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Final Cut Pro

Final Cut Pro

Overview

What is Final Cut Pro?

Apple offers Final Cut Pro, a video editing platform featuring optimized for a high performance machines and supporting a wide range of quality effects.

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Recent Reviews

TrustRadius Insights

Final Cut Pro X has been widely used by a diverse range of users for various purposes. Users have found that the software provides a …
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Nice Software to Edit a Podcast

9 out of 10
April 27, 2022
I've run a MMA Podcast for the past 12 years and have been editing the show with Final Cut Pro X and all previous versions. This program …
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Awards

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Pricing

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Final Cut Pro X

$299.99

On Premise
per license

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services
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Product Details

What is Final Cut Pro?

Final Cut Pro Technical Details

Deployment TypesOn-premise
Operating SystemsMac
Mobile ApplicationNo

Frequently Asked Questions

Apple offers Final Cut Pro, a video editing platform featuring optimized for a high performance machines and supporting a wide range of quality effects.

Reviewers rate Support Rating highest, with a score of 8.8.

The most common users of Final Cut Pro are from Small Businesses (1-50 employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(116)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

Final Cut Pro X has been widely used by a diverse range of users for various purposes. Users have found that the software provides a powerful platform for creating videos exactly how they want them to look, with built-in tools and the ability to install numerous plugins for expanded functionality. A post-production team has utilized Final Cut Pro X to ensure that everyone in the company, including freelancers, is using software that works well in the Apple ecosystem and allows for easy sharing of project files between editors. Reviewers have praised the program for its efficiency and ease of learning, making video creation a smooth process. Moreover, Final Cut Pro X has been a reliable choice for editing videos in different domains such as media communications, marketing, training content development, and more. Users have found that the software allows them to create professional-quality videos for marketing, fundraising, donor engagement, grant applications, and even feature-length films. The software's intuitive interface and helpful features have made it popular among photographers, production studios, marketing departments, small businesses, creative storytellers, religious organizations, and individuals looking to produce high-quality videos for various purposes. Whether it is editing rough cuts or creating alternate cuts, Final Cut Pro X has proven to be a quick and easy-to-use video editing program that caters to the needs of different users.

State-of-the-Art Transition Feature: Many users have praised Final Cut Pro X - FCPX for its state-of-the-art transition feature, which they found easy to use in their projects. The intuitive nature of this feature has allowed reviewers to seamlessly incorporate transitions into their videos, enhancing the overall visual appeal.

Great Light and Color Correction Toolbar: The software's light and color correction toolbar has received positive feedback from multiple users. They appreciate the extensive options available, allowing them to easily enhance the lighting and colors in their videos. This feature has been described as a valuable tool for achieving professional-looking results.

Non-linear Editor with Intuitive Interface: FCPX's non-linear editor has impressed many users with its intuitive interface. Reviewers find it easy to navigate and work with, enabling efficient editing processes. The simplicity of the interface contributes to a smooth workflow and allows both beginners and experienced editors to quickly adapt to the software.

Lagging Performance: Several users have reported that the software lags when working on extensive projects, especially those with 4K footage. This can significantly slow down the editing process and hinder productivity.

Outdated Layout: Users find the layout of the software to be outdated and difficult to comprehend. The outdated design makes it challenging for users to navigate and understand its features, leading to a frustrating user experience.

Uncomfortable Timeline: Many users have expressed dissatisfaction with the timeline in Final Cut Pro X, particularly when dealing with multiple video and audio sources. The timeline is uncomfortable to work with, making it difficult for users to edit their projects efficiently.

Users commonly recommend the following actions for Final Cut Pro X: consider the self-hosted version, compare with Adobe Premiere, and take classes or online tutorials.

  1. Consider the self-hosted version: Users recommend using the self-hosted version of Final Cut Pro X instead of the cloud version. They find it more cost-effective and user-friendly.

  2. Compare with Adobe Premiere: Users suggest comparing Final Cut Pro X with Adobe Premiere, particularly considering Premiere's integration with other Adobe products. They advise those seeking a deeper and more complex editing experience to consider Adobe Premiere instead.

