Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X
- No Longer Available
The Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X from Apple is aimed at intermediate video editors who have outgrown iMovie but aren't quite ready for Final Cut Pro. This "semi-professional" editing suite has full support for high definition HDV and AVCHD video. It supports multiple video layers, effects and transitions, color correction, and matting. Also included with the software is LiveType for title creation. This is an excellent choice to address your video editing needs on the Mac OS X platform.
- Editing Flexibility
- Final Cut Express allows you to insert, overwrite, replace, or fit to fill video clips into your project via drag and drop. You can use fine editing tools for precise cuts. The interface even allows you to seamlessly move from editing, compositing, and effects functions.
- Layer Compositing
- The software allows you to use multiple video layers to produce side-by-side video, picture-in-picture, and multi-layered collage effects. You'll even be able to work with multi-layered Photoshop files.
- Realtime Effects and Transitions
- Final Cut Express features hundreds of transitions, filters, and effects. These let you add impressive visuals to your video. Most effects can be previewed in realtime, allowing you to customize them without having to wait for video to render.
- Audio and Voiceover
- The software supports up to 99 audio tracks per project. You can mix audio on various tracks using pans, level adjustments, and a 3-band equalizer. A plethora of audio transition and filter options are available, including cross fades, reverb, EQ, echo, and more. You can even record a voiceover track for your documentary projects.
| Video System | NTSC, PAL |
| Video Formats |
DV25 via FireWire HDV at 720p, 1080i AVCHD |
| Audio Formats | 8-24 kHz, 8-24 bits |
| Supported Codecs | MiniDV, DVCAM, HDV, AVCHD |
| Supported File Types |
Video: QuickTime Audio: AIFF Images: PSD, BMP, JPEG, PICT, PNG, SGI, TARGA, TIFF |
| Number of Video Tracks | 99 |
| Number of Audio Tracks | 99 |
| Film Editing Support | None |
| Edit Decision List (EDL) Support | None |
| Deck Control | via FireWire |
| DVD Authoring | None |
| System Requirements |
Computer: 1.25 GHz or faster G4, G5 or Intel CPU; Intel Mac required for AVCHD Operating System: Mac OS X 10.4.10 or later Memory: 1 GB Hard Drive: 500 MB for applications; 500 MB for Livetype content Graphics: AGP or PCI Express Graphics compatible with Quartz Extreme; Intel GMA graphics in MacBook or Mac mini Display: 1024 x 768 Software: QuickTime 7.2 or later Hardware: DVD drive for installation |
| Qualified Hardware | FireWire camcorders |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 77 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
99%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Easy to navigate (33)
- Versatile (30)
- Accurate colors (27)
- Easy to collaborate across programs (20)
- Easy to customize (20)
Cons
- Difficult to navigate (3)
Best Uses
- Professional quality (35)
- Presentations (23)
- Educational purposes (22)
- Independent films (11)
- Home movies (10)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Quality oriented (40), Budget shopper (9), Enthusiast (8), Professional artist (7), Film student (5)
- Primary use:
- Business (25), Personal (25)
- Computer Platform:
- Mac (6)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (14)
Most Liked Positive Review
Great product
4 Stars because it lacks a few features that Final Cut Pro includes and this should too (Scopes being one of them).
This is a great product if you want something more ...Read complete review
4 Stars because it lacks a few features that Final Cut Pro includes and this should too (Scopes being one of them).
This is a great product if you want something more technical and comprehensive than iMovie '08. This program gives you a more traditional time line and greater flexibility for editing and basic Motion movements and also filters. Also, export options and settings are abundant. So, if you want to be serious about editing and what a few more "professional" options and features for your Mac, this is the one to get. However, if you find yourself editing daily and need everything that you can get and have the money to afford it, get Final Cut Pro, you'll find Express lacking. I feel that you should be at least making some money to have to have this program. If you're just doing family movies or shooting your friends for YouTube, iMovie is just fine.
