Cut) to iMovie 7 (which was nothing like anything).



    The speed improvements and features might be worth the upgrade, but it looks like I'm going to have to fight myself to get over that UI.



    $299. No mention of the other apps for now.
  • Reply 12 of 159
    jensonbjensonb Posts: 532member
    YES! This is EVERYTHING I wanted and more! I am in love with this Upgrade! So many of these changes fix snags in my workflow or improve areas where I'm not 100% satisfied with my current output! I am delighted! Instant buy for me. As soon as I see it on the App Store, I'm getting it.
  • Reply 13 of 159
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Neruda View Post


    $299. No mention of the other apps for now.



    Yeah, that is kinda scary. It sounded like some of the functionality of Color and Motion will be worked into the new Final Cut, and I'm wondering if Apple things that will be good enough for most users. Might be the last update we see to those programs. Could always keep 'em around and buy the new Final Cut for editing.



    $299 is a steal, if it's everything it sounds like. Cheesy iMovie interface or not, I'm in for that price.
  • Reply 14 of 159
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Neruda View Post


    I hear you, but the UI is the main way to make all of these professional features work and I absolutely hate the iMovie UI. I just think it is absolutely retarded IMO.







    Yes. Are Compressor/Color also 64 bit, GCD and Open CL optmized.







    Good point, but that didn't stop Ubillos from going from iMovie 6 (very similar to the current versions of Fina Cut) to iMovie 7 (which was nothing like anything).



    The speed improvements and features might be worth the upgrade, but it looks like I'm going to have to fight myself to get over that UI.



    $299. No mention of the other apps for now.



    I don't believe there are other apps: Color, Motion, Compressor, Soundtrack -- it's all in FCP -- no return trips.



    I listened to a video stream -- the video came and went. Lots of whoops, applause and wows!



    And I think those in the audience were pro editors.





    I got the impression that the Pros really liked it -- and that it was still an easy transition for the iMovie user.



    Final Cut Express is dead!
  • Reply 15 of 159
    z3r0z3r0 Posts: 238member
    Yeah I don't like the GUI. I'd prefer something more inline with with Nuke or Houdini.

    That gray bar in the middle is an eye sore! I hope that you can float the viewers, I'd hate a single window view where they are stuck.



    Premiere is looking mighty tempting right about now. I'll have to play with FCP X first though before I make a final decision.



    What happened to Color, Motion, DVD Studio Pro, and Soundtrack?



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Neruda View Post


    A lot of good technological updates, but I have to say that I'm not digging the iMovie 10-11 looking UI.

    http://twitter.com/fcpsupermeet



  • Reply 16 of 159
    tenobelltenobell Posts: 7,014member
    Likely selling FCP by itself in leu of Final Cut Express.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by xanthohappy View Post


    $299 is a steal, if it's everything it sounds like. Cheesy iMovie interface or not, I'm in for that price.



  • Reply 17 of 159
    Super stoked!! Very much looking forward to it!
  • Reply 18 of 159
    rhyderhyde Posts: 294member
    No support for 12 cores?

    :-)
  • Reply 19 of 159
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TenoBell View Post


    Likely selling FCP by itself in leu of Final Cut Express.



    I agree. They'll probably kill off Express and just offer iMovie for the amateurs and FCPX for pros. At $300, any prosumer can afford that.



    As for the other applications, Motion, Soundtrack, etc., they'll probably be offered separately as downloads.
  • Reply 20 of 159
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    I agree. They'll probably kill off Express and just offer iMovie for the amateurs and FCPX for pros. At $300, any prosumer can afford that.



    Ditto that. FCX has been left behind, but with the new FCP-X at only $300, they'd be hard pressed to keep FCX in any form....
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