  3. Take classes or online tutorials: Users recommend learning Final Cut Pro X through classes or online tutorials. They highlight the importance of fully utilizing its features, suggesting exploring the Generators Browser and Titles Browser as well.

Overall, users find Final Cut Pro X worth the investment, particularly for basic to complex projects. They also emphasize the importance of having ample hard drive space, using Compressor for easy exporting, and maintaining a strong labeling and indexing system for efficient project organization.

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(1-25 of 29)
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Seth Paine | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I am in the media and outreach department of my organization and we use Final Cut Pro X to edit all of the videos we put out on YouTube. We currently put out one video a week. There are no other departments in the organization that use Final Cut Pro X. The problem that it addresses is it gives me a powerful platform to create a video exactly how I want it to look with the built-in tools as well as the ability to install numerous plugins to expand the functionality. I also use Final Cut Pro X to edit a weekly vlog video on my own YouTube channel.
  • The non-linear editor is very intuitive.
  • The live scrubbing helps me go back and forth over edits to help me get a cut right quickly.
  • There are so many third party plugins to install to add whatever effect you want to your video.
  • The ability to connect the export to many services like YouTube makes putting your videos much quicker and easier.
  • I would love to see Apple implement a shared cloud project functionality like Final Cut Pro.
  • it would be good to have the option to use a linear editor if you want to, it would be nice to have both options.
  • The file references should be relative to the project file so if you have all your files under one folder and you move the whole folder to another drive you don't have to relink all the fils.
Final Cut Pro X is great for a situation where you are working on your own short video. The longer the video or the more resources you use in the video, it quicky slows down. I have had some projects with a 40-minute video clip that had a green screen and it felt very sluggish. I have heard Premiere is better at handling situations like that. If you are doing a short video the intuitiveness of Final Cut Pro X is worth it.
Shubham Verma | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I am a part of a Post Production department and my team is using final cut pro for editing the video. Basically, our company has lots of YouTube channels and they have proper shoot setup and then we have to edit the video with the help of Final Cut Pro X. Final Cut Pro X is very easy to use and it has more of effects and transitions.
  • Free Effects
  • Great Transitions
  • Easy to use
  • Quick Render
  • It uses lots of space
  • Sometimes hang too much
  • Not for big projects
Final cut pro x is the best software for video editing. I am using this software since 2.5 years and it's always help to get my video editing in less time. It has good transitions, titles and luts and you can easily find any of the element for final cut pro x over the internet. It also has good sound effect so you can enhance your video for better quality. There are too many shortcut keys to work fast.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
I've run a MMA Podcast for the past 12 years and have been editing the show with Final Cut Pro X and all previous versions. This program has been our go to since day one of filming and editing our show. A little bit of a learning curve to use but very easy once you have it down.
  • video editing
  • sound editing
  • podcast
  • video libraries need to be updated every time the software is updated
  • needs a powerful computer
  • sometimes I've clicked something and don't know how to turn that off
Any video editing is where this is best suited to be used. Be it home movies, but more specifically for me, podcasts.
Hilary Hobbs | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We tested Final Cut Pro X in our production studio to decide if it was worth switching over to from Premiere Pro CC. We are all on Macs so it was a large debate on if it would be worth it. We all studied the software online and attempted to create some of our company videos on the software.
  • It is extremely fast
  • Works perfectly in line with Apple computers
  • Easy to use and learn interface and layouts
  • The lack of alignment with Adobe software is what made things difficult for us
  • Having to use Apple's Motion for Final Cut is a downgrade
  • There are other softwares that do everything Final Cut does
Final Cut really is a great software for video editing (hey, The Matrix was made completely on Final Cut!), but for someone who works heavily in Photoshop, After Effects, Audition and Illustrator- it's probably best for you to stick with Premiere. If you are solely looking for a great editing software for your mac that is a step up from iMovie, Final Cut Pro X would be perfect for you.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We are a training company and recording and produce videos for our online learning platform as well as videos for youtube, social media, events and more. I use Final Cut Pro X to do all of my video editings. It allows me to edit and cut video footage to produce great content.
  • Great layout for editing. Easy to access all the tools without switching screens.
  • Has a nice variety of built in transitions.
  • Easy to add audio and video clips.
  • Would be nice to have more built in exporting options for those of use who don't know how to compress videos well.
  • More built in effects would be a plus.
  • I always struggle with adding text but it could just be me.
Final Cut Pro [X] is great for any video editing and even making slideshows with images. While it has many advanced features, I use it for very basic editing and I find it easy to use. It may be overkill for some but I think it's nice to have extras in case you decide to use them later down the road. As long as you're using it for what's it's intended for, I can't think of any reasons why you wouldn't use it.
Brendon Brown | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Our small business team uses Final Cut Pro X for cataloging, sharing, editing and production of marketing content specifically directed for streaming on industry-leading content platforms, for PPC-focused advertising and social media posting in post or story format on behalf of our roster of clients. Our determining factors are ease of use, feature set, cost, and organizational performance.
  • Adheres to the conceptually easy timeline model, thus making simple onboarding.
  • Feature-rich toolset which allows for incredible product manipulation from the get-go
  • Expandability via a vibrant plugin ecosystem. Final Cut plugins are broadly developed.
  • Rich integration with studio products: Motion, Compressor
  • Version updates exhibit a product team in touch with what the market needs
  • One obvious drawback: Mac hardware device only.
  • Depth of toolset can be overwhelming, and rich features remain undiscovered.
  • Managing catalogs of videos at a Project level can still be conceptually misleading and confusing.
If your employees engage in video creation on Mac devices I highly recommend [Final Cut Pro X] as an organizational and production tool to get more engaging content out the door, faster. The base product is easy to learn, while many seasoned editors still discover tricks and tools after many years of usage.

