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For creative professionals and media editors around the world, each update on software such as the Final Cut Pro can bring in changes that make their work way more efficient. Last month, Apple announced the latest Final Cut Pro 11 which includes features such as Magnetic Mask, ‘Transcribe to Captions’, and the ability to edit and deliver spatial video projects that can be viewed on Apple Vision Pro. I’ve been using the latest software for a month now and here’s my experience.
User interface
Final Cut Pro 11 maintains a strong resemblance to its earlier versions, offering a user interface that is both familiar but at times can feel restrictive for pro users. Elements such as the project window, preview monitor, source monitor, timeline, effects browser, and more, remain largely unchanged. While users can resize these windows to a limited extent, the overall layout and customisation options are relatively limited compared to other video editing software options such Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve. Both of these offer custom workspaces with the most commonly used functions for different parts of the post-production workflow like editing, graphics, colour grading and audio production.
Learning curve
Despite a dated interface, Final Cut Pro 11’s intuitive design makes it easy to learn for both beginners and intermediate video editors. The familiar layout and straightforward workflow allow users to quickly grasp the basics and start editing their videos within a few weeks, just like I did back in 2022.
New features
Final Cut Pro 11 introduces two new AI-driven tools: Magnetic Mask and Transcribe to Captions. Magnetic Mask enables editors to isolate individuals and objects within a video clip without needing a green screen or time-consuming rotoscoping. Editors can seamlessly integrate Magnetic Mask with colour correction and video effects.
‘Transcribe to Captions’ on the other hand, automates the generation of closed captions within the timeline using an Apple-trained LLM (large language model) that transcribes spoken audio into on-screen captions.
One feature with limited use at the moment in India is the ability to create and distribute spatial video projects specifically designed for Apple Vision Pro. We’ll explore this further in the review.
Performance
Final Cut Pro 11 offers precise magic mask edge selection, which can be easily refined with a few clicks.
In terms of real-world performance, Final Cut Pro 11 delivers impressive speed and efficiency. For instance, the Magnetic Mask tool processed a six-minute bluescreen clip on a three-year-old M1 Pro in about 10 minutes—a significant improvement over Adobe After Effects, which required approximately 20 minutes for Rotoscoping and tracking on an iMac with M3.
Final Cut Pro 11 offers precise magic mask edge selection, which can be easily refined with a few clicks. While DaVinci Resolve Studio provides a strong implementation of mask and tracking, After Effects takes it a step further with Rotobrush 3.0, offering even greater accuracy, although at a slightly slower pace.
However, while the Transcribe to Captions feature is a helpful addition, it lags behind when it comes to comprehensive text-based editing features found in Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve. Final Cut’s implementation offers only basic caption formatting options, such as bold, italics, and font color adjustments, along with limited caption placement choices.
Transcribe to Captions feature is a helpful addition, it lags behind other NLEs
The transcription was mostly accurate, handling native English accents well. However, it sometimes struggled with Indian voices and similar-sounding words like “buzz”, “bus” and “burs”.
In contrast, Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve Studio allow for more advanced workflows, like editing video directly through text transcripts and creating dynamic text effects for vertical videos.
Final Cut Pro’s background rendering significantly speeds up the export process. A 1080p, 4-minute clip with basic effects and subtitles exported in under 30 seconds, compared to Adobe Premiere Pro’s 45(8 seconds for rendering and 37 seconds for export). This is because Final Cut Pro processes effects and graphics in the background while you edit or leave FCP on idle, helping with smooth playback and reducing the rendering time needed during export.
Final Cut Pro 11 can now create and edit spatial videos, there’s a catch.
While it’s exciting that Final Cut Pro 11 can now create and edit spatial videos, there’s a catch. You can only shoot these immersive videos with the latest iPhones 16 series and high-end 15 Pro models. And to truly experience them, you’ll need an Apple Vision Pro headset, which isn’t available in India yet. So, while the tools are there, the full potential of spatial video is still out of reach for many Indian consumers.
Apple seems to be building a broader ecosystem for Final Cut Pro, as suggested by the iPad app with multi-cam control and a subscription model, contrasting with the Final Cut Camera app that offers RAW recording and manual controls without a subscription. It’s uncertain if Apple will adopt a subscription model like Adobe or Wondershare Filmora for the Final Cut Pro desktop app or the iPhone camera in the future.
Verdict
Final Cut Pro 11 feels more like a minor update than a groundbreaking upgrade. Features similar to Magnetic Mask and Transcribe to Captions have already been present in software such as Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve Studio. Integrating these only now makes it seem like Apple is playing catch-up, rather than spearheading new features that would work great on the new Apple Silicon M-series devices.
For those interested in trying out Final Cut Pro, Apple offers a free 90-day trial of Final Cut Pro on their website.
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