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FCP7 after some time…
Today I launched FCP7 after about eight months since the complete transition to FCPX. I had to export a project on an HDV tape, so there was no other way. It felt somehow strange, as it felt really old, clumsy and slow. I realized I could never think of going back. However, I felt at the same time that something could have been handled way better, and maybe much of the sour feeling some professional editors grew about FCPX could be avoided. People at Apple think tape is dead? OK, but since there’s still demand on the professional market, why not add an export to tape option, since capture from tape is there? A version of a sw that can’t deal with projects from a previous version is something unheard of. Think about a Word that can’t open yesterday’s .doc files, or Photoshop that can’t open .psd… Crazy. You want to go that way, you call the sw a different name, as it’s not an upgrade but something different. I credit people working there technically capable of adding these features and more. So it looks deliberate. I don’t get it. However, my job is delivering contents and not marketing. I really like editing in FCPX, skimming, adding notes to clips in the Event Browser that will be available in any future project, keyword collecting, the magnetic timeline, the way waveforms are shown, working while importing or rendering and so on. Well, I like it.. 🙂
Fabrizio D’Agnano
Rome, Italy -
17 Replies
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It’s true. I was super excited when they announced FCPX before it came out. I have always loved FCP and 7 did everything I needed. I had this idea that FCPX was going to be a combination of FCP 7 and Shake. Then it came out and I was totally disappointed. Yet, I bought it anyway.
I decided to build a home editing suite and realized it was pointless to try and run FCP 7 on it so I was stuck with FCP X and Premiere. I took the time over a weekend to learn Premiere. Easy-peazy. And yet after a year of having FCPX I still couldn’t rap my head around it until….
Last few weeks i’ve been using FCPX alot and it has finally clicked. I totally enjoying using the software. There are a lot of things that still have to be done. But for now I much rather use it then Premiere. It… just… feels… sexy. -
I think we beat the “fcpx launch was bad” horse dead pretty well after the launch last year, so no reason to resurrect it.
However concerning the opening of old projects. I was very disappointed about this too and frankly thought it was going to be a deal breaker. So now after year and a half how many times have I actually needed to open an old project? Not once.
I don’t mean to imply that no one needs to open old docs. I just thought it was going be a problem and now I realize I had fussed for nothing.
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T. Payton
OneCreative, Albuquerque -
[T. Payton] “I think we beat the “fcpx launch was bad” horse dead pretty well after the launch last year, so no reason to resurrect it. “
You are right, but the need to open a one year old FCP7 project and to export it on tape a couple of days ago while I were with an editor friend kind of helped digging out that horse :-). The intention of the post was not complaining, however, but instead of sharing a very positive editing experience with FCPX after a short time of learning on my position as a freelance editor and a content creator.
Fabrizio D’Agnano
Rome, Italy -
Not complaining either, as I have been doing a lot of work with X. But I find that I end up still touching tools in FCP7/FCS on at least half or more of my jobs, while editing with X.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
Imagine if Apple had release FCPX as a Beta while also still selling FCP7 seats. X would be sooooo popular right now. Editors would’ve been able to see the future, rather than seeing the Cliff.
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[Jordan Mena] “Imagine if Apple had release FCPX as a Beta while also still selling FCP7 seats. X would be sooooo popular “
Doubtful, because that’s exactly what Apple did. Obviously it wasn’t technically a beta, but the net result is the same. Especially, considering that no one has paid for an X “upgrade” yet. You could buy FCP 7 after the launch of X and AFAIK, through certain channels, you still can.
– Oliver
Oliver Peters Post Production Services, LLC
Orlando, FL
http://www.oliverpeters.com -
i am really curious about the next release. People from Apple recently contacted me about an issue with PAL Canon AVCHD camcorders whose field dominance is interpreted wrong by FCP some people and I complained about in an Apple forum, so I think they’re working on some serious development. I’m already happy with the sw, even if I miss some features, so I’ll be more than happy with any improvement.
Fabrizio D’Agnano
Rome, Italy -
So, I’ve been out of the loop on this debate and came across this post. I’m wondering how much longer will FCP 7 be functional on OS 10. This summer they’ll be coming out with 10.9. What if FCP 7 doesn’t work? Will we have to keep it on a separate machine or partition?
I’m still on FCP 7 and am gearing up to make the move to a new editing program. I’m glad to hear you guys are enjoying the X experience. I’ll have to check it out.
Thanks,
Neal -
That’s the same problem I was mumbling about, as I need to open old FCP7 projects and export to tape from time to time. I keep a drive running Snow Leopard and FCS. When I am in need, I boot from that drive and work. Next generation Mac’s won’t likely have a FW, I wonder if FCPS will “see” an adaptor as a viable output. Most likely I won’t sell my 2008 Mac Pro and keep it somewhere in my office for another couple of years in case I upgrade to the next MacPro or iMac.
Fabrizio D’Agnano
Rome, Italy -
Fabrizio,
about adapters:
we have a Retina Macbook Pro with Thunderbolt to Firewire800 cable.
When we work with an HDV deck, (almost never, these days, once a year for a client who wants something from ages ago ;-)), I just connect it with a Firewire400-Firewire800 cable. Works fine in Final Cut Pro 7.
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