APPLE UPGRADES FINAL CUT STUDIO BUNDLE
Final Cut Studio features Final Cut Pro 7, which expands Apple's ProRes codec family to support virtually any workflow. It also features Easy Export for one step output to a variety of formats and iChat Theater support for realtime collaboration.
Motion 4 has enhanced tools for 3D shadows, reflections and depth of field. And Soundtrack Pro 3 features new multitrack audio tools that help streamline audio post production. One helpful feature is Voice Level Match, which extracts volume information from the vocal content of one clip and applies it to another without altering any other audio content. This allows editors to easily correct mismatched voice levels.
The latest version of Color - V.1.5 - includes improved Final Cut Pro integration and support for full color resolution. New 4K support works natively with files from cameras such as the Red One and outputs directly to ProRes for HD or DPX for film. Expanded support for new high quality formats includes AVC-Intra, XDCAM 422 and ProRes 4444, for grading with the maximum amount of color information.
Compressor 3.5 adds new features that make it easy to set up and customize export options. Customizable sharing options make it easy to publish to YouTube and MobileMe, or export for iPhone, iPod, Apple TV and mobile phones.
The new version of Final Cut Studio is $999 - $300 less than the previous release. It is also available as an upgrade for $299.
Editor Jonathan Moser (www.flashcutproductions.com) just placed his order for the new release and commented: "It's not that there are any 'knocking it out of the park' features in the new FCP, it's just well thought out enhancements and new features with increased dynamic interoperability between Studio's different products. Again, Apple scores more in vision and image than Avid, whose new releases also incorporate increased functionality and versatility, but with much less fanfare...and that's been Avid's image problem vs. Apple's the entire time. Avid was and is an editing company, Apple is more of an event creator, though FCP is and will remain a solid product that will continue to get increasing market share."