Final Cut Pro is a video-editing software for macOS and iPadOS created for professionals but can be used by amateur video editors too. You can import, edit, process, and export raw footage into different formats.
The software was released in 1999 and has even been used to edit major films like X-Men Origins: Wolverine and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
However, at $299.99, most video editors may want first to know if Final Cut Pro is worth its weight in gold before purchasing it. That’s what this article is going to explore in detail.
We will look at Final Cut Pro’s core features and functionalities, the performance and system requirements, and user-level suitability and briefly compare it to Adobe Premiere Pro.
So, if you can’t decide whether to get Final Cut Pro or not, you’ve come to the right place.
Core Features and Functionality
There are certain features every video-editing software must have. The basic ones include the ability to import and export videos of different formats, color calibration, and the ability to apply audio effects and filters.
So, what are some of the core Final Cut Pro features and functionalities? Let’s break them down one by one.
1. Import and Export
The first thing you must do with every video editing software is import the footage you want to edit. On Final Cut Pro, you can import countless video formats like H.264, HEVC, AVCHD, HDV, Apple ProRes Raw, Apple Animation Codec, XVAC, QuickTime, and MPEG, among many others.
You can also import audio formats like WAV, AAC, MP3, MP4, BWF, CAF and RF64. There’s also support for still image formats like BMP, JPEG, and PNG and Container formats like 3GP, AVI, and MXF.
Furthermore, Final Cut Pro supports a drag-and-drop feature, which is faster and more efficient.
As for the export process, the video-editing software supports various professional and industry-standard formats like DVCPRO HD, H.264, MPEG, MP3, MX4, AVC, AVI, and Apple ProRes, among many others.
You can even batch-export multiple files simultaneously, something not available in other competitor software.
2. The Magnetic Timeline
The Magnetic Timeline is a special feature that snaps clips into place on the timeline without leaving any black space in between. This is very helpful because the editor doesn’t have to manually try to fit a clip into a sequence, which can have devastating results if placed on top of an existing clip.
The magnetic timeline works for videos, audio files, and images. Final Cut Pro automatically rearranges your clips on the timeline without interfering with your existing work.
3. In-Built Color Grading
Color grading is the cornerstone of video editing, and Final Cut Pro takes advantage of the high-resolution screens on Apple products to provide the best color grading features.
Most notably, you can color-correct HDR videos with Pro Display XDR to get the maximum brightness and color accuracy on playback. This is very important for professional editors who want their final export to look as close to realistic as possible.
Furthermore, Final Cut Pro allows the importation of LUTs (Lookup Tables) and provides a color board that lets you choose any color you need for your footage.
4. Storyline and Trackless Editing
In most video-editing software, there are different tracks for the different media types involved. For example, you can find a track for videos that’s separate from the audio one.
However, on Final Cut Pro, this system has been abolished. Instead, when you drag a file into the timeline, things automatically fall into their correct lanes. This is very innovative as it allows the editor to keep track of all the elements they add to the storyline they’re working on.
5. Collaborative Editing
Collaborative editing allows multiple editors to collaborate on the same work from different devices and, sometimes, other video-editing software. The feature is perfect for professional editing teams using a connected network and would like to use other compatible software like LumaForge Jellyfish or PostLab by Hedge.
This Final Cut Pro feature even allows remote work, saving time and resources.
6. Multicam Editing
Multicam editing allows editors to handle multiple footage from multi-camera shoots.
For instance, if you shoot a live event with four cameras from different angles, the multicam editing feature syncs them all into a single multicam clip, which makes cutting and editing much faster and easier. Most times, it syncs footage based on the audio.
7. Advanced Audio Editing
Final Cut Pro allows editors to manipulate audio in many ways. You can add limiters, compressors, and EQs and have access to a vast library of audio filters. Some popular filters available include echo, bass enhancement, modulations, distortions, etc., which can be used to make raw audio sound better.
In addition to this, you can send files between Final Cut Pro and Apple’s Logic Pro, which has better audio refining tools for advanced mixing. All that can be achieved without the original quality dropping.
