03/28, 3:10pm
Motion, Compressor get maintenance updates
[Updated with info on updated QuickTime codecs] Apple has released Final Cut Pro X 10.0.8, an update to its video editing suite. The code adds several minor features, such as support for Sony's XAVC codec up to 4K resolution, and the ability to display ProRes Log C files from ARRI ALEXA cameras with standard Rec 709 color and contrast levels. Time-reverse clips can now render in the background, and editors can use key commands for adjusting Clip Appearance settings in the timeline, and view reel number metadata in a file's timecode track.
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03/28, 12:04pm
Company tries to win back pro video editors
Apple is today launching a new marketing campaign aimed at winning editors over to Final Cut Pro X, says the LA Times. The campaign focuses on users praising features and differences in the video editing suite. Apple's efforts are reportedly being timed to coincide with the National Association of Broadcasters expo, which begins April 6th in Las Vegas.
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12/06, 2:32pm
Updates mostly maintenance releases
Apple has posted new maintenance updates its line of professional video editing software. Above all is Final Cut Pro X 10.0.7, which among others fixes problems with creating single-layer DVDs, third-party transitions using black instead of source media, and third-party effects causing Final Cut to freeze during background rendering. It also restores the Offset slider for the Letterbox effect, and allows editing MXF files that are still ingesting.
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10/23, 6:15pm
RED video codecs now supported
Apple has released a maintenance update for its Final Cut Pro software, bringing interface improvements and a list of other changes. Dual viewers with separate video scope displays are geared for easier shot comparison, while the Share interface and import window have been redesigned.
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07/13, 1:12pm
IK Multimedia offers AmpliTube discounts
Noise Industries has released a new package of plugins that allows users to create video scrapbooks by animating still images and adding transitions and backgrounds. Nattress Video Scrapbook includes six dynamic transitions, as well as a variety of motion effects, and support for Final Cut Pro, Motion, and After Effects. The software also includes support for creating stylized backgrounds for portrait images that don't fill an entire frame. A free trial can be downloaded from the company's website, while a full license costs $49.
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06/11, 1:39pm
Top-end Pro moves to Retina display
Presenting at its WWDC 2012 keynote, Apple today announced new MacBook Pro and Air models. The flagship system is a new, ultra-thin 15-inch Pro, just 0.71 inches thick, and 4.46 pounds. It also makes an upgrade to a Retina display, with a resolution of 2880x1800 and a 220ppi pixel density. The screen is also said to have a higher contrast ratio, better viewing angles, and reduced glare. To match, all the stock apps in OS X Lion have been updated to support the screen, as have Aperture and Final Cut Pro.
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02/08, 11:20am
Add-ons simulate 'broken' movies
Luca Visual FX has launched four new plugins for Final Cut Pro, Motion, and After Effects. The first of these, Grunge Effects, is split between overlays and transitions. Both sets consist of animated textures, and despite their specialization, the transitions can potentially double as overlays.
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01/31, 1:00pm
Joins Final Cut, Motion updates
Apple has posted Compressor 4.0.2, an update of its export utility for Final Cut Pro X. The new version makes just a handful of changes, for instance setting markers as chapter markers by default. Uncompressed 8-bit and 10-bit 4:2:2 have been added to the export settings list, and in a related improvement, transcoding uncompressed 10-bit 4:2:2 should be faster.
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01/31, 10:40am
Parallels new Final Cut Pro upgrade
Complementing the release of Final Cut Pro X 10.0.3, Apple has also released Motion 5.0.2. Motion is used to produce titles, transitions, animations, and other effects for Final Cut. The v5.0.2 update is said to improve "overall stability and performance," including the speed of text editing.
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01/31, 9:40am
Also upgrades chromakey tools
Apple has released Final Cut Pro X 10.0.3, an update to its professional video editing suite. The code makes the long-delayed addition of multicam editing, something editors complained was missing when the software first shipped in June 2011. The last major update of Pro X happened in September.