Great for HD editing as well, however, make sure that you have a machine that'll handle the HD footage.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Good potential, but have some issues.
I bought Final Cut Express (FCE) because iMovie had some quality problems with a wedding I recently shot. iMovie has fairly large, noticeable pixelation squares in the dark areas and the overall look ...Read complete review
I bought Final Cut Express (FCE) because iMovie had some quality problems with a wedding I recently shot. iMovie has fairly large, noticeable pixelation squares in the dark areas and the overall look seemed slightly out of focus and diminished picture quality. It is understandable that dark areas may be grainy, but those squares (and the general decrease in video quality) were unacceptable.
My standard of quality for FCE and iMovie is how do they compare to iDVD One Step? I have a mini-DV tape camera and One Step makes a copy that looks as good as watching the tape from the camera via s-video cable. My primary purpose for editing is to cut out certain segments and provide a few basic transitions (fade from scene to scene, fade to black, etc). This level of editing should not diminish video quality in a noticeable way!
Also, One Step handles audio (12 bit vs. 16 bit) and 16:9 format without making the user provide any input parameters. If you don't provide the correct audio parameters to FCE, the audio gets noticeably out of sync from the video. I am still trying to figure out if I need anamorphic or not to get the 16:9 format to display properly on a 4:3 TV (I specify letterboxing, but so far, the FCE/iDVD process still fills the screen on a 4:3 TV).
Another problem with FCE is when the camera moves through a scene, areas with a sharp line between light and dark show up with a jagged line. When the camera stops moving, the video looks good again. iDVD One Step handles this just fine, but FCE has this problem with the initial copy from tape. I suspect this is because FCE doesn't handle interlacing properly in certain situations -- or, there may be some parameters that need to be input, but I haven't figured out which ones. It may be necessary to pre-process this video and convert it to progressive scan before editing, but if that is needed, then FCE should provide that capability as an option.
So far, my main complaint about FCE is that it essentially requires you to "know how to overhaul your car before you are able to drive it". If iDVD One Step can handle something without getting user input, why can't FCE do that? I assume there will be some combination of input parameters that will solve the 16:9 vs. 4:3 issue or the jagged line issue, but so far, I haven't been able to get there.
FCE looks like it will provide wonderful editing capabilities as I learn how to use it, but my initial experience has been that it doesn't handle the basic quality issues very well (at least with getting video from mini-DV tape) and fancy editing will not do any good until those issues are solved.
REVIEWS
Reviewed by 77 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-20
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Pros
- Easy To Navigate
- Versatile
Cons
- No MPEG4 support
Best Uses
- Educational Purposes
- Professional Quality
Comments about Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X:
I bought this because Final Cut Pro X is horrible. Final Cut Express offers a lot of great features and is low cost enough for a poor graduate student.
- Primary use:
- Personal
- Computer Platform:
- Mac
Pros
- Accurate Colors and Controls
- Easy To Collaborate Across Programs
- Easy To Customize
- Easy To Navigate
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Educational Purposes
- Presentations
- Professional Quality
Comments about Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X:
As a new Mac owner the one-on one service is a wise investment to help you get acclimated with this program.
- Primary use:
- Business
- Computer Platform:
- Mac
Pros
- Easy To Customize
- Easy to install
- Easy To Navigate
- Good performance
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Educational Purposes
- Professional Quality
- Quick turn around
Comments about Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X:
I bought this software 4 days before I had to use it for a video shoot. It arrived in 3 days. I installed it on the day it came and learned how to use the basics in less than an hour.
This software is great! It has a great UI, is easy to use, and very powerful. I edited/synced up multiple camera shots from one camera and this software made life sooooo much easier.
I have spent over 15 hours with it now and still love it. Sure, there are some things that bug me, but they are small and minor "issues". If you want a nice step up from iMovie and don't want Final Cut Pro X definitely find a copy of Final cut express!
