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Final Cut Express 4.0

Unbelievable!

Written by KB from Mechanicsburg

Nov 20, 2007

If you have an AVCHD camcorder, this new version is a dream come true. Over the past year I had a DV cam and Final Cut Express HD (3.5) and honestly did very, very little editing. Not that 3.5 wasn't good, but the work of capturing tapes is tedious, particularly when you shoot a lot of video.

I bought a new Sony AVCHD Hard drive based cam last week and got Final Cut Express 4 today. Now I can shoot, import, edit and output in minutes (literally). Couldn't be faster or easier. I'm one of those who love iMovie '08 as a great whole-family solution and while the integration with it is great, Final Cut Express 4.0 is so fast and easy, I find it faster to just skip iMovie.

AVCHD and Final Cut Express 4 is a quantum leap in video production. The only two drawbacks are: 1) My MacBook Pro 2.33Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo w/ 2GB Ram slows down quite a bit when running 4.0. 2) Super effiecient AVCHD files bloat up to 10X their native size when imported to the necessary Apple Intermediate Codec.

Basically, you need some horsepower and lots of HD space.

I went from having to 'force myself' to plow through a project to not being able to stop playing. Great job Apple!

449 of 582 people found this useful

Final Cut Express 4.0

Put in effort to get the rewards

Written by FD

Jul 13, 2009

Having changed from PC to Mac a few months ago, I had to decide which NLE software package I would use to edit my (mostly windsurf action / road trips) videos. On the PC I used Adobe Premiere Elements, which I found very user-friendly and provided sufficient possibilities for the stuff I was doing. Of course, this package is not available for Mac (only the Pro version, which I considered too expensive and probably too complex). Putting Windows on my Mac was no option for me, as you lose the possibility to share media in between different programs.

A lot of reviews of the FCE software were quite negative, which made me doubt to actually buy it, but as some reviewers recommended, I bought a proper training book (Diana Weyand, Apple Pro Training Series) when I decided to get FCE.

After I finished the book and it's exercises my conclusions is: What a great NLE software package is FCE! It offers so many more options and control over your editing and yes, it's not as intuitive as some other Apple programs, but this is professional grade stuff.

I highly recommend this to anyone who's made editing into a serious hobby / professionals on a budget and DO get some sort of training right at the start to avoid any frustrations.

234 of 254 people found this useful

Final Cut Express 4.0

Thank god !...

Written by KC from Edinburgh

Feb 14, 2008

I finally took the step in moving to FCE4. If any of you out there were like me & stuck with the total abomination known as iMovie (it's buggy as fook, hate it !), then just take the big step & buy this bad boy.

It's a great way of getting on the professional editing ladder & for the price (still in shock to be honest), it's great value for money too.
And don't worry about it being tricky to use. It's not. If you can do iMovie, you can do this. I watched the tutorials via the Apple website (very basic), & within one day, I had already tried out, & succeeded in making a short movie.

It truly is a piece of pi55 to work & you'll be editing away like a good 'un in no time. Granted there's no Soundtrack, but who cares. I've already got this app & still prefer to use Garageband.

So to tie off, have a look at the Overview / Tutorials on the Apple site & judge for yourself. Honestly, it's the best money you'll spend on this type of software. You'll NEVER want to touch that joke iMovie again..ever ! (more so iMovie 8, what were Apple thinking ?).

297 of 394 people found this useful

Final Cut Express 4.0

Not for amateurs

Written by SB from Orlando

Feb 12, 2009

I normally don't take time to write reviews, but after reading all of the negative reviews I felt I had to defend Final Cut.

First of all, this software is not for amateurs. It is professional software. If you want something simple and easy to use, use iMovie. If you want complete control over your video and audio, an incredible amount of effects and filters, and a huge list of features that will help you create quality, professional looking video, and you have the patience and intelligence to learn something new, then get Final Cut.

At first it is overwhelming, but stick with it. Once you get used to it, it all makes sense. Just because it's made by Apple doesn't mean any idiot can use it. I had to resist the urge to go back to iMovie, and forced myself to do all my projects in Final Cut. After awhile I was so glad I stuck with it, because I have so much more control over my video. It makes manages video clips and scenes so much easier, and though it's certainly more time consuming, your final product is much better looking than in iMovie.

So please don't listen to these fools who don't have the competence to learn something new and tried it for a few hours then gave up. Give it a chance, and you'll be glad you did.

187 of 198 people found this useful

Final Cut Express 4.0

Better Than Everyone is Saying

Written by BM from Lexington

Jun 25, 2008

Final Cut Express is NOT intended for a professional who needs a video editing program for their job or who needs something really super powerful. If this is you get Final Cut Studio. More than half of these reviews would be better if people actually got what they needed instead of trying to go for the cheap version and expecting to get a full packaged deal.

