What's the word on the latest version of FCP X?

[Yodaman]

Hi guys,

I'm still shopping around for some decent editing software. I was wondering how many people here have the latest version of Final Cut Pro X and if you could tell me what you like/dislike about it. Right now, it seems my only choices for Mac are Adobe CC and FCP X - and I'd rather just spend $300 upfront rather than spend $50/month on software that will want to charge me $600 after the first couple of months (read the fine print, ladies and gents!).

I've heard FCP X has improved greatly with the latest update, so any information you guys can share would be fantastic!

Thanks!

 

[ChimpPhobiaFilms]

There's still plenty of things to be improved upon, but it's usable.

I recommend you go the Adobe route, which has far more tools and features. It cost $600 a year, which is insanely cheap seeing that you're getting ALL of the Adobe tools (for audio, poster art, editing, VFX, everything, etc.).

 

[Will Vincent]

If you ONLY wanted premiere, you could get it for $20/mo. So comparing a one time charge for FCPX with a monthly charge for the entire creative suite is negligent.

Yes, it's true the cost of the creative cloud is higher, but if you use the products, photoshop, AE, and Premiere for example, the subscription model actually works out cheaper than buying the creative suite outright used to cost. It would be something like 2-2.5yrs of subscription payments to match the cost of the creative suite (when you could buy it). But the other thing is, they're constantly updating the CC software too, that didn't happen with the older software model.

So... anyway, you're comparing apples and oranges. You want fine print, you should be a bit more realistic about what you're comparing.


FCPX is a perfectly capable editor, but it's a new paradigm, So you'll have to re-learn how to edit to use it efficiently.

Another (not just yet) option is Lightworks. It sounds like the mac version should be in alpha testing shortly, and that alpha testing is only anticipated to last a few weeks, then version 12 will be released which will be the first version for Windows, Linux, AND MAC.

With NAB just around the corner (next month) I wouldn't be surprised if they announce the release at NAB.

 

[knightly]

I know people who love it. I'm not sold as my workflow is suited better to separate apps with very strongly task oriented interfaces. FCPx doesn't do audio to the level I'd expect from a pro app. Still needs a separate compositor to do anything bigger than basic. Motion/ AE are good, but I've got shake and find the nodal interface a much better work flow on a shot by shot basis than the pseudo editor timeline interface for the way I work. I also use color which has much stronger grading tools than are available within x. As in intermediate work flow, it'll do most everything you need.

 

[knightly]

My investment for FCP 7 and Shake was $700 10 years ago. So $70/ year for me... But all up front cost... And I own the compositor they used on the first LOTR and King Kong.

 

[Yodaman]

I think you guys have convinced me to go the Adobe route.

Although it might be hard to figure out a way to afford $50/month, it would be well worth it - especially since it would grant me access to literally EVERY pro application from Adobe!

I thought it was $600 after the first couple of months (must've misread the terms earlier), so the fact that it would only be $600/year is pretty outstanding!

 

[Will Vincent]

Are you a student? Adobe does have student pricing.

 

[Yodaman]

Sadly, no. I wish I were just for the pricing!

I did just look into LightWorks - if they can get the Mac version out relatively soon, that would definitely tide me over until I could afford the CC subscription.

LightWorks looks a bit like a simplified Avid - and that's a very, very good thing. I tried Avid once, and couldn't figure it out, and every tutorial I watched was long-winded and explained WAYYY too much of the background details and not enough of actually how to USE it. At least LightWorks shows you how to use it.

 

[Will Vincent]

They've done public betas following NAB for the past few years, so it's probably a fairly safe bet a mac version will be available soon.

Of course it, like FCPX is MUCH smaller in scope than the full creative suite.. If all you're after is Premiere from the creative suite, you can get that for $20/mo on its own.

 

[Yodaman]

True. I think I'll just do that for now, since I really just need an NLE at the moment (iMovie is NOT enough for what I need to do!). I already have Motion 5 for effects/compositing work, so don't really need After Effects.

And if I decide I DO want After Effects, upgrading my plan wouldn't be that hard!

Thanks for all the advice/feedback, everybody.

 

[ChimpPhobiaFilms]

I believe Lightworks for Mac will be coming out this year at NAB.

 

[Will Vincent]

That's what my gut is saying as well.. Two weeks ago they announced a private alpha would be ready soon and alpha testing would only last about 2 weeks. Given their history of releasing public betas at or just after NAB, and the anticipation of the mac release (it was demoed at NAB last year). AND it would be the first tri-platform NLE, that's a huge thing to save for NAB, even if it were technically ready to go before then.

Of course it's purely speculation at this point, but if you look at their NAB participation historically, etc, it all adds up.

