Computer maker Apple released Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3, the latest update to its professional video editing application, which introduces multicam editing that automatically syncs up to 64 angles of video and photos, advanced chroma keying for handling complex adjustments right in the app and enhanced XML for a richer interchange with third-party apps and plug-ins that support the Final Cut Pro X ecosystem.
Available as a free update from the Mac App Store, Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 also includes a beta of broadcast monitoring that supports Thunderbolt devices as well as PCIe cards. The software is available from the Mac App Store for $299.99 to new users. Users can also test the program with a free 30-day trial available through Apple’s Website.
Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 includes a collection of new tools for editing multicam projects. Final Cut Pro X automatically syncs clips from a user’s shoot using audio waveforms, time and date, or timecode to create a Multicam Clip with up to 64 angles of video, which can include mixed formats, frame sizes and frame rates. The Angle Editor feature allows users to dive into the Multicam Clip to make adjustments, and the Angle Viewer lets users play back multiple angles at the same time and seamlessly cut between them.
In addition, the latest version of the software builds upon its one-step chroma key capability with the addition of advanced controls including color sampling, edge adjustment and light wrap. Users can also utilize complex keying challenges directly in Final Cut Pro X, without having to export to a motion graphics application, and view results instantly with realtime playback.
In the seven months since launch, the third-party ecosystem around Final Cut Pro X has expanded “dramatically,” according to Apple. The company noted XML-compatible software such as DaVinci Resolve and CatDV provide tight integration for tasks such as color correction and media management, and the new 7toX app from Intelligent Assistance uses XML to import Final Cut Pro 7 projects into Final Cut Pro X. In addition, some of the industry’s largest visual effects developers, including GenArts and Red Giant, have developed motion graphics plug-ins that take advantage of the speed and real-time preview capabilities of Final Cut Pro X.
Broadcast monitoring in Final Cut Pro X is currently in beta and allows users to connect to waveform displays, vectorscopes and calibrated, high-quality monitors to ensure that your project meets broadcast specifications. Final Cut Pro X supports monitoring of video and audio through Thunderbolt I/O devices, as well as through third-party PCIe cards.