8. 360° Video Editing
360° video editing is a special Final Cut Pro feature that gives your audiences an immersive 360° video experience when you use cameras with a panoramic sphere of view.
This can be used to create VR headset types of views to give audiences the illusion of watching a video from their point of view as though they were there in the first place.
If you love shooting footage using GoPro cameras, 360° video will give you the exact look you’re looking for.
9. Motion and Compressor
You can use the motion feature to add realistic motion effects to your footage, whether you’re using 2D or 3D media. The compressor is also another fantastic feature that lets you compress your final exports to smaller and easily shareable sizes and formats without the overall quality dropping.
This is particularly effective for users who want to upload their videos to social media sites, which usually have size limitations.
User Experience & Feedback
Compared to most professional video-editing software, Final Cut Pro has one of the easiest learning curves, only rivaled by Adobe Premier Pro.
A feature like the Magnetic Timeline has made it much easier to use, even for new, inexperienced users. Clips fitting into the timeline without leaving space or cutting off existing work was a genius move by Final Cut Pro.
The user interface is also easy to navigate, with tools aptly named for easy access. It’s not as cluttered as other regular video editing software.
When you launch Final Cut Pro, you’re met with a blank slate with clearly labeled sections for importing media, a timeline for cutting and editing footage, and a window display for playback.
At the top of your screen, you can see options like Edit, Trim, Mark, Clip, Modify, and View. All these give you access to more tools.
Final Cut Pro is also fast, and when paired with a powerful MacBook or iPad, you can handle heavy footage without your screen freezing. The final rendering process is fast enough for 4K and 8K exports.
I have Final Cut Pro installed on my M1 MacBook Air with 8GB RAM, and no matter what I threw at it during my tests, the software did not crash even once. If you have a more powerful PC, your editing should be smoother.
A quick look at user reviews on the App Store mostly reveals positive feedback. At the moment, the software has a 4.1 score out of 5 with 2,500 reviews submitted.
However, I came across a few negative reviews with a majority of them complaining about consistent bugs that led to their devices crashing. It would be unfair to make a judgment based on this without knowing the specs of the devices they were using.
But overall, the positive reviews outnumber the negative ones, which indicates that Final Cut Pro works for most people.
Professional Use Cases
Professionals in different media fields have used Final Cut for years, and it continues to be a preferred option for most, even today.
Although limited to macOS and iPadOS, the quality these devices bring to the table makes many content creators and editors opt for Final Cut Pro over other video-editing software with wider device support.
A lot of Hollywood editors use Final Cut Pro for post-processing, and some of the films edited by the software include The Social Network, John Carter, 500 Days of Summer, Burn After Reading, No Country for Old Men, 300, and Cold Mountain.
Another reason why most businesses and establishments that depend on video content use Final Cut Pro for the bulk of their editing is how expandable the software is. It supports files from other software like Logic Pro, making cross-platform editing easier and cost-effective.
Comparison with Competing Video Editing Software
As a video editor, I’ve tried different video editing software in the past, and the one that comes close to Final Cut Pro in terms of features and functionality is Adobe Premiere Pro.
Adobe Premiere Pro has a feature similar to Magnetic Timeline that lets you arrange clips on your timeline in a perfect sequence that doesn’t pile footage on top of existing material.
The import process is also easy, with a drag-and-drop feature available. Alternatively, you can tap the Import tab and batch-select the footage you want to use from your device storage.
Like Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere Pro works with other video editing software. It has a feature called Adobe Dynamic Link that allows you to send files to After Effects or Media Encoder without changing the original format.
Adobe Premiere Pro also features auto color correction, multi-camera editing, tracking, and comparison view.
However, unlike Final Cut Pro, which only works on macOS and iPadOS, Adobe Premiere Pro can be used on Windows and macOS, making it popular with most video editors who cannot afford high-spec Apple products.
Back to Final Cut, the one-time purchase price of $299.99 makes it a cheaper option compared to Adobe Premiere Pro, which requires monthly subscriptions starting from $20.99.