If you are not all on Mac products, then you really need to consider an alternative product,
Alex Pegg | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Final Cut Pro X is used in my photography business to edit and produce videos for business and wedding clients. It is by far the best video editing software available, and the features and interface are very intuitive and helpful. I am the sole employee of my business, so time efficiency really matters to me and Final Cut helps immensely with anything video related.
  • Autosave is a lifesaver!
  • Simple, intuitive user interface makes it easy for even beginners to create beautiful videos
  • Fast technology - optimization helps with rendering and load times to help keep the project moving along
  • Expensive
  • Dated presets (fonts, etc.)
Great for professionals and amateurs alike. If you've never used editing software before, there will be a bit of a steep learning curve, and Final Cut [Pro X] doesn't really have a "tutorial mode" so you're kind of on your own. But if you are experienced, it definitely presents the best user layout, autosave features, and customization options of any other video editing software out there.
Mike Muller | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Final Cut Pro [X] is our primary video editing program. We use it to edit videos used in various marketing initiatives. We use it to edit rough cuts of videos, create alternate cuts of videos currently in use and also use it to create training videos combining screen capture and live video content. Basically we use it to handle all our video editing needs
  • Easy to use
  • Performs well in a Mac environment
  • Exports to all necessary video format
  • Integrates well with other mac programs
  • Integrations into the Adobe suite would be helpful
  • Improved editing performance for higher res video files
Final Cut Pro X is the best option for video editor in a mac environment. It's stable, fast and easy to use. It provides all the professional editing tools that competitors like Premier and Davinci Resolve provide but optimized for a mac environment. The app just works and provides a fast workflow for video editing.
Rob Gokee | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
As a film, television and commercial composer, and former reality television story producer, I create promotional videos as well as being a YouTube content creator, I need to edit video in a program that works quickly, and isn't bogged down by unnecessary features or bells and whistles. Final Cut Pro X is an industry standard product used in post production houses and studios, but it's also easy to use at home.
  • Fast loading of program and plugins
  • Tidy interface
  • Inexpensive entry point
  • Integrates within Mac architecture well
  • Cross-platform (it's not available on PC)
  • 3rd party plugins often have loading issues
I've used Final Cut Pro X in a studio setting working on the show "Braxton Family Values." Coming from Adobe Premiere, I was able to jump right into FCPX without much of a slowdown - the interface was very easy to learn (it's also similar to Logic X, which I've used as a composer). You can jump right into the most important thing - the work itself.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use Final Cut Pro X at our university for all of our in-house videography post production. There are currently two employees on campus that use this software on a daily basis. The problem that is addressed by Final Cut Pro X is the need to have a reliable video editing tool that can be used in-house for all of our videos that we produce.
  • Efficiently edit together videos without much trouble.
  • Ability to edit out white/background noise within a video. A college campus is a pretty noisy environment.
  • Sometimes the clipping is not spot on.
  • Audio sometimes can bleed into transitions in an awkward way.
Final Cut Pro X is perfectly suited for the needs of our campus and for myself personally. It does the job that it needs to do without a lot of trouble. It is quick and efficient in producing a high quality edited video. We have tried other products but it always ends in the same manner and that is continuing to use Final Cut Pro.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use Final Cut Pro X for all our video editing on marketing and internal communications videos. I'm currently the only user within the company but I've become so used to it and reliant on it, it's hard to imagine using anything else. Final Cut Pro X is helping us to market the company and helping us to communicate both in house and out.
  • Duplicates footage and assets for the editing process, maintaining one location for all referenced files.
  • The unique factor about Final Cut Pro X is a snappy timeline for editing. This take a little getting used to at first but I've grown to prefer it over the years.
  • Intuitive user interface.
  • While an upgrade a few years ago brought back the 3-way color wheel for color correction (which it had previously removed for Final Cut Pro X), more robust color-grading would be a plus.
  • Sound editing isn't as robust as the competition (think Adobe Audition).
  • Tends to be a little unstable after an upgrade (at least on my late model 2015 Macbook Pro)
Final Cut Pro X, in my experience, has been fantastic for use at small shops and for the size projects I tend to work on (1-3m in length). It always functions well when exporting longer lectures or employee training videos. I've never had an issue with too many lines of video or audio. It's a well organized, intuitive editor with a feature set of editing tools (effects, generator, etc.). Apple has kept up with all newer forms of cameras, so compatibility is never an issue. While I've also edited short features. I can't speak to Final Cut Pro X's current capability in editing feature-length films compared with other platforms (Premiere, Davinci resolve, Avid, etc.)
