With its most significant update in years, Apple appears to be reconnecting with the professional video creator community it left disillusioned after the release of Final Cut Pro X in 2011.
The company has just introduced Final Cut Pro 11 (FCP 11), a new version that emphasizes AI-driven tools, alongside the addition of spatial video editing to produce immersive content for the Vision Pro headset.
A standout AI feature in FCP 11 is the “Magnetic Mask,” which allows editors to isolate people and other moving subjects, then modify them or place them in different environments.
“This powerful and precise automatic analysis provides additional flexibility to customize backgrounds and environments,” Apple explained.
Editors can combine Magnetic Mask with color grading and video effects, giving them precise control to stylize each project as desired.
Another major AI-driven enhancement is “Transcribe to Captions,” which uses a large language model (LLM) trained by Apple to automatically transcribe spoken audio in interviews or other timeline audio.
This transcription is then placed directly on the timeline as captions, streamlining the captioning process significantly.
FCP 11 also aligns with industry-leading apps like Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve in offering VR/AR video editing capabilities. With “spatial video editing,” users can import and edit AR/VR footage directly within FCP 11, applying effects, color grading, and other enhancements.
This footage can be sourced from an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 models, as well as Canon’s R7 mirrorless camera when paired with the RF-S 7.8mm F/4 lens.
Editors have the option to preview left- and right-eye views separately or bring their edit directly into Apple Vision Pro for a 3D preview experience.
Apple also launched Final Cut Pro for iPad 2.1, specifically optimized for Apple silicon. This iPad update includes improved “light and color” adjustments, enabling quicker enhancements to video quality through improved color, contrast, and brightness tools.
Additionally, a new version of Final Cut Camera was released, allowing users to capture video in HEVC format with Apple Log, providing high quality in a more storage-efficient format compared to ProRes.
Despite these updates, Final Cut Pro 11 still lacks some advanced features found in competitors like Resolve and Premiere Pro, such as text-based editing and certain high-level color correction options.
Nevertheless, the new features in FCP 11 will likely be appreciated by dedicated FCP users. It’s now available for $299 for new customers, following a 90-day free trial, and is free for existing Final Cut Pro users.
