Final Cut Pro X?

[RedSkull]

So what are everyones thoughts for those of us who buy or use editing software? As someone whose familiar with Avid, Imovie and Final Cut Pro 7 and Final Cut Express, I have yet to get Final Cut Pro X, but I am thinking of getting it tonight. It's a consumer geared product from everything I've read and this is getting a LOT of backlash from the software/editing geeks.

Now to give an example films like True Grit and The Social Network were edited on some version of final cut pro, but with this new version just about everything is done for you, such as color correction, a "magnetic" timeline and instant rendering (which we should have had for years) as well as much larger file size processing.

Anyone here try it yet? Thoughts on the "even a dummy can use it" imovie mentality vs the "hardcore" editing suite?

 

[def28]

Well...I was really looking forward to a 64 bit version of FCP but...no multicam, you cant open existing FCP 7 or lower files, No edl or XML , No Red support etc. Seems to me they are giving us a beta version for $300. A incomplete product that will eventually act as it should. If you watch the announcement you will here people going ape **** for the price. But we got the last suite for $1000 with FCP 7, Compressor, Motion, Color, DVD Studio Pro and Soundtrack Pro. Now we have to pay for everything separately and Color is allegedly discontinued and no sign of DVD studio pro and Soundtrack Pro. So $400 so far for a half assed FCP, Motion 5 and Compressor. I also think I heard it wont accept photoshop files,. Which is full on bs if true.

I hear most who are using it are only using it for web media. Cause there is no way this is for prof use. Its A disappointment so far. Ill wait, a while and then mess with it since we can run FCP 7 and FCP X. It will for sure be buggy. I cant give my full review since I havnt used it. But right now I dont know why I would except for messing with a new program. Ill stick with FCP 7 for now.

Im actually looking into Avid now. Off subject a bit but do you know if there is a student version media composer by any chance? I cant find one. Also how do you like Avid compared to FCP?

 

[Ponyboy]

Anyone here try it yet? Thoughts on the "even a dummy can use it" imovie mentality vs the "hardcore" editing suite?

Still using FC 7 myself. I've got a mate who swears by Adobe After FX, and I've seen it, but it's not a flagship editing software used by any of the major cinema houses. We certainly don't use it here in Wellington. But hey man, if it gets the job done, then good on ya!

 

[RedSkull]

I'll have to give a full review, as I plan on downloading it tonight or tomorrow when I get the chance and doing some work on it. It should be good for editing together news packages or very simply linear edits like that. And while yes it is $300, there are 2 ugrades available in the app store right now for $50 a pop so the full package is $400 which is still less than half of what FCP 7 was. I heard that you were in fact able to open files from a lower version, but if you can't thats total BS. These programs take up far too much space on my harddrive (and I wont store programs on an external I refuse) for me to be RESTARTING my projects on one or the other or having to use multiple versions.

Now I can't speak in regards to your issue with the student media composer (I assume you mean music) as the only programs I would use for sound mixing would be and have been Garageband, Mix Meister Fusion, Traktor and Logic, and alot of those are hardware based.

Avid is crap in my opinion. It's an absolute joke in comparison and it's so frustrating that it makes me want to destroy the PCs in myediting lab where I'm forced to use it to edit news content.

 

[Ponyboy]

haha... yeah Avid has it's cons. It's not so bad if you're running a dozen TB of backup though So many companies (or clients rather) use Avid so it's just easier to share those projects. I'm a fan of Final Cut myself using it the majority of the time if I need to.

 

[RedSkull]

Right. A lot of major companies (NBC) included and television shows (I know The Late Late Show famously uses it and trains their new employees to use it) prefer avid. As prevalent as macs seem to be for tech people, they're still not widespread and fully integrated to the general public yet, in part due to cost and also due to reluctance of people to abandon the old ways. I think perhaps this latest consumer friendly version of final cut might help people move away from avid a bit more...

 

[def28]

Cant wait to hear what you think, and yeah I heard it wont accept FCP 7 files.
We are not getting DVD studio, Color or SOundtrack Pro with FCP X and they were apart of of the Studio so the $400 package is still missing essentials from the studio. If they themselves are only $50 then that should be a steal.

Media Composer is actually Avids video editing software. I do here its much more strict from FCP. So hearing you say that does not have me looking forward to learning it haha. I like FCP cause Im not restricted on how to edit.

 

[RedSkull]

Hopefully they will at least allow us to import files from pre existing versions of FCP with DVD studio or Color (though I'm thinking the reason color wasn't included is because of the auto color correction feature) into the new FCP.

