Apple on Thursday released an upgrade to its Final Cut Studio video suite with more than 100 new features, a new version of Logic Studio, and a lower price. Final Cut Server was also updated to version 1.5.
The suite includes Final Cut Pro 7 with expanded ProRes codecs that Apple said support virtually any work flow. It includes one-step output to a variety of formats and iChat Theater support for real-time collaboration.
Other components are Motion 4, Soundtrack Pro 3, Color 1.5, Compressor 3.5, and DVD Studio Pro, which remains at version 4.
Enhanced tools in Motion 4 allow 3-D shadows and depth of field for motion graphics. New multitrack audio tools are part of Soundtrack Pro 3, and Color 1.5 has better integration with Final Cut Pro. New export options are offered in Compressor 3.5.
The suite is now priced at $999, a $300 price cut. An upgrade is available for $299.
“With 1.4 million users and 50 percent of the market, Final Cut Pro is the number-one professional video editing application,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide product marketing. “The new Final Cut Studio includes more than 100 new features and dramatically expands Apple’s ProRes family of codecs so editors can work in the studio with the highest quality video, or on location at low bandwidths.”
Soundtrack Pro and Compressor are also available as part of the new Logic Studio, allowing Final Cut and Logic users to collaborate and share files.
Apple said Final Cut Server 1.5 now includes unlimited client licenses, also for $999, or $299 for an upgrade. New features include offline editing with ProRes Proxy, production hierarchies to organize media, and support for still sequences.