 

[Yodaman]

I have done a lot of looking into Lightworks. It looks seriously impressive, at least for a free editing application. The pro version looks even more impressive and offers a lot of cool stuff!

But, it's still lacking in terms of DVD authoring (something you can get through CC, albeit a really roundabout way!), and I'm sure you can't do everything in it. But what NLE can you do everything in?

In the meantime, I had forgotten I actually had purchased Adobe Premiere Elements 11 - while not nearly as good as Premiere Pro, it does offer a lot more than iMovie - so I'll use that to tide myself over until Lightworks comes out. Otherwise, I could do the unthinkable and put Windows on my Mac through Bootcamp to try out Lightworks, but that seems a bit extreme all for one program.

I just have to be patient, I guess. Haha!

 

[Will Vincent]

While it does look like there are some additional features to the "pro" version, really all you're paying for is codec licensing, at least that was their model. Perhaps they've changed that.

Supposedly, after the mac version is released the codebase will also be released. It's supposedly going to be open source. I say supposedly, because it's thus far unclear as to whether the entire codebase will be open source, or just a portion of it -- and if they've changed their business model it may never be open sourced after all..

 

[Yodaman]

I could see it benefiting from both models - if it goes open-source, a lot more people could help add/fix features, increase support, and help stabilize a lot more releases.

However, too many cooks can also spoil the pot!

EditShare could do with a few more native Windows, Linux and Mac developers, to help speed things along in the development, and then they could keep it closed-source for all I care.

I have a Windows PC in the other room, I'm going to try it out and see if it's even worth the wait. It really sounds like it is, a ton of positive reviews lead me to believe it's really powerful.

 

[Will Vincent]

More developers does not speed development.

That's like throwing more mechanics at a car to fix an engine, quickly you reach a point where they're getting in eachothers way and undoing work someone else already did.

Lightworks is a somewhat different way of working, but it's fairly easy to pick up, especially if you invest time with their tutorials. It's been around for a long-ish time.. was one of the first NLE options available in the early/mid 80s.

I believe this latest iteration is a complete or nearly complete rewrite.

 

[Yodaman]

More developers does not speed development.

That's like throwing more mechanics at a car to fix an engine, quickly you reach a point where they're getting in eachothers way and undoing work someone else already did.

Heh, good point. I guess I just meant that it would potentially speed up development. I'm just a wishful thinker!

In the meantime, I'm downloading VMWare Fusion, Ubuntu, and I will try Lightworks that way - I know it won't be the most efficient test, but I figure if it runs well in a virtual machine, it should run well when the Mac version is released!

But again, probably just wishful thinking...

What's funny is that the virtual machine will probably run it better than the Windows PC I have in the other room... it's certainly not the best desktop, hence why I got my iMac in the first place!

 

[Yodaman]

So I couldn't get Lightworks to work in a Virtual Machine, turns out it didn't like the virtualization of an internet connection and just wouldn't activate. Oh well.

Just for grins, I downloaded the trial of the new FCP X. It's heaps and bounds better than the last trial I used, and I could actually figure out how to use it! Still not a fan of the new timeline layout, but I can see the direction they're shooting for.

Something I absolutely LOVE in FCP X? Compound Clips. You can create a sequence, and if you want it to have the same effects throughout, you can just create a Compound Clip and add the effect to that, and you're done! No more applying the same effects over and over to various clips!

I know there are similar functions in other NLEs, at least I think there are. Not sure if Premiere Pro CC has anything entirely similar.

All that fanboyism said about FCP X, I still Adobe has a far superior workflow. The tight integration of SpeedGrade, Premiere, After Effects and even Photoshop really allow for a lot more flexibility, and thus a lot more creativity.

I also found out you can buy a prepaid card for a year for $599.88, which I think might be better to do that way instead of the monthly plan (I can't really afford to spend an extra $50/month on software, but I could more easily allocate $600 dollars to outright buy a years-long subscription).

So Adobe definitely wins in my book. After Effects is just too cool to pass up!

 

[Will Vincent]

Yes you can do that in premiere.. you can put an entire premiere project into the timeline of another project.. and it'll appear much the same way compound clips do in FCPX.

Also you can have After Effects comps in your premiere timeline.

The $50/mo and paying the full $600 in one shot actually works out the the same dollar amount. But yes, if it's easier to pay once and not worry about it for another year, by all means.

 

[Yodaman]

Yes you can do that in premiere.. you can put an entire premiere project into the timeline of another project.. and it'll appear much the same way compound clips do in FCPX.

Also you can have After Effects comps in your premiere timeline.

You have no idea how happy all of that has made me!

The $50/mo and paying the full $600 in one shot actually works out the the same dollar amount.

Indeed it does! And yes I realized it. It just would be easier (or, more accurately, light on the mind) to just pay it all at once instead of worrying about a monthly charge!