Avid is so finnicky and so "step by step." While I don't like having everything laid out for me like an idiot ala what I've heard of Final Cut Pro X, I also don't like to have to spoon feed the program and have to literally click a separate button or hot key every time I want to go from marking a clip/in or out point to moving said clip on the timeline. Also talk about a magnetic time line...it is almost impossible for me to separate audio and move it freely without issues in the timeline on avid. It doesn't help that I'm using these stone aged PC's in a newslab.

 

[def28]

Ive heard people say the same exact thing when it comes to Avid especially if they are coming off Final Cut. Some people who used Avid first I talk to seem to prefer it though.

I also heard there is no third party support for software or hardware monitoring in FCP X. So if you have alot of plug ins they wont work as of now. I do however here its very fast and you can finally take advantage of all your ram.

 

[RedSkull]

Yeah it renders automatically and instantly from what I heard and I also watched a brief video segment from an apple con or something of someone booting up the program and it opens quicker than photoshop (though opening pre existing projects off the desktop in FCP 7 is also really fast for me too).

 

[Reikowolf]

Apple is offering refunds.

http://9to5mac.com/2011/06/28/apple-issuing-refunds-for-final-cut-pro-x/

 

[Reikowolf]

personally, with all the media and file types to work with out there, no program will be able to get it perfect without sacrificing some of the more analogue functions.

It's a step in the right direction; but needs a lot more work.

 

[RedSkull]

Hilarious that they're offering refunds...I've tried it out now and I'd be glad to answer questions on it. In summation: I don't love it. I don't think it's QUITE as bad as some are making it out to be.

Why? Consumer based or not consumer based yes it is pretty easy to use. I mean granted I already know final cut going into it so I wasn't blind, I felt that it was a pretty simple interface. I hated the new color scheme though and I found that to be a bit dis concerting. The magnetic timeline...it...works. As does the color correction (though I cant quite tell the difference, as it is supposed to be automatic?).

The bad? I don't like how magnetic it can be...making it difficult to separate things. I also don't like the inconsistencies with the icons and the dock at the top of the screen with previous versions of final cut. There are some features that are just ...not present rather than condensed. I also don't like that while rendering is quicker, yes and the program loads faster, the footage itself takes just as long or LONGER to import so you're not really saving much time are you? I also have some FRAMES DROPPED DURING PLAYBACK.

 

[def28]

I was worried that would be the case with the magnetic timeline.

Looks like Adobe and Avid are offering 50% off their software in an effort to get editors to switch from Final Cut. Sounds like a deal! Should get interesting.

 

[The Squirrel]

I was worried that would be the case with the magnetic timeline.

Looks like Adobe and Avid are offering 50% off their software in an effort to get editors to switch from Final Cut. Sounds like a deal! Should get interesting.

How good is Avid Studio? It's under $200 right now, so I might see if I can grab it.

 

[def28]

Dont know really cause I have never used the program but It has solid reviews. I think its really good for a beginning editing program. Its avids consumer editing software. So if you have worked on other programs before and looking for something a bit more advanced you might wanna look at other options. I also hear it has great sound,video effects and transitions for what it is.

 

[The Squirrel]

I've only really used Final Cut Pro for my school projects. But I can't afford the buy a mac and get my own copy of the program. But Avid looks to be more in my price range, at least for now.

 

[def28]

Gotcha. That is definitely one way how apple sells more computers haha. The student Version of Adobe Premier I think is $350 and thats a pretty solid program. Avid studios reviews do sound decent though and especially for the price. In the end its all about the project your editing and not the program, most programs all do the same thing and very few editors use all the features of the more expensive programs. Good luck on your choice!

 

[xwolverine2]

Premiere surpassed final cut a looong time ago...

can somebody please explain to me why everyone prefers final cut over premeire?

i mean for my new job i had to learn final cut and its really as good or worse in everyway...

having to render everytime you touch a clip is ridiculous...
the speed changing mechanics suck bawls compared to premiere...
and most importantly premeire lets you copy/paste the entire edited sequence into after effects without exporting...aand it'll still allow you to stretch or edit those individual clip on after effects...
...and theres plenty more features premeire has... but those are important..

the only positive i noticed on final cut was maaaaybe the color correction options...but really no body does color correction on an editing program lol

i just dont get it... especially people who use final cut with after effects.

avid doesnt exist to me lol