Michelle Green Arnson | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 5 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use Final Cut Pro X to create videos for marketing, fundraising, donor engagement, and grant applications, but the software is used by only one employee (me) for all those different purposes. Final Cut Pro X allows us to create professional-quality videos to showcase our work, convey our impact, and attract new funders.
  • I really like the color correction capabilities within Final Cut Pro X. I think, even if you were new to it, that tool would feel pretty intuitive.
  • Sorting through and filtering different types of clips, photos, etc. is simple and straightforward. I especially love being able to hide things that have already been used in my timeline.
  • For my current purposes, being able to export straight to YouTube is surprisingly helpful. I can set privacy settings from Final Cut Pro X so a video can upload and be available only to the intended viewers, OR to any supporter looking at our YouTube channel.
  • I am NOT a fan of the text tools. I find the options oddly and unnecessarily restrictive, and not every title tool works the same or offers the same setting choices as others. It's sometimes easier to generate titles elsewhere and import them.
  • I don't love the library/project/event structure. It has always felt like a weird mashup of iMovie and prior versions of FCP, and it just feels needlessly complicated. I'd like to have more flexibility in my content management structures.
  • Coming from older Final Cut Pro versions, Final Cut Pro X has a way of making me feel kind of dumb. Keyboard short cuts aren't what my fingers expect them to be, tools aren't where I think they should be, and other similar mismatches. Some of this can be customized, and much of it is just an old dog needing to re-learn tricks.
I would only recommend Final Cut Pro X to a colleague in a similar position if they had previous experience with video editing and/or they REALLY wanted to learn a professional program for kicks. The fact is, most of what I use it for could be done with iMovie or a similar consumer-level program, but I find it beneficial to keep up professional editing skills with this higher-end, more complicated software.
Andrew Peterson | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I am the only person in the organization using Final Cut Pro X. The program allows me to easily create videos/previews of videos and allows me to make changes based on what my uppers request. The program is incredibly efficient when combined with the correct type of MacBook and is easy enough to learn, so time is not wasted when video creation is in effect.
  • The render speed of Final Cut Pro X is incredible. Everything is rendered while you're working, so the exporting of a file does not take long.
  • The interface has a similar feel to iMovie, which is what I upgraded from, so it was easy to adjust to this new program. The learning curve of software can be a real barrier to entry to newcomers.
  • The color correction system is fantastic. With a recent update, Final Cut Pro X now allows full-blown color correction to your projects. It is much easier to get the same look across all clips than it used to be.
  • Final Cut Pro X does not go as deep in features as some other video editing software.
  • The "snap" feature needs to be turned off by default. It is a very handy feature for lining certain parts of clips up, but it can also become annoying and just in the way instead of being useful.
  • Information in clips can sometimes be slow to load. For example, sometimes the audio levels of my clips can take several moments to register and show up, even on a fairly powerful machine.
Final Cut Pro X is a very useful program for people that need to have a little bit more depth when editing videos for work or for casual use. Most people will not need something that has more features than Final Cut Pro X has. It is a very good piece of software for people that need to create video content, but don't need super intense features. Final Cut Pro X is also very good for people easily intimidated by software, as it has a very nice interface and is easy to learn.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I work on a team of five creative storytellers and we use Final Cut Pro X to edit our stories. It is a phenomenal tool that has such ease of access across each individual. We can all work on each other's projects while another person is out of the office because of how easy it is.
  • Ease of editing and layout.
  • Color Correction is simple.
  • My favorite it editing multicam clips.
  • I wish that the color correction was automatically placed on clips.
  • When I import it automatically adds a LUT that I do not need.
  • I wish it was a little easier to incorporate graphics. Adobe has it good with the suite.
It is quick to pick up and a very powerful tool. I can work on my desktop, in an editing studio, or right on my laptop while on a plane. All I need is my hard drive and I can use Final Cut Pro X anywhere. The versatility is amazing. I do wish there were some more third party applications that would work well with it.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Our company and post-production team almost exclusively uses Final Cut Pro X for editing. Final Cut helps make sure that everyone at our company including our freelancers are using software that works well in the Apple ecosystem, updates regularly to address the changing technology and ensures that project files are easily shareable between editors. By our experience, it is also the fastest NLE out there.
