Last Updated on March 13, 2021 by Rick Darlinton
Earlier known as Final Cut Pro X, Final Cut Pro is one of the most popular video editors for macOS. Since it is developed by Apple, it gives us tons of features and has seamless compatibility to make post-production edits on Mac. Without much ado, let’s get to know more about its features in this Final Cut Pro review.
Final Cut Pro Review: 5 Major Things to Know
Ideally, Final Cut Pro is more than just a video editing tool, but a professional post-production application. Therefore, before you start exploring its features, here are the 5 major applications of the tool that you should know of.
Video Editor
Final Cut Pro is one of the most powerful video editors out there that is based on a unique Magnetic Timeline interface. This will let you move, bundle, or trim your clips without any clashes. There are also separate video and audio editing options that you can explore. It also includes an inbuilt color coding and gradient tool.
Video Maker and Organizer
Final Cut Pro can also be used to create videos from clips, photos, audio, and other media files. If you want, you can also manage your videos by tagging their metadata or use its inbuilt Smart Collection feature.
2D and 3D Motion Editing
The application can also be used to create 2D and 3D animations with the help of its inbuilt chrome keys, filters, effects, and more. There are also third-party tools for motion graphics and blue/green screen effects.
Audio Mixer and Editor
Unlike other video editors, Final Cut Pro has a multi-channel audio mixer. Using it, you can edit the pitch of the audio, remove background noise, and further customize different levels of the sound.
Encoding and Exporting
It also supports multi-core CPU and GPU fast-processing and encoding of videos. Apart from social media platforms like YouTube, you can also optimize your videos for Apple TV, iPhone, and other devices. The batch processing of videos is also supported.
Advanced Feature to Look Out for in Final Cut Pro
Now when you know the basic features of Final Cut Pro, let’s cover some advanced things that you can do with it.
8K and ProRes Proxy Editing
Final Cut Pro supports the editing of videos in ultra-quality such as 4K or 8K. It also has inbuilt machine learning features to provide added video editing support. You can also get ProRes Proxy (H.264) support that would let you share your projects locally or via the cloud.
Custom Results for Social Media
This intelligent editing tool has hundreds of transitions, effects, filters, and overlays that are designed for various social media platforms. If you want, you can directly export your media to popular social platforms.
Metal Support for Advanced Performance
With the seamless GPU integration, Final Cut Pro has drastically improved its performance. It also includes advanced 8K RAW and Metal Support technology, making it almost 20% faster than before. It also provides 2x faster rendering 3x faster-transcoding processing.
64x view Multi-cam Editing
One of the best things about Final Cut Pro is that it would let you sync up to 64 different angles via its multi-cam editing features. The angles can have different formats, frame rates, or sizes. You can get up to 16 different angles on its new Angle Viewer that would let you sync, trim, and edit each clip.
Sophisticated Color Grading Option
Final Cut Pro is also known to have one of the most advanced color grading features out there. You can use its inbuilt color inspector to pick any shade from the color wheel (and color/hue/saturation curves). You can also use its Look Up Table (LUT) to apply color grading for specific keyframes.
Seamless HDR and XDR Support
The application will let you work with HDR videos, edit HDR content, and even perform tone mapping via a dynamic range. It also supports Pro Display with XDR support that is compatible with 6K resolution.
Compatible with RAW data
Another major advantage of using Final Cut Pro in post-production edits is its compatibility with RAW files. You can import, edit, export, and even grate the original RAW footage on your Mac. It also supports ATOMOS recorders to provide seamless handling of RAW data.
360-degree Editing Effects
The latest version of Final Cut Pro comes with a 360-degree viewer to provide an enhanced orientation without any camera glitches. You can also find all kinds of dedicated effects (like Tiny Planet) that you can apply to your 360-degree videos.
Tons of Other Features to Explore
Besides that, you can also use its dedicated Closed Caption feature that would let you import, edit, and export closed captions for your videos. You can also collaborate with others, explore its available stock media, work on asset management, and do so much more.
Final Cut Pro Review: Pros, Cons, and Verdict
Now when you know about its major features, let’s conclude our Final Cut Pro review by listing its advantages and limitations.
Pros
- Magnetic timeline for multi-clip editing
- Seamless multi-cam editing options
- Excellent color grading features
- Comes with an inbuilt audio mixer
- Can be integrated with Frame.io for seamless collaboration
Cons
- Only available for Mac (not for Windows)
- Some features need improvement (like audio ducking or motion tracking)
- It might take a while to learn Final Cut Pro properly
Pricing: $299.99
Verdict
If you are looking for one of the most sophisticated video editors for Mac, then Final Cut Pro should be an ideal pick. Even though the tool would cost around $300, it has several premium features that are missing in various editors for Mac. Also, it is compatible with the Apple ecosystem that makes it the first pick of many professionals.
That’s a wrap! Now when you know about the major features of Final Cut Pro, you can easily make up your mind. Since Final Cut Pro is not the most user-friendly application, you would have to devote some time to learn it. Though, once you have mastered the editor, it can easily meet your post-production requirements on Mac.