Final Cut Studio 2. What’s New.
Final Cut Studio 2 is a powerful new version of Apple’s industry-leading post-production software. It includes substantial upgrades — Final Cut Pro 6, Motion 3, Soundtrack Pro 2, and Compressor 3 — and introduces Color, a brand-new application for professional color grading. The following are some of the top new features in Final Cut Studio 2.
Open format Timeline
The new open format Timeline in Final Cut Pro 6 lets you mix and match source material in a wide range of formats and even different frame rates. Freely edit a combination of HD and SD, including NTSC and PAL — all in real time. Watch the QuickTour
Apple ProRes 422
Final Cut Pro 6 introduces ProRes 422, Apple’s new post-production format offering uncompressed HD quality at SD file sizes. Use ProRes 422 when collaborating over an Xsan storage network or working on a portable computer in the field; when working with non-native camera formats; or to preserve maximum quality for composites and demanding color grading work. Watch the QuickTour
Real-time professional color grading
Use Color, Apple’s new color grading application, to create signature looks for projects ranging from short video pieces to full-length theatrical films. Move freely through a set of streamlined workspaces designed for primary and secondary color adjustments, color effects, reference stills, and geometry changes. An easy-to-use toolset helps editors work efficiently, using familiar interfaces and intuitive adjustment tools. Round-trip integration makes Color a seamless extension of your work in Final Cut Pro 6. Watch the QuickTour
3D multiplane compositing environment
Motion 3 makes it easy to create 3D motion graphics by extending the 2D tools you already use into 3D space. Drag and drop camera behaviors to dolly, truck, and orbit around a scene or move from layer to layer. Use multiple viewports to adjust cameras, lights, layers, and motion paths in 3D space. Then go beyond the basics by bringing elements like particles, Replicator patterns, and text behaviors into this comprehensive 3D design environment. Watch the QuickTour
Point tracking and match moving
Set up point tracking or four-corner match moves in just a few clicks using intuitive new tools in Motion 3. Quickly attach text, particles, or any layer to an object in a video clip and follow the movement of the object with pinpoint accuracy. Say good-bye to guessing and repeated trials; Motion identifies the best potential tracking points and dynamically adjusts for common tracking errors. Watch the QuickTour
Image stabilization and SmoothCam
Motion 3 offers two powerful options for correcting shaky shots. Use the image stabilizer to lock down a shot without the time-consuming setup required by most stabilization tools. Or use the SmoothCam feature to retain standard camera moves like pans, tilts, and zooms while eliminating handheld camera jitters or bumps. Both features are based on sophisticated optical flow technology originally developed for Shake.
Professional multitrack editing
Work more efficiently than ever in the new single-window interface in Soundtrack Pro 2, with tools designed to save you time on common tasks such as selecting takes, spotting sound to video, and removing noise from field recordings. Then use a rich palette of audio effect plug-ins, Foley, sound effects, and music to add the perfect creative touch to your soundtrack. Watch the QuickTour
Intuitive surround sound
Soundtrack Pro 2 makes it easy to create professional surround sound mixes. Use an innovative surround panner to view a dynamic visual representation of how sound is panned in the surround field. Choose from more than 1000 royalty-free surround music beds and sound effects; use any of the provided surround audio effect plug-ins, such as the Space Designer convolution reverb, or adapt any mono or stereo effect plug-in for use on surround tracks. Watch the QuickTour
Automatic audio conform process
If you make changes to your sequence in Final Cut Pro, use the powerful new Conform feature in Soundtrack Pro 2 to automatically update your audio project to match the video edit. The Conform feature compares the two versions and highlights the changed audio clips. Confidence ranking, auditioning, and intuitive navigation tools help you choose which changes to accept, reject, or modify. Then Soundtrack Pro repositions your accepted changes to match the audio edit to the video edit. Watch the QuickTour
Multiformat delivery made easy
Compressor 3 has been streamlined to optimize efficiency for any encoding job, including the output of multiple files to multiple formats. With a customizable interface and drag-and-drop batch processing tools, Compressor makes it easy to create files for delivery on iPod, Apple TV, the web, DVD, mobile phones, and next-generation Blu-ray and HD DVD discs. This versatility comes through expanded support for leading industry-standard formats, such as MPEG-2 and H.264, as well as chaptering tools for podcasts and Apple TV.
AutoCluster for distributed encoding
Use the Qmaster application included in Compressor 3 to distribute encoding jobs across a network of Mac systems. The new AutoCluster feature in Qmaster automatically configures a cluster of computers based on available resources. For even faster throughput, you can configure Qmaster to manage individual processors in each computer, turning any Mac Pro into a virtual render farm.