  • The magnetic timeline was as controversial as it was ground-breaking. After adapting from other editing platforms, I consider it a major pro as it takes several keystrokes out of nearly every edit - saving you massive amounts of time.
  • Auto-saving. I can't tell you how much progress I lost prior to having this feature - and I was a fastidious "Command-S" user... A simple feature, but incredibly helpful.
  • Background Rendering. I originally thought this was a gimmick - but having to hit "Command-R" is a think of the past. No more waiting for the render - no more manually adjusting playback resolution just to see the edit, it just works -and it works fast.
  • The default file management settings need to be able to be adjusted in preferences. By default, they are set within your library - which is never a setting I would want to use as a pro editor - and annoying to correct after the fact if you forget. It's easy enough to change, but I have to do it for every project.
  • I'd like to see a move towards an easier collaborative file sharing or project file system. It works about as good as it every has - but I think there is room for improvement. On larger projects, my editors are ALWAYS sharing project files... so built-in project versioning and collaboration should be something that becomes a standard in NLEs.
  • Audio editing - though keyframing audio is significantly easier in FCPX, it's a bit difficult to view your audio tracks if you have multiple channels, dual mono, stereo, etc on the timeline. This was a bit of a step backward - the oversimplifying of the audio editing.
I find Final Cut Pro X incredibly well suited in an editing environment when there are short recurring video edits - specifically, I found myself reducing the total edit time on a 2-minute web video for a client from 3-4 hours to 1-2 hours when I originally switched from FCP7. I've also used Final Cut Pro X to edit music videos, commercials, half-hour TV episodes, and feature films - all of which FCPX performed very fast and well. Final Cut does become a little more difficult to use on feature film edits when needing to work on multiple audio layers - it does become difficult to manage long form edits with complicated audio, however, that's a problem I recall having with other NLE as well. One other note - FCPX is generally very stable, although because you can edit multiple codecs, formats, frame rates on one timeline - when you get into a long-form edit, it can become slow and often crash. I would imagine this is the same issue you would run into with any NLE due to the pressure this puts on your CPU.
Stephen Wittmaak | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Final Cut Pro X is currently used for all post production of video content for social media and events for the company.
  • Short learning curve
  • Flexible and functional
  • Meshes well with other Apple products
  • Stacked event files become quite large in size
  • Not exact when favoriting clips for export, overlapping occurs
  • No dedicated save function, you have to trust autosave
  • No copy and paste for clips from one project to another outside of the timeline
I come from the Adobe Premiere/Windows family of users, but when I got into an all Mac environment and they used Final Cut, I had to learn quickly. For those new or even intermediate, Final Cut's intuitive navigation and setup make it easy to get the hang of quickly. The best part is the more you know how to use it, the more you can do!
Daniel Epstein | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Firefilm Productions is a video content producing company that creates everything from wedding videos to feature-length films. It's necessary to have a robust yet affordable video editing software to fit our ever-changing needs. We didn't switch to Final Cut Pro X right away at launch, favoring a bit of troubleshooting before we made the move (due to learning curves) but once the switch was made, we use it on all our video content projects.
  • It's more stable than previous versions of Final Cut Pro, which is immensely important. Any video editor knows the pain of working for hours only for the system to crash and you lose all the progress you've made.
  • Its layout is vastly different than previous years, in contrast to previous incremental upgrades that really didn't alter much. The new layout is intuitive and almost closer to iMovie in design.
  • It can handle HD content better than in years past. That might seem like an extension of the "it's more stable" comment, but it's specific to HD content. previous iterations would find workarounds to "fake" being able to handle HD content, but this version truly handles it. Honestly, no one is shooting in non-HD anymore, so it's a necessity to handle what people are shooting with.
  • The preview windows cannot be undocked the way you can with Premiere Pro. I've used both editing software and it's nice to be able to throw a preview window onto another monitor just by dragging and dropping.
  • Because it does function so differently than previous years, there's a steep learning curve. A "legacy" view would be nice to help ease longtime editors into the new version.
  • Video production is sometimes feast or famine. Premiere Pro allows you to rent their software license, and then discontinue when you are done the project. Final Cut Pro X simply asks that you buy it at full price. Having the option to rent would be nice.
Final Cut Pro X is well suited for those who already know what they are doing when it comes to video production, and want to step up their game. However, I would not recommend it for beginners to video production, as the learning curve is unnecessarily steep. For beginners, I would steer them more towards iMovie which has grown into a very robust (yet approachable) video editing tool over the years.
March 01, 2019

