Final Cut Pro is a suite of powerful tools for video and audio editing. In this sense, the product supports a wide range of formats, including those used by professionals, such as H.264, AVCHD, REDCODE RAW, Sony XAVC and AVC-Intra. Similarly, you can import and export audio formats such as AIFF, MP3, AAC, WAV and SDIL.
The editor interface is not very different from those of other programs of its kind. However, it may look a bit intimidating to first-time users. Be warned, however, that the benefits you will get from the long list of tools it contains are well worth the steep learning curve.
A key element of any media editor is the timeline. Here you will not find track numbers; in fact, they are not called "tracks" but "lanes". Fortunately, there is no limit to the number of such lanes you can create. Another advantage of the timeline is that it is magnetic, i.e. by simple dragging operations, the clips automatically adjust their position.
By the way, the product contains convenient tools for sorting and trimming clips. In this regard, trimming and splitting a clip can be done on the spot (directly on the timeline) or in a separate editor, called the Precision Editor.
Final Cut Pro excels in the way it allows organizing the media assets in the project. Thus, an advanced organizer allows finding any clip in the blink of an eye, thanks to a combination of keywords and automatic metadata.
In addition to its powerful video editor described above, Final Cut Pro also comes with a set of built-in tools for editing audio. Of particular note are the filters that allow removing excessive noise from audio tracks.
Finally, it is good news that the product supports 360-degree clip stabilization, a feature not always available in packages of this type.
The bottom line, Final Cut Pro provides users with a wide range of features that meet the expectations of both professionals and home users. Unfortunately, the app can become somewhat unstable, particularly after an upgrade. As expected, this is a complex and sophisticated product and its price may not be affordable for everyone.
v10.0 [Jun 22, 2011]
• Support for Sony XAVC codec up to 4K resolution
• Option to display ProRes Log C files from ARRI ALEXA cameras with standard Rec. 709 color and contrast levels
• Resolves an issue where some third-party effects generated green frames during render
• Resolves performance issues that could occur with certain titles and effects
• Time reversed clips render in the background
• Ability to use key commands to adjust Clip Appearance settings in the timeline
• Ability to view reel number metadata located in the timecode track of video files
• Mono audio files in a surround project export with correct volume levels
• Drop zones no longer reset to the first frame of video after application restart
• Fixes a performance issue which resulted from selecting multiple ranges on a single clip
• Fixes an issue where the Play Around function did not work properly on certain clips when viewed through external video devices