Adobe Premiere Pro also has a steep learning curve with a very busy user interface that can confuse a first-time user. The software was created solely for professional editors handling a large volume of work.
Here’s a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of Final Cut Pro.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| It has a one-time fee | Only works on macOS and iPadOS |
| Smooth video editing experience | $299.99 is still high for most people |
| Easy to use for pros and beginners | |
| Reliable and unique editing tools | |
| Vast library of effects and filters | |
| Cross-compatibility with other Apple software | |
| Fast rendering with support for multiple export formats |
Performance and System Requirements
Final Cut Pro has specific system requirements necessary for it to work at optimum levels on macOS or iPadOS. Let’s have a quick look at the requirements for each.
macOS Requirements
- macOS 12.6 or later
- A minimum of 4GB RAM. 8GB RAM is recommended for editing 4K videos, using 3D titles, or taking advantage of the 360° video editing feature.
- A Metal-capable graphics card. Metal is an Apple technology that helps to power hardware-accelerated graphics on Apple platforms.
- 1 GB of VRAM (video RAM) for smoothly handling 4K, 3D, and 360° videos.
- A minimum of 5.5GB of available disk space.
- Internet access for some features like Cloud storage.
iPadOS Requirements
- iPadOS 16.4 or newer
- 4th generation iPad or later
- It also works for iPads running on the latest M1 and M2 chips.
Customer Support and Updates
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Final Cut Pro receives timely updates that further improve its video editing capabilities.
The most recent version is 10.6.8, and it came out in July 2023 with a few bug fixes, the most notable one being screen freezing. So you can always rest assured that any issues you encounter will be handled as quickly as possible.
Customer support is also pretty detailed. The support page has links showing people how to update the app if it becomes laggy. It also features helpful guides like how to recover Apple ID passwords and troubleshooting tips.
Final Cut Pro users can also get help from the Apple Communities forum. All you have to do is ask a question, and people who have experienced the same problems will provide answers that can help you.
Cost-Benefit Analysis
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The one-time $299.99 price tag may look like a lot for someone operating on a strict budget. But, when you consider that other competitor video editing tools require recurring monthly payments, Final Cut Pro looks like a bargain.
Once you purchase it, you can use it across all your devices, and that’s a flexibility not afforded by most alternatives.
As for value for your money, Final Cut is equipped with amazing features that work well with macOS and iPadOS platforms. Support for other Apple tools and integrations also offer smooth operations without requiring the user to pay anything extra.
For example, the Compressor feature is available in macOS and can convert unsupported video formats into usable ones for Final Cut Pro. In comparison, other video editing software may require you to get third-party converters, which are never free and use up too much RAM.
Then, there’s the long-term value of paying a one-time fee. All you need to do is ensure the software gets timely updates.
Overall, getting Final Cut Pro is a better financial decision, especially if you already own a MacBook or an iPad.
Suitability for Different User Levels
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Both professionals and amateurs can use Final Cut Pro.
As we have already seen, many Hollywood movie editors use this software to put together some of the biggest movies that have brought in millions of dollars from theaters worldwide.
This is thanks to professional tools, features, and functionalities that help reduce editing times while producing high-quality outputs in different formats. Furthermore, the collaborative feature and cross-compatibility with other Apple tools, like Logic Pro, make editing easy for large remote teams.
At the same time, Final Cut Pro is easy to use with a very gentle learning curve. So, anyone with basic knowledge of video editing suites can get things rolling within a short time. In a nutshell, Final Cut Pro is ideal for all levels of users.
Is Final Cut Pro Worth It?
Final Cut Pro is worth the price.
Despite being limited to macOS and iPadOS, its features and functionalities are superior to what other alternatives like Adobe Premiere Pro bring to the table.
Furthermore, the one-time fee gives you the peace of mind to focus on editing without worrying about subscription deadlines.
Therefore, if you have a MacBook or an iPad and want to start creating professional videos, try Final Cut Pro.
