OnlineVideo.net by Jan Ozer

So is Final Cut Pro X finally ready for pros?

Apple released Final Cut Pro X version 10.0.1 on September 20. Highlights include XML import and export, enhanced control over the export of audio and video files, Xsan integration, and GPU-accelerated export, as well as a downloadable trial version. I looked at the new features and quickly discovered that all that glitters is not gold, though there are some valuable nuggets in the release, particularly relating to performance. At the end of this article, I’ll post a list of features that I consider essential for professional use so we can track Apple’s progress over time.

Let’s start with the update process. Most users should be able to update via the Mac App Store. However, a certain lucky few, myself included, won’t see the Update option for Final Cut Pro X, either in the App Store or in the Software Update process. This is a known bug, and the solution is to drag the 10.0 installation into the trash and reinstall the latest version from the App store, which will be 10.0.1. This added about 40 minutes to my update. If you have the same issue, check out the thread here for more details on its resolution.

XML Import/Export

Once I was up and running, the first feature I checked out was XML import and export, which is critical because it allows Final Cut Pro editors to edit their projects with different tools. However, in this case, XML support does NOT mean the ability to work with Final Cut Pro 7 projects, at least not right away, though it may be coming via third party products. Here’s why: read more...