Apple Final Cut Express HD (Mac) review:4 stars (Just starting out -- and it's daunting, but feature rich.) - I've used iMovie for several projects over the last year and a half and decided to upgrade to Final Cut Express HD when working on video of my wife's niece's wedding. Apple sells it as an a step up in features from iMovie, but -- wow! -- it give you a lot more flexibility but at a huge cost in complexity too! The Apple magic of making something simple enough to let you concentrate on the creativity and not the mechanics of the project seems missing here.

IMPORTANT: An employee at the Apple Store near me confided to me that there is very little difference between Final Cut Pro HD and Final Cut Express HD. The extra $700 for the Pro version allows outputting your movie in broadcast quality -- if you don't need that, he said, you can save $700 and buy the Express version. I had just seen the employee give a short in-store class on Final Cut Pro and he said I could do EVERYTHING he did in the class EXACTLY the same way in Final Cut Express! He said the only way you could tell which is which is by the name in the menu bar! (Maybe this is common knowledge in the Final Cut Pro/Express community, but I couldn't find out exactly what was different on Apple's website.)

IMPORTANT: There is NO TUTORIAL included for Final Cut Express -- and if you've never worked with "pro" video editing software, you'll probably need to buy a how-to book. I'm currently reading the Peachpit Press "Final Cut Express" book by Lisa Brenneis (ISBN: 0-321-35026-X). There are a few scattered examples in the online help, but I haven't tried them yet....2 stars (Unduly complex, hideous browser) - After experiencing virtually every editing product on the market, and being a Mac fanatic for years, the fuss over FCP totally escapes me. It does what the other editors do, but adds a burdensome level of complexity based on its attempts to "automate" the editing process. The learning curve is steep, and any given command can set into motion a cascade of unwanted events.

Specific complaints are that the product has the WORST browser in the business. There is no view that allows both icons and comments, icons do not conveniently position themselves, bins and folders are feebly designed, and there is no indication of whether a clip has been used on the timeline. Indeed, there is a "find" function that allows you to search out used clips, but that is telling of the entire design: essential editing tools that should be at your fingertips require a myriad of steps to perform. I just finished a show with about 800 clips and media management for a complex show is a nightmare with this product. If you don't believe me check out the browser on any competing product. Apple should fix this.

If you place a clip on the timeline it writes over other clips. What were they thinking? Why make an editor that defaults to a destructive mode? This is especially a problem if you have a long clip - it will obliterate a clip you can't see further down the timeline, or split one above or below. The clever, fancy implementation of three-point editing to me looks like linear editing. Everything about this product restricts the way you work, or forces you to second-guess what the editor will do next. You have to THINK HARD to use this software - keyboard commands are painfully delicate, requiring you time when you hit the keys relative to moving the clip. Sorry, when I've got a script, a client, and a pile of tapes the editing software shouldn't take that much attention - getting your mind off the interface is what Apple is supposed to be about, right?

The good news is that the software does the job and is very stable, although I have found Apple's support team to have a poor knowledge of the product. Sadly, after 20 years on a Mac I just bought a PC for editing. This product has been embraced partially because it's a Mac product, and we all love Apple, but there is simply better editing software out there.
5 stars (unbelievable video production program) - If you've only worked with iMovie or Windows Movie Maker, you may be intimidated at first, but the end results speak for themselves. It is true that Final Cut Express HD isn't necessarily intuitive and the options are innumerable, but you will emerge from the other side of the learning curve amazed at how polished your works have become.

You can update old iMovie projects easily; just import them into Express HD and add high quality titles and credits and an attractive soundtrack. If you want to take it further, you can experiment with an astounding variety of professional quality transitions, filters, and effects to deliver the full visual and auditory impact you desire.

If you already have a previous release of Final Cut Express, the inclusion of LiveType and Soundtrack alone justify this upgrade. For a bonus, GarageBand musicians will love the hundreds of Apple loops included in the Soundtrack package.
Apple Final Cut Express HD (Mac) Features:
Computer software (programs)
Graphics
3D (3-D)
Animation (Animated)
Graphics (Graphic)
Multimedia
Professional Design
desktop publishing
desk top publishing
Mac Macintosh Machintosh Apple
Image Capture Capturing
Music
audio
Sound Editing
CD
Precision tools and techniques for flexible editing; versatile interface
Filmmaking software with powerful DV editing tools
High-definition video (HDV) capability for both new and experienced editors
Full-featured, professional-quality animated titling program, LiveType
Create custom musical accompaniment for video projects with Soundtrack

Apple Final Cut Express HD (Mac) is the CD-ROM version. The full version can be purchased by clicking on the "CLICK HERE TO ORDER" button below for around Too Low ToUSD.