- Primary use:
- Business
- Computer Platform:
- Mac
Pros
- Accurate Colors and Controls
- Easy To Collaborate Across Programs
- Easy To Customize
- Easy To Navigate
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Educational Purposes
- Presentations
- Professional Quality
Comments about Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X:
I'm in film as a beginner and think for the price range of this software, it is the best one on the market right now. It is easy to navigate and makes for a more professional look on finished projects. Now I have more time to make creative thoughts.
- Primary use:
- Business
- Computer Platform:
- Mac
Pros
- Accurate Colors and Controls
- Versatile
Cons
Best Uses
- Educational Purposes
- Presentations
Comments about Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X:
While we have only had the product for less than a month, we at Cleanest Line Media have just completed our first 15 minute short film produced entirely in Final Cut Express. The software provides a tremendous amount of editing flexibility for the intermediate editor stepping up from iMovie but purchasers should be sure to note that the learning curve is pretty steep (witness the User's Guide topping out at just over 1100 pages!!)
Very pleased and looking forward to many great projects utilizing the power and flexibility of Final Cut Express 4.
- Primary use:
- Business
- Computer Platform:
- Mac
Pros
- Easy To Navigate
Cons
- Not Very Powerful
Best Uses
- Educational Purposes
Comments about Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X:
It's good enough for pre-edition, maybe if you want great things in edition, with color correction and more effects, this is not the right choice. Anyway, I use it to build timelines and then take it to a pro editor, so Final Cut Express 4 is perfect.
- Primary use:
- Personal
- Computer Platform:
- Mac
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Highly Compatible
- Professional Quality
Cons
Best Uses
- Complex Projects
- Home Movies
Comments about Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X:
I learned video editing on Avid Media Composer at school, and I wanted to learn Final Cut to add another experience on my resume. Overall i picked it up pretty quick. I was impressed with how many effects and plugins it had for an "Express" version. It definitely has a lot of versatility and is very user friendly. Plus, it has a price tag that won't break the bank. The LiveType software that comes with it is also very beneficial.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Highly Compatible
Cons
Best Uses
- Home Movies
- Independent Films
Comments about Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X:
I bought Final Cut Express because I didn't need professional software but something that had more features than iMovie. FCE is great for editing home movies or any kind of video project.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Highly Compatible
- Professional Quality
Cons
Best Uses
- Complex Projects
- Independent Films
- In The Studio
Comments about Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X:
This is the best tool when transitioning from imovie. It really does prepare you for Final Cut Pro. The online help center helps you understand what you can do with this new layout. I use this with my Canon DSLR and it looks just fine.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Improves Performance
- Professional Quality
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X:
I took the switch to MAC because I was having certain issues with the PC when it came time to do video. Everyone advised me to do so.And, MAC IS better with video.But, if you're anything close to the pro level (beyond amateur and family use), you'll find that iMovie is, well... Designed for the amateur.[...]Now you're talking! A full service, time-line editor that allows professional editing, and an endless number of tracks.And... Because I'm new to both the MAC and Final Cut Express, I've been delighted with the indepth documentation and training that comes with the software.Overall, a 5 star rating.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Compact Design
- Easy To Use
- Highly Compatible
- Improves Performance
- Professional Quality
Cons
Best Uses
- Complex Projects
- Home Movies
- Independent Films
- In The Studio
Comments about Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X:
FCE4 is a great product for any pro or semi-pro who films and edits. I grew tired of not having all the bells whistles in an editing system and FCE has pretty much everything you need to edit on the fly. The only thing you can't do is move FCP into FCE, but thats fine with me, because I start projects in FCE on my Macbook pro and move it to FCP. It does have a learning curve but trust me when you need a professional look FCE delivers in a big way. This is a great product for anyone in the media business or if you just love to play around with editing.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Highly Compatible
- Professional Quality
Cons
- No DVD authoring
Best Uses
- Independent Films
- Short films for festivals
Comments about Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X:
I learned to use Final Cut in film school. I learned on the Final Cut Pro version. Once I graduated, I purchased this product and have been very happy with ever since. I used Avid and FC but, for the money, this is the best product for use on my Macbook Pro. It especially good when you are are on the go and need quick edits!