A cut above the rest

Kyle Trail | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Well, primarily it's being used by myself only. I started here a little over three years ago developing training content primarily with Articulate Storyline and some light video work on Camtasia. Of course, there were no Macs here in this company at the time. About a year later, we purchased the first Mac ever in this company and with it, Final Cut Pro X (FCPX), Motion, and Compressor. We were heading in the direction of more video production here in house.

I use FCPX for a variety of pieces ranging from screenshares to projects that I shoot myself and then complete in FCPX and Motion. Again, almost all of what I do is for training via our LMS that is currently serving our 2300+ staff Nationwide. We're also building out a studio this year by mid Summer. So, FCPX has helped me grow video production internally. In addition, I've been tasked with quite a few marketing types of pieces and that department is now purchasing their own camera and software.

Basically, our industry requires, from time to time, that training be visual in nature. Affording an outside video production company just isn't in the cards when you can get into production internally for such a small amount of money these days. So, that's what we're doing. With FCPX, though, we can push those limits and even venture into video production that was out of the question for us just 3 short years ago. It's been a boon for our training.
  • Real-time editing is beyond anything I've used prior. The ability to manipulate and change things while the timeline is still playing is remarkable.
  • The GUI of FCPX is above par in my opinion. Nothing else like it exists.
  • The application is the standard in the industry as it's as simple or as complex as required for a particular task. Don't believe me? Add on mO2 plugin and watch just how powerful it can be.
  • Keyboard shortcuts are pretty solid, but I'd like to map my own. I know there's some room for that, but I'd like to see a little more integration with the touchbar on FCPX. I mean manipulation on the touchbar to personalize.
I think it's well suited for almost anything. I believe you'll probably gonna step up to the big leagues with an Avid setup. I've used both and, to be honest, I don't see why other than you just have to adapt to others' systems at times.

