Apple has just updated Final Cut Pro X to version 10.0.8 and includes support for Sony’s XAVC codec used in its 4K cameras. The XAVC codec is used for 4K capture on the Sony F55. (Recall that I also detailed XAVC and the potential to use XQD cards to capture 4K XAVC footage in Sony’s new “consumer” 4K camcorder back at CES.) It’s a relatively minor update with additional support for the ARRI Alexa and some other fixes and improvements.
Along with the release of the FCP X update, however, Apple is nudging back at the pro market with a campaign to get us back on board the Apple video editing train. It is certainly no coincidence that NAB 2013 kicks off in a little over a week though.
Take a look at the half dozen success stories with pro users featured on Apple’s site now. These are eerily similar to the big coming out party for FCP when the 2007 story surfaced of Walter Murch cutting Cold Mountain on FCP. Yeah, these projects aren’t quite that big when it comes to industry noise, but real pros are using FCP X on big time projects.
Then there’s the whole “what’s next?” side of this. Larry Jordan has a great analysis of the whole FCP X situation over on his blog wherein he specifically addresses the timing of this new push. He seems to feel (and for good reason, I might add) that this is Apple’s prelude to the next major update to FCP X (not FCP 11 mind you, lest we get ahead of ourselves), along with another supporting application to join Apple’s pro creative suite – such as Logic.
It is probably too late to expect to see these updates rolling in before NAB 2013 kicks off. And, for those who remember the FCP X unveil at NAB 2011, I have already checked the presenters for the Supermeet and Apple is not one of them…
Additional features and bug fixes to FCP X version 10.0.8 include the following:
- 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
