Final Cut Pro spent the past decade playing catch-up with Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve, but Apple doesn’t seems to give up the ship quite yet. The new Final Cut Pro 11.1 update introduces some enhancements.
These updates might make the software more attractive. Maybe more to veteran users anguished over missing functionality. Among the most significant changes? Color grading and effect adjustment clips, an overdue workflow enhancement that you might have enjoyed in Adobe for several years. Add in some AI-enhanced tools in the new Image Playground feature, and Final Cut Pro appears a bit more up-to-date.
Let us tell you what’s new.
A Color Correction Game-Changer
Perhaps the biggest complaint with Final Cut Pro has been the absence of adjustment clips—a convenient yet effective tool that lets you apply color correction and effects to multiple clips in one step. Up to this point, there was pressure to cut and paste effects from clip to clip manually, which made making fine adjustments a chore.
With 11.1, it seems possible to place an adjustment layer atop your timeline, add your color grade or effects, and instantly see it affect everything underneath it. I think it’s good for filling a crucial workflow gap if you’re held back from the Premiere Pro and Resolve jump.
Magnetic Mask Gets a Boost in Speed
Another improvement is the Magnetic Mask capability. Used to help you with pro-level masking effects, it got some performance fine-tuning. I guess there’s a new keyboard shortcut now that seems to allow enabling or disabling the Magnetic Mask Editor easily. This feature might become favorite soon.
Apple Intelligence Brings AI to FCP
It was only a matter of time before Apple started weaving AI into Final Cut Pro. Honestly, I’m seeing the first real steps in that direction in Final Cut Pro 11.1 update. The new Image Playground tool appears to use Apple Intelligence to generate placeholder images based on text prompts, suggested concepts, or even people from your Photos library.
Of course, it’s not exactly the level of AI image creation you’d be expecting. Currently, it seems to create only square images, which is rather an unusual constraint. It looks like Apple is wading into the AI waters gradually, particularly when you compare it to the AI-driven editing tools in Premiere Pro or the neural engine of DaVinci Resolve.
Audio & Workflow Enhancements
I have noticed that Apple has refreshed the Quantec QRS (Quantec Room Simulator) for audio editors, a reverb effect that generates more natural, more transparent-sounding room simulations. If you’re working with dialogue or sound design, you should get more realistic room simulations in your work.
Other workflow refinements are:
- Renaming audio effects within the inspector
- Improved multicam and synced clip management
- Drag-and-drop marker movements for simpler timeline modifications
Bug Fixes & Performance Tweaks
I think there’s no update yet about substantial list of bug fixes and small enhancements. Some of the highlights:
- Resolves a problem where audio would get out of sync in some cases
- Enhanced performance when working with Smooth Slo-Mo on ProRes 4444 files
- Improved reliability when exporting ARRIRAW MXF clips
- No black frames when playing HEVC clips from RED cameras
Final Thoughts: Is This Enough?
Personally, I think it’s not a groundbreaking update, but it might be worthwhile improvement for you. The adjustment clip functionality alone will be a godsend for most. Also, AI-powered Image Playground seems to give a taste of what the future could hold for versions to come.
Is it sufficient to bring back editors who have already migrated to Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve? Doubtful. But if you remain in the FCP system, 11.1 speeds up editing, streamline it, and makes it more contemporary—and that’s always a good thing.
And as with all Final Cut Pro updates, this one’s a free download if you already have the software. So, if you haven’t updated yet, now’s a good time to do it.
[via nofilmschool; Image credits: Apple]