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01/18, 3:05am
Seven all-new plug-ins also debuting
Pro video effects tool makers Noise Industries have announced that FxFactory 3, the latest version of the plug-in suite designed to work with Apple's Final Cut, Motion, Final Cut Express and Adobe's After Effects, will be a free upgrade for existing users. In addition, the Pro version adds a new "playback ready" transition along with improved existing effects, and users of EasyLooks and SugarFX light pack will receive free upgrades to maintain compatibility.
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11/30, 1:50pm
Apple allegedly wanted 'revolutionary' software
Apple produced a Final Cut Pro 8, but decided to kill it in favor of the controversial Final Cut Pro X, suggests RHED Pixel CEO Richard Harrington. The executive made the claim during a recently videotaped presentation. "There was a Final Cut 8 and it was 64-bit and it was done and they looked at it and said 'This is not what we want to do, this is evolutionary, this is not revolutionary' and they killed it," he is quoted as saying.
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11/18, 10:40am
Paint Mask, brush slider get tweaks
Tiffen has released v3.0.5 of Dfx, its effects suite for photo and video editing. The upgrade critically adds support for Avid's new 64-bit editing tools, including Media Composer 6, Symphony 6 and NewsCutter 10. Also newly supported is a host of Sony cameras. The list includes DSLRs like the A550, A580, A700, A850, and A900, but also the NEX-3, NEX-5/5N, NEX-C3, and several SLT-series cameras: the A33, A35, A55V, A65V, and A77V. Remaining cameras on the list are the XCD-SX910CR and the STV680 VGA.
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09/20, 12:10pm
Free 30-day trial being made available
Apple says it has released Final Cut Pro X 10.0.1, a long-awaited update to the company's professional video editing software. The upgrade adds several promised features, including XML import and export of both project and event information. The addition should make it possible for Final Cut to be better integrated with outside software. Apple’s director of pro video product marketing, Richard Townhill, notes that companies like Blackmagic and Square Box have been experimenting with beta versions of the new XML interchange and integrating into existing programs, like BlackMagic's DaVinci.
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08/17, 4:40pm
Add-ons bring grids, safe areas to projects
Developer Digital Heaven has released two new freeware plugins usable with Final Cut Pro X as well as Motion 5. DH_GridX generates a grid with up to 30 horizontal and vertical divisions, intended for aligning visual elements. Grids support different line colors and widths, custom area sizes, and independently-set divisions.
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08/04, 12:00pm
No exams ready to take
Emerging from two weeks of site maintenance, Apple's professional training website has been updated with a new aesthetic, as well as new courses and certifications. The programs are intended for IT workers who need to prove familiarity with Apple products. Three new tracks have been introduced: these include OS X Lion, Final Cut Pro X, and Mac Integration Basics 10.7.
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06/28, 3:45pm
Jobs, Ive get credit for Apple keyboard design
Apple has won 10 new patents through the US Patent and Trademark Office, information shows. One notable example is the design of the current Apple keyboard with a numeric keypad. While the peripheral is relatively mundane outside of its thinness and aluminum chassis, two of the 16 people credited with the invention are Apple CEO Steve Jobs and VP of industrial design Jonathan Ive, signifying how important the shape of the product is.
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06/28, 1:05pm
Company breaks normal policies to keep customers
Some buyers of Final Cut Pro X are successfully getting refunds from Apple, reports say. The software is being sold exclusively through the Mac App Store, where one of the conditions is normally that all sales are final. By filing requests through a customer service form however, people are reportedly getting credit back for the purchase of Pro X and/or its companion apps Compressor and Motion.
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06/28, 12:35pm
Feature dropped to hurry launch?
Final Cut Pro X contains references to Pro 7 XML import in its code, a Brazilian website notes. Support for the feature is one of a number of complaints video editors have had with the new suite. The existence of hooks suggests that Apple may have dropped the feature in order to get Pro X released, or simply that support was considered but abandoned.
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06/24, 3:30pm
Multicam, audio tracks to be added back
Apple product managers have answers to a variety of the complaints pro editors have made about Final Cut Pro X, reports the New York Times' David Pogue. The managers say for instance that while multicamera editing is currently missing, restoring it in an update is a "top priority." A stopgap solution involves using the Synchronize Clips option and the V key to switch to the bottom video track.
