Finally! Apple has announced a Final Cut Pro update after eight months of crash bugs, glitchy export files, and freezing issues. Most content creators and video editors (including me) who rely on Apple’s expensive video editing software will benefit from the latest 10.4.9 update.

The latest update reveals plethora of fixes and improvements to improve the user’s overall editing workaround.

Editing workflow improvements

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Designed for video professionals in mind, the significant workflow improvements result to a more efficient editing and exporting. New features include ProRes RAW camera settings, revealing the ISO, color temperature, and exposure offset right in the inspector pane for the first time.

Users can now add audio crossfades in an easier step — unlike applying Cross Dissolves or manual adjustments before. You can also close a project or clear a timeline history with a new context menu and even sort clips (in List View) based on when the file was last modified.

For resolution-savvy editors, you can now transcode an 8K RED RAW footage two times faster on a Mac Pro and three times more when using a MacBook Pro. There are also improvements when using Metal-enabled plug-ins in both RED RAW and Canon’s Cinema RAW Light. Editing with an 8K Canon Cinema RAW Light codec is also a first time in this latest Final Cut Pro update.

Moreover, stereoscopic 360-degree videos can now be stabilized faster. You can even view it simultaneously through separate eye streams in the 360-degree Viewer.

Proxy Workflows enhancement

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Most creatives choose Full Resolution when previewing a project file. But in order to boost computing power and decrease memory consumption, you can now generate proxy media in custom frame sizes of 1/2, 1/4, or even 1/8. Other than that, you can also select proxy media between ProRes Proxy or the default H.264 compression.

Moreover, you can save more storage space by creating a proxy-only copy of a library. If proxy media isn’t available in some of your clips, you can opt to select between original file or optimized media instead.

Better Tools for Social Media

Content creation for social media has been a challenge for most editors especially with differences in aspect ratios and video resolution. Whether that may be Snapchat, Instagram, or Twitter, users can now automatically analyzes dominant motion in projects and later transform them through Smart Conform that’s based on Machine Learning.

When adjusting scale, rotation, and position, you can now see media even outside the crop boundary with the Transform Overscan feature.

There’s also a Custom Overlay feature that serves as a guide when placing texts and graphics in non-landscape videos.

Additional Updates to Motion and Compressor

Motion is the co-existing software for those who want more motion graphics. This app now offers a wider range of choices for those who want to import third-party 3D models. Creators can even select 3D models from the built-in library in the USDZ format for titles, effects, transitions, and generators.

For added creativitiy, the use of keyframes or behaviors will also let the user manually adjust the position, scale, and rotation of a model — even with the use of emitters, lights, cameras and existing replicators.

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Another new tool is the Stroke Filter which helps a motion graphic artist save time instead of outlining elements by hand. This feature automatically outlines a texts and objects based on their alpha channel. A user can later customize it through offset animation, multiple stroke filters, and even the addition of gradient tools to make it more artistic.

Lastly, Compressor also has updated features including support for Custom LUT effects and the ability to use LUTs when converting log-encoded footages to SDR and HDR output files.

A full list of performance and reliability fixes can be found over here.

Still don’t have it?

With the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, Apple still offers a 90-day trial of Final Cut Pro for new users. After the free trial, Final Cut Pro will cost you:

• US$ 299 in the US
• GBP 299.99 in Great Britain
• EUR 329.99 in several European nations
• SG$ 448.98 in Singapore
• PhP 14,990 in the Philippines; and
• INR 24,900 in India

Education plan bundles will get you the powerful editing app at a cheaper price. On the other hand, the Motion and Compressor bundle for new users is also being sold for a certain amount not higher than the prices listed above.

Existing users can get the Final Cut Pro, Motion, and Compressor updates for free on the Mac App Store.