Apple has been losing its grip on the professional editing market ever since Final Cut Pro X was launched in 2011 to much skepticism. With Avid and Adobe welcoming a lot of FCP7 refugees, Apple is now once again targeting those customers with its latest free update to FCPX. The major features include support for Sony's new XAVC codec up to 4K resolution, and the option to display ProRes Log C files from the Arri Alexa in Rec. 709. Also included in the free update are various fixes to both Compressor and Motion. Get the full details after the jump.

With Version 10.0.8 of Final Cut Pro X, Apple is reported to be launching a campaign today, to 'win back' professionals. In this campaign, Apple will be reporting on stories from professional editors who are making the switch back to FCPX, like Julian Liurette from Toronto's Globe and Mail newspaper who, after waiting a year after its initial release, says:

It's better on all fronts. Its interface is 100 times more interesting. And it's much, much faster.

The campaign will also include a piece on Hong Kong filmmaker Tsui Hark.

No doubt this is in response to Sony's new F5 and 4k F55 cameras and the popularity of the Alexa amongst industry professionals, and Apple's campaign is being timed to coincide with this year's NAB convention in Las Vegas from April 6th-11th.

The full list of features and fixes from Apple:

  • Support for Sony XAVC codec up to 4K resolution
  • Option to display ProRes Log C files from ARRI ALEXA cameras with standard Rec. 709 color and contrast levels
  • Resolves an issue where some third-party effects generated green frames during render
  • Resolves performance issues that could occur with certain titles and effects
  • Time reversed clips render in the background
  • Ability to use key commands to adjust Clip Appearance settings in the timeline
  • Ability to view reel number metadata located in the timecode track of video files
  • Mono audio files in a surround project export with correct volume levels
  • Drop zones no longer reset to the first frame of video after application restart
  • Fixes a performance issue which resulted from selecting multiple ranges on a single clip
  • Fixes an issue where the Play Around function did not work properly on certain clips when viewed through external video devices

Harry Miller, head of the American Cinema Editors' technology committee, shared with the LA Times:

Personally, I'm still suspicious of Apple, I don't think they have my interests at heart. And I don't want to invest money in any of their hardware or software when they might drop features in new versions.

Apple has made a lot of concessions, responses to criticism, and updates since FCPX's release; but will it make a difference, or is it too late? Have you already moved on from Apple's NLE suite, or will continued campaigning and functionality improvements convince you to come back? Share your thoughts below.

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Editing & Post-Production