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06/24, 2:00pm
Recent forum topics
With the release of Final Cut X earlier this week, MacNN forum goers began discussing their opinions on this latest software update, which so far has seen fairly poor reviews. One Mac Enthusiast started a thread yesterday looking for a good app that gives a variety of stock alerts.
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06/24, 9:20am
Backlash makes late-night TV
Late-night comedy show Conan has taken the unusual step of satirizing Final Cut Pro X. A skit from the latest episode (see below) features members of the show's production team supposedly praising the new video editing suite. The clip itself is badly edited though, with sudden cuts, missing titles, out-of-sync audio and shifting color and lighting.
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06/22, 1:25pm
Express, Server releases discontinued
Final Cut Pro X will get some missing features in future updates, says video production blogger Philip Hodgetts. Having spoken with Apple, he claims to have learned that Pro X will, for instance, eventually get the ability to import Final Cut Pro 6 and 7 projects. The software should also get a "replacement for the current XML workflow," and support for multicam editing.
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06/21, 3:30pm
Software requires at least v10.6.7
Shortly after Apple formally introduced Final Cut Pro X, the company posted a note on its support site urging users to update their systems to Mac OS X 10.6.8 when running the new video editing software. The latest Snow Leopard release, v10.6.7, is listed as a minimum requirement, however the v10.6.8 build is currently still in beta development.
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06/21, 11:50am
Older Mac Pros need $149 video upgrade
The Mac App Store is actively blocking some Mac Pro users from downloading Final Cut Pro X, according to complaints. One person notes that his two-year-old Mac Pro is being blocked based on system requirements, even though it has a 2.8GHz quad-core Xeon processor and 6GB of RAM. The weak link may be video, in this case an ATI Radeon HD 2600 card.
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06/21, 9:25am
Gets 64-bit framework, background rendering
Apple has finally launched Final Cut Pro X, an updated version of its professional video editing suite. The release brings Final Cut into the modern era, most significantly giving support for multi-core processing and GPU acceleration. The changes allow the software to handle background rendering, as well as 4K resolution.
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06/14, 1:40pm
Could be matched by new Thunderbolt peripherals
Final Cut Pro X could arrive at the Mac App Store next week, a Japanese news site claims to have heard. In April, Apple said the software would come to the Mac App Store in June at a price of $299, but the company has been unusually quiet since. Even the official Final Cut webpage continues to highlight the old Final Cut Studio, just weeks or days away from Pro X's launch.
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06/08, 4:35pm
'Rig' feature makes appearance
Pre-release screenshots depict Motion 5 and other aspects of Final Cut Pro X, according to an AppleInsider tip. The software is due to ship later this month for $299, but Apple has remained extremely quiet about the software; even Apple's official Final Cut page has no hint of the upcoming product. Some of the leaked screenshots show a new "rig" function in Motion, though what exactly this entails hasn't been made clear.
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02/23, 9:50am
Changes 'dramatic and ambitious'
Apple is on the verge of finishing the next version of its high-end video editing tool, Final Cut Pro, sources say. A small number of editors are said to have traveled to the Apple campus recently in order to preview the new software and provide professional feedback. While some work remains to be done, the program is close to completion, the sources indicate.
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01/17, 1:35pm
Lion could hold last Server release for Mac OS X
Apple may be ready to discontinue both Xsan and Final Cut Server, "reliable" sources are quoted as saying. Although the company has, allegedly, yet to make a final decision, Hardmac also suggests that based on its information, there is little chance of Apple changing its mind. It may in fact be preparing to drop Mac OS X Server, though this would only be after a release for Mac OS X Lion, according to claims.
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01/03, 11:35am
Sources also claim info on Xserve, Blu-ray
The next Final Cut Studio should ship in March or early April, and be a "substantial update" if not as feature-complete as some people may be expecting, according to information obtained by Hardmac. The timeframe is roughly in keeping with a promise from Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who in November suggested that Final Cut would be updated "early next year." Two separate betas of the software are said to be in existence however: one for Mac OS X Snow Leopard, and another for Lion. Some features are allegedly being reserved for Lion, as a result of changes made to Mac OS X's QuickTime layer.
