Final Cut Pro 4: So what's the deal with it?
 

I keep hearing not-so-good things about FCP 4; I don't know or think it's as bad as FCP 2.

But I want to hear from the users. What do you all think of it, honestly?

Also, I think Apple should release versions of FCP every other year at least, because it's getting expensive. If I buy FCP 4, I'm sure FCP 5 will be out...

Same with full new versions of OS X. Though, wasn't OS X version 10.1 only $20 - 30 when it came out in late Sept. 2001? Sheesh...

heath

Final Cut Pro 2 rocks! Never a single problem with it ever ever never ever. I think Apple needs to sit down and release an update for FCP4. Apple doesn't quite have the knack at programming that they used to, and you are starting to see a few more bugs in their products (DVD Studio Pro 2, iMovie 3, FCP4, Mac OS X 10.2.8, etc etc etc). Hopefully the dust will settle and they'll release an update before 5 comes out. I think most of the problems are coming from G5 systems, though, as FCP4 seems to be working well for me.

Rule #1: Don't update if everything is working fine for you. Let other people do it instead. Let them be the guinea pigs. When it is determined that it is safe, upgrade.

Also, to own an Apple, you must have unlimited funds. At least that's what Apple wants. It is not a budget computer. :) I fully agree though. Releasing upgrades to Mac OS X is not like going from Windows 98 to Windows 2000. It's going from 10.2.8 to 10.3.0. Apple of course claims it's a whole brand new OS. I'll pony up when they go to OS Y or OS XI. Fortunately I've never had to purchase Mac OS X.... it always seems to be preinstalled on the computers I buy.

I've bought OS X twice--the day 10.0 came out and 10.2...

I have to buy OS X 10.3 because it has Pixlet in it, perfect for me with an HD10 HDV camera.

heath

ps-I had nothing BUT problems on FCP 2. 2.0.2 cancelled the 16:9 feature. I called Apple on this, and they were like, "WHAT?!"

I cut most of my movie (feature length) on a G3 blue and white 400 mhz with FCP 1.0. Never had problems.

pss-I'll wait to upgrade to 10.2.8.

Interesting about your FCP 2 experience. Up until I got FCP 4, I used 2 (including the updated versions like 2.0.2 and so on) to edit in 16:9 tons of times. I can understand Apple's reaction... I am having the same one. :)

<<<-- Originally posted by Ted Springer : Interesting about your FCP 2 experience. Up until I got FCP 4, I used 2 to edit in 16:9 tons of times. I can understand Apple's reaction... I am having the same one. :) -->>>

what version of FCP 2? just out of curiousity.

heath

I think you could post a question like this about darn near any software product and some will say "Oh, dude, like it really sucks" and other will say "It's fine".

Personally, I've been using it -REAL- hard for the past several weeks (5-9 hrs/day) on my G4 1GHzDP as well as my 1GHz PB and it's not hiccuped or crashed once. (Actually, it did crash once due to a defective filter set.) Slight but noticeable general performance improvement over FCP3. Certainly a fuller and richer set of tools.

So I'm happier than a piggy in poo-poo.

Hmm, thanks for your thoughts.

heath

Heath, I just checked, and I have FCP 2.0.2. I'm not sure if it went any higher than that.

If you are on a G4, FCP4 should work fine. If you are on a G5 or plan to be, wait until you are safely working with 10.3.

Funny, FCP 2.0.2 was the last version they put out. I was editing on it and capturing 16:9 shot footage and none of it was letterboxing. The Apple FCP techie freaked out on the phone, which meant things weren't so good for FCP 2. About, what, 9 months after it came out, FCP 3 was announced. Is that right?

heath

Letterboxing
 

16:9 (anamorphic) footage is not supposed to letterbox. You edit in a 16:9 anamorphic sequence, then if you want a letterbox version for 4:3 display, you drop your 16:9 sequence into a new 4:3 sequence and render it out.

Right, but it wasn't even doing that. It was ignoring my 16:9 footage altogether.

heath

ps-along with all the crashes and such.