They've edited and completed films in FCPX. I see no reason you cannot use it in any situation.
Dave Becker | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use Final Cut Pro X in our Marketing Department for video editing and production. Final Cut gives us more flexibility than other video editing software because it doesn't have much of a learning curve, meaning we don't need to have an extensive training session before getting new users set up with the software.
  • Final Cut Pro already has many of the extra features you would have to download for other video editing software already installed when you start. There's no need to go searching online for add-ons.
  • It's a really intuitive program to use, you just drag and drop the video where you want it or click and drag where you want to cut. This makes it easy to show new users how to get started.
  • You can layer many different audio channels, which gives you a lot of freedom to get your sound just right.
  • Final Cut has seemingly "crashed" in the middle of working on a few of our projects, and we weren't able to recover our progress. Starting from scratch after hours of work is not fun.
  • Although we haven't had a problem with it yet, it seems as though there are fewer exporting options than we expected. The major options are there, but it seems as though there should be more.
  • Exporting screenshots as jpegs is a disappointment with Final Cut Pro X. They don't export in HD. The workaround is to export as a png or tiff but it's annoying that you can't use jpeg.
If you want a straight forward video editing software with the ability to really fine-tune your audio and video, Final Cut Pro X is the option for you. If you're not the type to constantly save your work and keep back-ups of those saves, you might want to be wary of this.
Julio Ahumada  MBA | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
Admittedly it was a leap for us to move from Final Cut 7 to X. The curve wasn't as steep as we all feared but there was some getting used to. Now it is used every day. There is a fountain of vendors for plugins. I often had to step out to do some animation in after effects, but a great deal can be done in Final Cut. Super easy. I Love it. We use it for Youtube and other social media and to be able to post it directly and or in the flavor that a channel wants is great. If you have the RAM (32gigs on my old 2011 is boatloads faster than my other 2019 mac. with 8gigs). I think for the community support, available plugins and how easy it is to use - oh and the price - AWESOME.
  • Composing a timeline to tell a story.
  • Workflow.
  • Ease of use.
  • In some respects, the layout was better in the previous version. Or maybe I got used to that.
  • Sometimes files get moved around and that would break the reference links. It would be great if Final Cut could send out a search party on its own to look for the missing files.
I always recommend Final Cut Pro to people. It's great for making videos for various aspects.
Dan Talvi | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
As an instructor of a Career and Technical Education program specializing in Media Communications, Final Cut Pro X is one of the applications taught to and used by our students throughout the 2-year course. As part of our curriculum, students work with clients from local businesses and organizations to create video productions, commercials, and other video-based media. Final Cut Pro X, as one of the leading non-linear video editing applications, allows our students to create high-end productions that meet the quality requirements necessary to meet client needs.
  • User-friendly Interface
  • High-quality built-in resources/templates
  • Advanced Video Editing Features & Functionality
  • One-time purchase (no subscriptions)
  • Mac OS Only (Not available for Windows)
  • Some advanced features / functionality is overly simplified.
Final Cut Pro X is a great video editing software for moderate video production enthusiasts. FCPX is a non-linear video editor, meaning users can cut, re-position, and layer audio and videos on a timeline. This allows the user maximum control when it comes to manipulating video footage to best suit the client's vision. Because FCPX is a moderate to expert video editing software, beginners may have difficulty taking full advantage of the software, but should still be able to assemble basic video productions.
Shawngela Pierce | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use Final Cut Pro X to make training videos for various courses on our online training site. Final Cut Pro X is used in conjunction with Motion 5 for added visual effects. We also use Final Cut Pro X in creating promotional videos, marketing videos and educational videos for our YouTube channel.
  • Easy to use editing features.
  • Very intuitive for the beginner.
  • Quality DVD Authoring.
  • Professional lighting correction.
  • Professional color correction.
  • Great sound editing.
  • Creating custom DVD menus definitely needs improving, although I realize that DVD production is declining.
  • Uses up a lot of resources. This can be a problem if you are working on a laptop, especially an older one.
  • Final Cut Pro X is constantly adding new and improved features. Because of this, the learning curve can be steep for certain aspects. I definitely recommend finding good tutorials to keep you up-to-date on how to use it.
Final Cut Pro X is an excellent software that I highly recommend to anyone. I have used Adobe but their design is far more complex. For a really simple workflow that just gets the job done quickly, I highly recommend Final Cut Pro X.