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11/12, 1:05pm
New iPad app aims at pro portfolios
An update for DH_Counter, an onscreen counter plugin for Final Cut, has been released by Digital Heaven. DH_Counter 2.0 allows editors to quickly create animated counting displays that can be placed on top of any video footage. The new release has been completely rewritten, and includes a number of new features, such as the ability to set a custom start or end time. A watermarked trial version of the software can be downloaded from the company's website, while a full license runs for $29. The company has also added two new plugins, DH_Fade and DH_FieldTrans, to its line of freeware products.
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11/11, 11:05am
Industry worries about FCS falling by wayside
A new version of Final Cut Studio is coming soon, according to a brief e-mail from Apple CEO Steve Jobs. "A great release of Final Cut is coming early next year," a terse message sent from Jobs' iPad reads. The mail was sent in response to a complaint from a post-production consultant, Dustyn Gobler, who argued that companies need to know Apple's software roadmap in order to properly invest hundreds of thousands of dollars. Avid and Adobe are now much more open about the future of their editing software, Gobler remarks.
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09/30, 11:45am
Some intended features may be pushed to 2013
The next version of Final Cut Studio has been delayed until 2011, sources claim. Originally rumored to be coming in 2010, the project has allegedly been hit by several setbacks. Among these is work on a unified interface, for which Apple has allegedly been unable to find a suitable compromise -- not only in terms of design, but between the development teams working on Shake and Motion.
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09/16, 9:35am
Includes Final Cut Pro 7.0.3
Apple has deployed a series of software updates, including QuickTime 7.6.8, only available for Windows 7, Vista and XP SP2. The patch concentrates exclusively on security problems, which could be used to attack a PC by way of the app's ActiveX control, or else a path-searching flaw in QuickTime Picture Viewer. For Mac owners Apple has posted Pro Applications Update 2010-02, which includes Final Cut Pro 7.0.3, Motion 4.0.3, Color 1.5.3, Compressor 3.5.3 and Qmaster 3.5.3.
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09/14, 4:55pm
Plugin specializes in DSLR video
CoreMelt has launched Lock & Load Express, a motion stabilizer for Apple's Final Cut Express. Based on Lock & Load X, the new plugin offers simplified controls for video stabilization and rolling shutter reduction for CMOS-based DSLRs with video capabilities. It's said to be up to 12 times faster than Final Cut Express's built-in stabilizer, and also able to work in the background. Workflow functions include in- and out-point analysis alongside rotation and zoom smoothing tools.
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08/04, 5:15pm
Eight new effects add transitions, color control
Noise Industries has launched FxFactory Pro 2.5, an update of the effects plugin collection. The software contains over 160 filters, generators and transitions. It can render effects up to 10-bit YUV quality, and supports hardware acceleration for previews and rendering. Editors can use stock or custom presets, or create their own project-specific plugins for Final Cut and After Effects, which can then be saved and shared. The collection as a whole is compatible with Final Cut Pro, Motion, Final Cut Express and After Effects.
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08/04, 4:15pm
iWebTemplate collection gains five
Aquafadas has released a new version of PulpFx Abstract, a collection of generators for animated slideshows in Final Cut Pro, Motion, Final Cut Express and After Effects. The v1.1 update features two all-new generators, Small Moves and Sphere, along with added options for editing titles and managing the order of images. Also included is the ability to choose between several transitions with the Light Slice and Static Pulse generators. A trial version of the software can be downloaded from Aquafadas' website; a full license costs $49.
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07/23, 11:45am
Plugin supports several editing suites
Red Giant has released Magic Bullet Colorista II, an updated plugin for After Effects, Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro. The software lets editors perform color correction on video using color wheels. New in the upgrade are several features, most importantly a new keyer, which can control individual colors or ranges. Some options include direct sampling, and softening, choking or inverting a matte.
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07/07, 4:45pm
Broadcast suite makes several upgrades
ToolsOnAir has released just:play 1.2, a new version of company's broadcast server software. Meant primarily for TV stations, the program lets users schedule output from a variety of different video sources. This can include studio and live feeds, and real-time effects such as logos and tickers.