For the price this is an amazing package and if you've ever done ANY video editing it's very intuitive. Don't expect to just buy a video editing program and it make the video for you. Also those who complain about Soundtrack Pro missing seem to forget to tell you that multitrack mixing, soft normalization, and gain controls are still a part of the Final Cut Express package and GarageBand is still an awesome audio editing application that offers video support. I have no problem using GarageBand for the projects that I do.

So be smart, think about what fits you best, and don't come on here and write bad reviews because you didn't get the program that fits you best.

167 of 205 people found this useful

Final Cut Express 4.0

WOW! Big Bang for the Buck!

Written by GW from Federal Way

Feb 13, 2009

Unless you are a professional digital video production studio, FCE is all you will need to produce first class, broadcast ready movies. If you can't, it isn't the software's problem. This $200 scaled down version of the full FC Pro is missing some soundtrack and more powerful filters that you would need in a studio setting. But you can green screen and just about any transition you can think of are all included for a stupid low price. If you need help there are tonnes of tutorials. I have produced three documentaries so far with FCE. And the Live Type that comes with it is really fun to play with. You can create some amazing credits for the beginning and end of the project.

111 of 123 people found this useful

Final Cut Express 4.0

Just Get It

Written by BH from Plain City

Mar 28, 2009

I'm a bit ticked at the people that gave this negative reviews. This product will pay for itself in less than a day. After that I can double my wages and my clients will never know the difference. I upgraded from iMovie '09. It's the ability to edit the audio in the video that is saving me so much time. I spent two days learning iMovie, and it just didn't do it. After watching the video tutorials and an hour in Final Cut Express, I'm literally twice as fast. That's no stretch, my time clock doesn't lie.

103 of 109 people found this useful

Final Cut Express 4.0

Great program. Don't let the "hard to use" comments slow you down.

Written by DC from Marysville

Jul 29, 2008

I have read many of these "its hard to use" comments. Listen, yes it is a more intense program then iMovie. It is NOT difficult to you, you simply need to learn the basic ways it functions. Once you do that you will almost instantly unlock the ability to use FCE in awesome ways. SO, yes, if you want to step up and be able to make awesome, professional looking videos, purchase FCE BUT before you leave the apple store, sit down with a apple genius and have them show you the basic functions and way the program operates.

105 of 116 people found this useful

Final Cut Express 4.0

FCE is great!

Written by JR from West Islip

Apr 7, 2009

I am an event videographer. I had been using Adobe Premier Elements for years. Although I liked the program I had nothing but trouble with it for years. I recently upgraded my PC to a Vista machine with quad core processors, 4 gigs of ram and terabyte hardrive. I also purchased Premier Elements 7 thinking all this upgrading will solve my problems running Premier. Well if anything it made it worse. My PC constantly crashes while working on my videos. Vista stinks and Premier has it's own issues so the two combined makes for a hair pulling experience. For years I was thinking about buying a Mac to do my video work with Final Cut Express. I had enough of Vista and Premier and purchased a 24" iMac. To make this story a short one I'll just say I love my new iMac and I love Final Cut Express 4. It is very similar to Premier, but better, so learning how to use hasn't been that difficult. But the best part is that I have had a total of zero PC crashes while working with multiple videos at one time. Buy FCE and take the time to learn how to use it and you won't be dissapointed.

88 of 91 people found this useful

Final Cut Express 4.0

Hollywood Quality

Written by PS from Chicago

Feb 12, 2008

I just bought an iMac and since I love to make multimedia projects, I had Final Cut Express 4 pre-installed. I love it! This makes my movies look so much better! I went from Windows Movie Maker on my old PC to this. It was the best! I never knew that you could edit like a pro at such an affordable price! I recently made a video project for one of my classes at school and it blew the teachers away. Thanks to Final Cut Express, my life is so much easier when it comes to making movies because they look fantastic, it's easy to use, and I don't have to settle for OK any more! Thank you so much Apple!

155 of 227 people found this useful

Final Cut Express 4.0

Get the apple certified training manual for 30 bucks and read it

Written by JB from West Chester

Sep 25, 2008

This product is great if you know how to use it. You Cannot just flip the switch and edit in FCE if you do not understand basic editing terminology and concepts. This program offers many ways to do the same things depending on your preferences and that is excatly what makes a software intuitive. There is a training book for like 30 bucks (less on ebay)that comes with a DVD with project files and extra pdf lessons on more advanced features that will teach you everything you need to know and more. Oh, and for the guy that couldn't render his XML, Option R will render the entire sequence (audio and video)in an active timeline. Just select the timeline as the active window and press Option R or go to sequence drop down and click render all. and for the guy that said you couldn't use itunes music. right click the empty grey section of the browser select import>files then select the itunes song you want to import (need to know where your computer stores the actual file, ususally in the user section of your harddrive). or drag directly from itunes to desktop and then desktop to FCE browser. GET THE BOOK!

