Torn Between Buying Final Cut Pro or Final Cut Express?

If you'd like to start editing video or purchase your own system for the first time, you have some decisions to make.  Final Cut is a really solid choice of software.  It's accessible enough to take on as a individual freelancer or beginner, yet rugged enough to satisfy the needs of an industry veteran.  

At $999 ($949 through MBS), Final Cut Pro doesn't always fit a beginner's budget. Final Cut Express is a more affordable alternative at $199, with many of the same features as Final Cut Pro.  But what's the difference?  How do you know if you're making the right purchase? 

Let's start with the basics.

Final Cut Pro is no longer sold separately.  It comes bundled in Final Cut Studio, which mainly accounts for the $800 difference between Pro and Express.  

If youʼre looking to do any in-depth video editing or you have a heavy workload, thereʼs no question that Final Cut Studio is the product for you. Itʼs a great collection of applications that really help you fine-tune your projects with color correction, sound mixing, special effects and so on.  If you're not looking to take advantage of these applications, you might consider Final Cut Express, which is a standalone product.  

Final Cut Express also lacks Batch Capture and Time Code display.  

Batch capture is an important feature to editors who work with long-form projects and spend a significant amount of time ingesting footage.  Final Cut Express lacks this feature.  Batch capturing lets you mark in and out points on a tape using time code.  Once youʼve marked your clips, you can start capture and let Final Cut Pro selectively capture just the parts you want.  

Time code is also useful for syncing multiple cameras on the timeline.  With Final Cut Pro you can embed a time code for easier reference when sharing with clients.  

Final Cut Express is more limited in the video formats it supports.  It can't handle true HD or ProRes footage.  I like shooting with DSLR cameras, and I always have to go through a conversion process if I plan to edit the footage in Express.  The important thing to note is that there are workarounds for format issues, but you want to avoid them if possible.  The more passes you make in converting or compressing your footage, the more likely you are to reduce the image quality.  Converting footage is also just, frankly, a huge time drain.  If you're shooting HD regularly and using Final Cut Express, you definitely need a better workflow.

For those of you with an older version of Final Cut Express who are trying to decide whether to upgrade or go for the Studio, you should know that Express lost some functions since Final Cut Pro became bundled into Final Cut Studio. 

For example, some of their LiveType effects are no longer available and require a separate plugin. Soundtrack is no longer included in lieu of  Soundtrack Pro in Final Cut Studio.

This means you have fewer options with the sound design of your project, though you should be able to do some basic sound editing with no problem.

And finally, some important things to note:

1.  There is no upgrade path from Final Cut Express to Final Cut Pro.  They are seen as two separate products, so consider this when purchasing.

2. If you are currently editing a project in Final Cut Express and are considering Final Cut Pro, that project is upward compatible, meaning it can be opened, modified, and saved in any higher version of Final Cut.  Keep in mind that this is a one way street.  Make a copy for safety.  Once you save it in Final Cut Pro, you can't reopen that project in Express or in a prior version of Pro.  

To sum up, the major differences between Final Cut Express and Final Cut Pro are as follows:

1. Final Cut Studio includes Final Cut Pro, Soundtrack Pro, Color, Motion, Compressor, and DVD Studio Pro.  Final Cut Express stands alone.  

2. Final Cut Express does not Batch Capture.

3. Final Cut Express does not natively support ProRes or uncompressed HD.  It does natively support Apple Intermediate Codec (AIC), HDV, and AVCHD, which are often adequate.  

If you have any other questions about Final Cut or working around software limitations, feel free to call MBS at (301) 590-2555.  We're happy to help you in making this important decision.  

-Grace