Final Cut Pro X may not be suited for beginners who have never edited videos before. I would recommend iMovie for those Mac users.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We use Final Cut to capture, edit, and export video for use on our website, YouTube, and in our Sunday Services. Currently it's used only in our creative department on a weekly basis. It's incredibly helpful in getting our message out consistently and quickly to the hundreds of people that visit our website weekly.
  • Editing is quick and easy in FCPX. Many people aren't used to FCPX's different way of handling the timeline, but in reality there's incredible efficiency in the way that Final Cut edits.
  • Everything I need is right in the FCPX interface to help make our videos look the best that they can. And it's all relatively easy to use, even for people with limited experience with complicated editing tools.
  • Final cut also has great integration with Motion to create great title presets. We use several custom themed titles that we created and are easily able to add to each project that we need.
  • I would love for FCPX to increase it's audio capabilities. Currently, when shooting, I record audio live into Logic Pro X, then export and bring into FCPX. I'd love for Apple to build better integration between the two, or to build better tools in FCPX.
  • I'd also love a few more complex compositing tools to be built in. Most items from Motion cross over, but occasionally I have to use Motion for one tiny thing that could be added to FCPX.
Final Cut is fantastic for people who want an easy to use video editor from any level of experience. It's also a great way to save money over using Adobe Premiere, as you don't have a monthly subscription. It's not going to be useful to PC users as it's Mac only. It also may not be as useful to people that rely on After Effects as it doesn't work as smoothly as Premiere would.
Jeff Huisjen | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
We mainly use Final Cut Pro to cut, edit, and correct our sermon videos which we upload to Vimeo and our website. Some of the other uses in our organization are to cut, edit, and correct videos that are shot to be used as promotional pieces, bumpers, and/or messages to certain groups in our congregation.
  • I find Final Cut Pro X fairly intuitive and easy to use. When I started using it years ago I was able to step easily into it with minimal instruction.
  • Final Cut Pro X integrates easily with programs like Handbrake or Compressor and also has options for automatic upload to video sites like YouTube or Vimeo.
  • Final Cut Pro X rarely crashed when I was using it, which if you have done any video editing, you know is a huge bonus!
  • The Final Cut Pro X Event/Project system could stand to be updated a bit, possibly the least intuitive part of the program.
  • If you're making the jump from Premiere Pro or another program like that you may find the transition to Final Cut to be a bit frustrating.
  • Some of the color correction options and preset formats seemed unnecessary and needlessly complex for what we used the program for.
Final Cut Pro X seemed to work best for me in doing quick project edits and finishing work. For us taking a recorded sermon, trimming, adding transitions, and doing some simple color correction and audio clean up... it was the perfect program. For longer, much larger projects it seemed to bog down a bit and some of the functionality struggled to do exactly what I wanted.
Melissa Rivera | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I have used Final Cut Pro X to create promotional videos for events. I use it to create Vlogs. I have also used it to create short films. This program is only supported by Apple products, and is not a program for beginners. There are features that do not plainly explain what they do. This knowledge comes from trial & error, or research. If you are looking for a professional program to edit your videos, look no further. Final Cut keeps their software up to date so you don't encounter bugs.
  • Allow for detailed editing of sound and video separately.
  • ability to use preset filters or create your own
  • Use of a sound and music database
  • Create a PC version
  • Create a version for editing basics (simpler and friendlier for novices) with ability to upgrade
Final Cut Pro X is great for Mac users who are looking for more features than what is offered in iMovie. However, it may be complicated for anyone who has never edited videos before.
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