Apple Upgrades Final Cut Pro
Posted by Anush Yegyazarian | Wednesday, April 20, 2005 10:30 AM PT
Apple has released
a major upgrade to its professional video editing and production software, bundling its major components in a suite,
Final Cut Studio ($1300; cost to upgrade from any version of Final Cut is $699).
The suite will include the upgraded Final Cut Pro 5 editing software for HD, film, and other digital formats with native HD V support, plus multi-clip editing; the Motion 2 real-time motion graphics application; the DVD Studio Pro 4 DVD authoring software that burns high-def DVDs; and a new piece called Soundtrack Pro for audio editing and sound design.
The company has also upgraded its visual effects composition software, Shake, to version 4 ($2999 for Mac OS X; upgrade price is $999). It offers deep integration with Final Cut Pro 5, and allows users to create more realistic effects with its its 3D multi-plane compositing node.
Most of these new software packages will be available in June; Soundtrack Pro will be available in May for $299.
Apple also has demonstrated its forthcoming QuickTime 7, featuring a new codec that will let users play back high-definition video. It will debut along with the upgrade to Mac OS X, code-named Tiger, which is expected this month.