Pros
- Professional Quality
Cons
- Lacks Functionality
Best Uses
- Complex Projects
Comments about Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X:
This is quite a learning process! I'm sure there are a lot of positives about
this product, however, it is extremely time consuming and requires a
great deal of specified knowledge. I originally thought it was the next
step up from iMovie-wrong, it is another world. True, a lot more can be
accomplished with this program, but as a professional, someone who works with the program on a daily basis.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Compact Design
- Easy To Use
- Improves Performance
- Just like the original
- Professional Quality
- Smart
- Smooth
Cons
- Limited Compatibility
Best Uses
- Complex Projects
- Home Movies
- If you can't pay for Pro
- Independent Films
- In The Studio
Comments about Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X:
Final Cut Pro is the best editing software on the market and it makes complete sense that Final Cut Express would follow in it's foot steps. FCE (Final Cut Express) takes it's higher versions best qualities and puts them in this step down. Hobbyist, student film makers, or tightly budget film makers this editing software fits all needs. The product takes all the great simply features from FCP (Final Cut Pro) and mixes them so perfect that it feels like your using FCP at times. While most under study softwares would only give you a fraction of what the higher software has. If I could pick out any problem with FCE it would be the fact that (too as far as my knowledge) it is not compatible with projects edited in FCP and the studio software.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Highly Compatible
- Improves Performance
- Professional Quality
Cons
Best Uses
- Complex Projects
- Home Movies
- Independent Films
- In The Studio
Comments about Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X:
Final Cut Express is the perfect software to buy if the more pricey 900$ Final Cut Studio is not in your budget. This is most more cost efficient and has the same high quality features as Final Cut Pro (Included in the FC Studio Package), minus some minute fine-tuned editing features. Final Cut is the professional video editing software on the market, and Express should not be thought of as a "Step Down" from Pro; rather it is a Step Up from whatever editing software you are currently using. Its composite editing features and organized professional clip layout makes it quite powerful for a video enthusiast. The only downside is that it isn't quite as intuitive as iMovie or another similar editing program, but with time and practice you will be able to edit like a pro.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Highly Compatible
- Professional Quality
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X:
Lots of Awesome Features. Really Next Level.
Pros
- Compact Design
- Easy To Use
- Highly Compatible
- Improves Performance
- Professional Quality
Cons
Best Uses
- Complex Projects
- Independent Films
- In The Studio
Comments about Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X:
I use FCE to edit video segments for websites and for multimedia productions. Its interfaces are relatively easy to understand. I'm not an old hand yet, so I have yet to find just how flexible it is in overdubbing.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Highly Compatible
- Improves Performance
Cons
Best Uses
- Home Movies
Comments about Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X:
It was extremely useful. It's kind of like an extension of imovie.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Affordable
- Highly Compatible
- Professional Quality
Cons
- Complicated
Best Uses
- Complex Projects
Comments about Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X:
I received Final Cut Express for Christmas, and it is a great editing system. It brings professional quality video editing into one's home at a reasonable price. However, FCE 4 is complex, and I recommend watching a few tutorial videos before starting to use this product.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Easy To Use
- Professional Quality
- Sound editing features
Cons
- Additional SW for AVCHD
Best Uses
- Home Movies
Comments about Apple Final Cut Express 4 Video Editing Software for Mac OS X:
I have some experience with sound editing software and found this video software easy to use. My previous experience with video editing had been on the flip software and iMovie but needed something with better sound features. This fit the bill nicely without breaking the bank. The one issue I encounter was the need to purchase Neo Scene to convert the video from my Panasonic Lumix GH2 in AVCHD mode. That added another $129 to get up and running.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
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