| |
Apple Final Cut Express Review
- Full Version: $199.00
- Upgrade: from $99.00
- Consumer version of Apple's video editing software
- Drag and drop style user interface
- Expansive library of professional looking visual effects
- Easily add custom titles and text overlays
- Advanced editing tools for trimming and fine tuning
- Open format timeline supports different types of footage simultaneously
- Real time editing and playback of effects
- Multiple audio tracks for precise digital audio editing
- Built in AVCHD support for editing HD footage directly
- Achieve complex compositing tasks easily
- Import iMovie projects
- Plug and play support for most camcorders
- Extensive online tutorials
- Only available on Mac
Apple Final Cut Express is the consumer version of Apple's Final Cut Studio video editing software. While it retains essentially the same user interface as the pro version, the express version has had several features cut out of it, but these are things that probably wouldn't mean much to the average home user anyway. Being an Apple product Final Cut Express is only available in a Mac version, but PC users have plenty of other options for a video editing tool anyway.
Like most Apple products, Final Cut Express definitely looks the part with an elegantly designed user interface that isn't too overwhelming at first. The interface isn't much different from the professional edition of the software so it does take a bit of time to get to grips with, but is still very intuitive and clearly laid out. One of the biggest improvements over previous versions is that the hardware setup process has had a major overhaul to make it much easier to connect up your recording equipment.
There are a lot of editing tools included with final Cut Express and, for the average user, it will seem like very little has been left out from the pro version. One of the biggest differences between the express and pro versions is that some of the compositing tools have been left out of the express version. However, there is still more than enough functionality to produce some professional looking effects. There are also hundreds of built in filters and effects that you can use to enhance your productions.
The open format timeline in Final Cut Express lets you work with high definition and standard definition footage in different formats on the same timeline. You get 99 tracks to play with which can be used as video or audio and this should be more than enough for most purposes. Final Cut Express can also open projects created with iMovie (which comes free with the Mac OS) which is great for people with old projects they want to improve. Since many people will be upgrading to Final Cut Express because they have outgrown iMovie, Apple tries to make the transition as seamless as possible.
Apple Final Cut Express is an excellent tool for Mac users who need more functionality than iMovie offers, but are still wary of shelling out for the pro version of Final Cut Studio. As consumer versions go, Final Cut Express has an astounding array of features and it feels like very little has been cut from the pro version. The price tag is perhaps slightly higher than other similar level video editing applications, but this does reflect the level of control it offers.
>> Click here to download Apple Final Cut Express
or
<< Back to the rest of our Video Editing Software Reviews
|
|
|
