Final Cut Pro has been Apple's flagship video editing program for many years now but Final Cut Pro X sees a completely new version of it rebuilt from the bottom-up for 64-bit Macs.
Apple claims that Final Cut Pro features a revolutionary new video editing system centered around a Magnetic Timeline, which removes the problem of clip collisions and sync problems. This new Magnetic Timeline lets you edit on a flexible, trackless canvas while Content Auto-Analysis categorizes your content upon import by shot type, media and people. There's also less waiting around for rendering because Final Cut Pro X now supports background rendering while you get on with editing.
Final Cut Pro X is less fussy about importing footage than earlier versions. It now supports a broader range of formats including native AVCHD and H.264 from DSLRs. Final Cut Pro X has been designed to squeeze every inch out of 64-bit Macs and needs at least 2GB of RAM but for larger projects and richer effects, you're highly advised to have at least 4GB
The main interface has been given a fresh new Cocoa base, making it slicker and generally easier to use although its increasingly looking similar to iMovie. For some professionals, this may be a bit annoying as it does make Final Cut look and feel a bit more amateurish than previous versions. Those that film using multicams will also be delighted that in version 10.0.3, Final Cut Pro X finally supports it again.
Final Cut Pro X simplifies Apple's famous video editor while making it a lot more powerful. However, dedicated fans may not be delighted with everything that's been changed. Beginners may well love it but professionals will feel it's been dumbed-down too far.