91 of 100 people found this useful

Final Cut Express 4.0

This is NOT an Upgrade to IMOVIE - But Worth learning !!

Written by SP from Miami

Aug 13, 2008

To the people saying that this is not easy to use you are correct but only if you don't pick up a book or minimum take a 1 hour free class at the Apple Store.

To have the freedom of more control over your movie you are going to have to do a little more work but it is worth it.

If you are trying to throw together a quick vacation video then stick with IMOVIE.

I have used the last 3 versions of IMOVIE and also used Final Cut Pro 4 and 5.

FCE fits right in the middle and there are tons of free plug ins and effects that you can get that more than make up for all the " missing " extra from the old versions plus you can now edit with all the modern camera and type types.

If you want to learn editing then get FCE 4 other than that you will be happy with IMOVIE

94 of 106 people found this useful

Final Cut Express 4.0

Very powerful video editing software, Worth every penny!

Written by JR from Williston

May 27, 2009

I was originally going to upgrade to imovie 09, but for about $100 more I chose to go with FCE. At first I thought, "what did I get myself into" it is a little discouraging at first. But once you get the basics down, you will learn very quick. It is a pro app in my opinion. You are only limited by your imagination. I used to use microsoft movie, and this blows it out of the water. Get it, you'll be glad you did in the long run. Cause you can grow into this software. make your videos look professional with FCE. Go out and get it.

95 of 111 people found this useful

Final Cut Express 4.0

Making professional quality edits in a week

Written by BZ from Forest Park

Mar 8, 2008

I'm not a tech-y. I'm a 50 year old with no computer skills who needs to do professional edits-NOW. I have a 13" macbook that I don't know how to use. I bought a 500g external hard-drive and had at it. For newbies I suggest buying the "Final Cut Express 4"book (part of the apple pro training series $39.95). Load it, manipulate the included practice media- its a great overview. If you're close to an Apple store sign up for One-to-One. You get an hour a week with a Mac Genius to help you with specific problems and show you how to use FCE with Garageband and iDVD, .Mac, etc. After 30 days I'm turning out projects that I'm told are broadcast quality.

129 of 180 people found this useful

Final Cut Express 4.0

Make sure you got what it takes.

Written by SR from Dayton

Nov 30, 2008

This is a great program, I am 20 years old and have used PC my whole life, I knew the insides and outs of how to get around something if pc said that I couldn't do this or that. But this year I have changed sides and i am now a hardcore MAC!!! fan, don't get me wrong there where times when I wanted to throw my MAC out the window just because I didn't know how to work something. Bottom line is if you've never used mac before and are thinking about changing side give yourself a couple of months to learn how mac works, it is very different from a PC. Don't buy a MAC if your in the middle of your school term and you thinking that this will make your life easier because it won't, you'll just be mad at everyone and everything.

FCE make sure your MAC can support this program before buying it. If you have a laptop, forget it, don't waist your money or time, you need a good IMAC or a good MAC pro desktop, I have a desktop that cost me around $3500 just so I could use FC but I understand that no one really has that kind of money nor should spend that kind of money unless they plan on working for living with your MAC.

PRO's ~ Big enough to keep you learning and gives you almost unlimited abilities if your willing to just sit down and learn.

CON's ~ You'll have to learn, get upset and mad sometimes because you don't know how to do what your trying to do. Little complicated, but once you learn it you'll love it.

107 of 138 people found this useful

Final Cut Express 4.0

Amazing

Written by SP from Baton Rouge

Nov 25, 2007

At first, I was overwhelmed by the options and effects available. But it's so easy to put together a high quality video. I had to create a commercial for one of my classes, and it only took a few hours. I highly recommend this.

131 of 189 people found this useful

Final Cut Express 4.0

Great Product!

Written by SM from Acton

May 18, 2009

I bought a macbook with final cut express 4 and it took me about 2 days to get used to it. I had been using Adobe Premeire Elements, but final cut works like a dream, it recognized my firewire the first time around. It is such a compatible interface, although if you have movie files from final cut pro the codec isn't the same, but other than that, I highly recommend this product for editors on a budget or for people who make good edits for youtube. Get IT!

74 of 81 people found this useful

Final Cut Express 4.0

Absolute must!

Written by MH from San Antonio

Jan 10, 2008

If you're thinking of stepping up from iMovie: DO IT! Being constantly frustrated with iMovie, a mere 30 minutes into using Final Cut Express and I was blown away at how much more ability I had at my fingertips. It is actually easier to use because it does what I want. I am so glad to not have to generate thumbnails for every video import. This does everything you want to do if stepping up from iMovie. If you're looking to do all the cool effects (even if they are basic like B&W) you've always wanted to do, this is your ticket. Well worth the price (a bargain, in my opinion).

92 of 118 people found this useful