Apple Final Cut Pro X 10.0.6: Inside the Biggest Update Yet

OnLineVideo by Jan Ozer

On October 24, 2012, Apple released the 10.0.6 update to Final Cut Pro X. It’s a free update, so there’s no reason not to download it; in this review I’ll show you what to expect when you do. For a complete list of new features and fixes, click over to Apple’s Release Notes. As you’ll see, with 18 new features and 12 fixes, this release boasts the most new features of any update. While none are as sweeping as the multi-camera editing added in 10.0.3, several will resonate in a big way with some key user groups.

For example, if you’re a Red shooter, the ability to import R3D files and access Red Raw settings from within FCPX is a huge draw. You can see an R3D file in FCPX in the figure to the right, with the Red RAW Settings on the right. I downloaded this clip from the web years ago and didn’t record from where; if anyone spots this and wants the credits, let us know in a comment.

As with most NLEs, you’ll have to download a plug-in from Red to import R3D files. You can download the plug-in here. For more information on plug-in operation, check out this tutorial video from Red on Vimeo entitled, Red Apple Workflow: Introducing the FCP X Plugin.

Another new feature with a similarly significant potential impact is support for third-party MXF plug-ins that let producers work with MXF-based content from import to delivery. Apple also updated Final Cut Pro X XML to version 1.2, adding audio component editing as a supported feature and greatly expanding the metadata users can store with media assets in a project. Click here to open a PDF file detailing the updated specification. read more...