Apple today began shipping Final Cut Studio 2 from the online Apple Store, according to shipment confirmations received by readers. Announced last month at NAB, Apple's revved Final Cut Studio 2 update the industry-standard video production suite--which now includes Final Cut Pro 6 with Apple's new ProRes 422 format for uncompressed HD quality at SD file sizes and support for mixed video formats and frame rates in a single Timeline. It also includes Motion 3, which offers an intuitive 3D environment, paint and new behaviors; Soundtrack Pro 2 with tools for multitrack editing, surround mixing and con- forming sound to picture; Compressor 3, which offers batch encoding for multiple formats with a single click; and DVD Studio Pro 4.2 for SD and HD DVD authoring. The suite includes "Color," a professional color grading and finishing application for ensuring consistent color and creating signature looks.

The Apple Store indicates a 2-3 day delivery for new versions ($1,299), while FC Studio upgrades ($499 from Final Cut Studio and $699 from older versions of Final Cut Pro) are due in 2-3 weeks.