Functional Differences between FCStudio and FCE?

[netdog]

Hi,

I know that a lot of other programs are bundled into FCS, but it is unclear to me from the website how buying FCE for much less money would limit me. Any and all insight appreciated.

Also, I have two Intel iMacs (one a Merom) and a MacBook. While FCS is licensed to run on one desktop and one portable, as I personally have no remorse about installing it on all three computers as I would only be running it on a single machine at any given time, is there anything that restricts me from installing it successfully on both iMacs?

 

[FF_productions]

Nope, nothing is holding you back. Apple is going by a honor system, thinking everybody goes by rules.

Final Cut Studio and Final Cut Express are different beasts.

Final Cut Express has incorporated a lot of traits from it's bigger brother, Final Cut Pro, such as Dynamic RT and multiple layers. Final Cut Express includes Livetype, and Soundtrack 1.5.

Final Cut Studio brings an advanced toolset:
Final Cut Pro 5.1-Advanced features, The PRO version
Soundtrack Pro-More features in this one then the previous versions
Motion-Motion Graphics, stylize your videos with this, very cool
DVD Studio Pro-Burn your DVD's, a lot more control over it then iDVD

If you can get a EDU discount, Final Cut Studio will only cost you 700 bucks, rather then 1300.

 

[illegalprelude]

exactly. I own Final Cut Studio. Although I dont tap into the other parts of it yet, its nice to have them there and I got the EDU discount. Still comes in the 50lB box with all the booklets and 30 thousand DVD's lol.

Keep in mind, the program takes up like 30GB hahaha

 

[Danksi]

You can install Studio on the two machines, but I believe it comes up with an error if you try and run it on more than one machine, on the same network - something like 'studio has detected another instance of this application is running on this network and will close'.

 

[netdog]

You can install Studio on the two machines, but I believe it comes up with an error if you try and run it on more than one machine, on the same network - something like 'studio has detected another instance of this application is running on this network and will close'.

Perfect news. I will just install it on the two iMacs then and stay in license. I have no intention of running it on two machines at once, so that is a perfect solution for me. Thanks for the information.

 

[it5five]

Nope, nothing is holding you back. Apple is going by a honor system, thinking everybody goes by rules.

Final Cut Studio and Final Cut Express are different beasts.

Final Cut Express has incorporated a lot of traits from it's bigger brother, Final Cut Pro, such as Dynamic RT and multiple layers. Final Cut Express includes Livetype, and Soundtrack 1.5.

Final Cut Studio brings an advanced toolset:
Final Cut Pro 5.1-Advanced features, The PRO version
Soundtrack Pro-More features in this one then the previous versions
Motion-Motion Graphics, stylize your videos with this, very cool
DVD Studio Pro-Burn your DVD's, a lot more control over it then iDVD

If you can get a EDU discount, Final Cut Studio will only cost you 700 bucks, rather then 1300.

I would just like to add something. When you buy FCS with the EDU discount, you are buying the academic version of the software, which means you cannot upgrade it.

 

[jacg]

I often wonder if I need all the really high end features of FCP but I heard that FCE doesn't do clip logging and batch capture. Perhaps someone can tell me - does that mean importing video is manual is like in iMovie?

Logging and batch capture are really useful and batch export via compressor is useful for repurposing video for DVD or the Web.

I also like playing with Motion. DVDStudio is powerful but I find it amazingly unintuitive for an Apple app.

 

[edcrosay]

Another major difference between the two is that FCE does not support Edit to Tape.. which isn't a problem for most people because most are using miniDV cameras. This only comes into play for Beta decks and such.

 

[alvinjleb]

I am thinking of buying a new mac pro with final cut express. I plan on editing wedding videos
with 2 or 3 cameras. Then burning the product to a dvd for the client. Will Final cut express allow me to edit all 3 cameras or will i need to go to pro.

 

[spicyapple]

I am thinking of buying a new mac pro with final cut express. I plan on editing wedding videos
with 2 or 3 cameras. Then burning the product to a dvd for the client. Will Final cut express allow me to edit all 3 cameras or will i need to go to pro.

According to Apple's comparison page, only Final Cut Studio offers multi-cam editing, which would make editing a 2/3 camera wedding a whole lot easier.

Final Cut Studio is the choice for me because of these important features:
1) Compressor software (for MPEG2 encoding for DVD Studio Pro)
2) Timecode (essential for synching TC among cameras that don't support gen-lock)
3) Extensive In/Out options
4) Native HDV and 24FPS

 

[Lebowski]

While FCS is licensed to run on one desktop and one portable

this is the first i have heard of this.

i have been under the impression that software is one per computer (unless a family/multi lic pak is purchased). I have FCS on my quad, and have FCE on my PB. I am allowed to drop FCS on the PB as well? again, i obviously will only be using one at a time.....

 

[LethalWolfe]

I am thinking of buying a new mac pro with final cut express. I plan on editing wedding videos
with 2 or 3 cameras. Then burning the product to a dvd for the client. Will Final cut express allow me to edit all 3 cameras or will i need to go to pro.

If you are going to edit full time and the gear will pay for itself then there's no reason not to get FCS. But if it's just a part time/hobby thing then I'd get FCE and upgrade later if need be. A few years ago I cut weddings on the side w/FCP 3.5 (no multicam) and it wasn't hard at all.

Lebowski,
I do believe that netdog is correct and you can install it on a desktop and a laptop as long as the machines aren't used at the same time.


Lethal

 

[netdog]

Does FCE qualify one to pay the upgrade price for FCS down the line or would one have to buy FCS at full price?

 

[alvinjleb]

well i definitly need to be able to edit multible cameras, But this is just a part time job thing for me. I'm working with a few freinds who shoot the weddings. I'm looking at editing one wedding a week. I not really sure how much money this is going to bring in so investing in studio may be a bad business decision for me at first. I wanted to hold of on spending big bucks on studio just incase this side job doesn't work like i plan. And i would like to maximize my investment. Buying the system isn't that hard.... it will get used reguardless... but over a grand in software is hard to swallow.

 

[ghall]

Does FCE qualify one to pay the upgrade price for FCS down the line or would one have to buy FCS at full price?

I think there's a special upgrade price for users of Final Cut Express, I could be wrong though.

 

[Rasheem]

well i definitly need to be able to edit multible cameras, But this is just a part time job thing for me. I'm working with a few freinds who shoot the weddings. I'm looking at editing one wedding a week. I not really sure how much money this is going to bring in so investing in studio may be a bad business decision for me at first. I wanted to hold of on spending big bucks on studio just incase this side job doesn't work like i plan. And i would like to maximize my investment. Buying the system isn't that hard.... it will get used reguardless... but over a grand in software is hard to swallow.

well If you shoot the wedding and edit thats like $1000
for like2 hours shooting and like 4 editing. It sgood money i know people tha work like 5 days a month. of course it may be hard to make 100 grand a year because weddings are usually only saturdays.