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06/11, 3:20pm
Increases bit-depth, deinterlaces frames
Noise Industries and PHYX have launched a new video repair plugin, PHYX Cleaner. The software can be used to rebuild pixelated chroma channels, restore gradients, and increase effective color depth; it can also be used to convert interlaced fields into progressive comb-free frames, smooth skin blemishes, and remove high- and low-frequency visual noise. Rough 3D 8-bit images can be converted to higher bit depths.
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06/02, 11:45pm
Update works with video editors, exports to iPad
Boinx Software has loosed an update to its still-image animation software, FotoMagico 3.5. The software generates slideshows from a set of still images, supports movies -- with in- and out-point edits -- as slideshow frames, and allows users to add multiple audio tracks and narration track recording. FotoMagico can quickly build slideshows from basic elements, while customization options can be used to take the designs further.
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05/19, 5:50pm
Denies reports of 'prosumer' switch
Final Cut Pro will remain aimed at professionals, in spite of reports to the contrary, claims Apple spokesman Bill Evans. "Final Cut Pro is the first choice for professional video editors, and we've never been more excited about its future," according to Evans. "The next version of Final Cut is going to be awesome, and our pro customers are going to love it."
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05/18, 11:25pm
Apple said to be eyeing a wider group of customers
Apple is allegedly refocusing its Final Cut Studio applications to appeal to a wider range of potential customers, including prosumers and advanced home users, a source has told AppleInsider. The shift is said to parallel Apple's changing customer base, which has continued to expand with consumers who fall somewhere in between casual users and professionals.
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04/26, 3:00pm
Plugins tackle motion, noise
Developer RE:Vision is now selling four new FxPlug plugins, all designed for Apple's Final Cut Studio. Adapted from their After Effects versions are FieldsKit 3.0 and ReelSmart Motion Blur 4.0. The former uses field reconstruction and adaptive motion to build full frames, while ReelSmart is intended to generate or remove motion blur. The pair are said to be faster in Final Cut form, and require Final Cut Pro 6.0.3, Final Cut Express 4.0.1 and (in the case of ReelSmart) Motion 4.0.2.
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04/18, 1:20pm
Earlier layoffs from support, not development
Apple is still backing Final Cut, and the next release of Final Cut Studio will be "awesome," claims CEO Steve Jobs. Continuing a trend of replying to customer e-mails, Jobs is noted to have recently answered a complaint about the video production suite, which called the changes to Final Cut Studio 3 "not stellar." The e-mail also alleges that people laid off from the Final Cut team may have been engineers, who would normally be responsible for advancing the software.
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03/29, 10:30am
Allows direct import of DSLR video
Canon has published a new plugin for Mac owners of its DSLR cameras, simply called EOS MOVIE Plugin-E1. Users can import video directly into Final Cut Pro, Apple's professional editing suite. In particular the plugin takes advantage of Final Cut's Log and Transfer technology, which permits marking and tagging clips that are still on camera. The video is then transferred in the background so that editing can begin as soon as possible.
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03/25, 5:00pm
Aperture 3.0.2 fixes numerous glitches
Apple has released a collection of four new patches, covering multiple products. Central is Aperture 3.0.2, which addresses general stability in the workflow app, as well as 13 individual problem areas. Some of the latter including upgrading libraries from Aperture 1.x or 2.x, creating print presets, using the Curves, Straighten and Retouching tools, and IPTC metadata. The upgrade is a 69.83MB download.
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03/23, 4:45pm
Plugin supports Final Cut, After Effects
Noise Industries and SUGARfx have launched Video Wall 2.0, an updated plugin for After Effects, Final Cut and Motion. The code generates wall-style effects for video productions, superimposing clips and still images on top of animations. The v2.0 release supports multiple video clips, and incorporates auto-animation functions, in some cases eliminating the need to keyframe movements.
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03/05, 3:05pm
Safari fix may boost plugin reliability
Apple is currently testing updates to three pieces of software, sources note. The first is Safari 4.0.5, which is being tested in separate builds for Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard and Windows. The emphasis of the patch is said to be a regression in the browser's JavaScript engine, one which arose with the release of Safari 4.0.4. Some sections of code are also being transitioned from a Safari-native base to WebKit, for the sake of cross-platform compatibility.
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