What can 7 do that X can't (Really)

I posted this on my twitter and didn't get many replies. In fact most of the people who said anything actually said stuff you could do in X! So I wanted to throw this out there to hopefully set some facts straight for those on the fence (probably not a lot of people here )

Things 7 can do that X can't. (And by Can't I mean in no way no how not possible with a 3rd party, etc) Keep in mind that FCPX is $299...

I'll start.

1. Batch export. - Really miss this one.
2. Send to motion - this was pointed out to me and it's true that I miss this feature.
3. EDL Support - who still uses this!?

I know there has to be more! But seriously, this list is pretty darn tiny (especially considering all the things you can do that 7 couldn't...)

A few off the top of my head:

Paste selective attributes
Log and capture
Rename clip to match files and vice versa
Change timecode and aux timecode
No gang playback timeline to browser
No match frame browser to timeline
No real dynamic trimming in the precision editor
No audio cross fade transition with shortcut
No ability to set default transition

Pasting selective attributes is def something I miss too and there isn't any way around it.

I also miss the audio cross fade only shortcut (I use Alex4D's sound only transition a lot in the meantime)

For log and capture, I have to be honest - it can be done just as good with a third party (not that I use it much any more with a file based workflow). I agree with Apple on this that it should be left to the 3rd parties who provide the cards to give you that kind of gear. For DV tape, it was never very reliable for me due to how terrible the timecode is on that format.

What is gang playback used for? (honest question - never used it!)

Tom Wolsky wrote: Paste selective attributes
Rename clip to match files and vice versa
Change timecode and aux timecode
No audio cross fade transition with shortcut
No ability to set default transition

Biggies for me, already sent Apple feedback about those ones.

Some to add, which I've also sent feedback for:

- See timecode of original clip in viewer when clip is on the timeline
- Set Timecode READER filter that reads the timecode of the original clip in the timeline
- Timecode GENERATOR where you can choose the timecode in the filter
- Smart Render and Export by copying Quicktime Media (see my thread here:
www.fcp.co/forum/4-final-cut-pro-x-fcpx/...es-uncompressed-only )
- Put your viewer to a second display just in 1920x1080 (like the old Digital Cinema Desktop mode worked in FCP7), and NOT a 1920x1200 signal with small information on top and bottom (if you are editing 3D with going to a second display, it's annoying)
- Expanding Audio and Video on the whole timeline (AND the clips you add to the timeline AFTER expanding) with one click. Having a same detaching command with ONE click would be great too.
- Out of sync markers when audio and video is out of sync. (seeing it AND seeing how much frames is important, if you have a recording of which you KNOW it's 3 frames off)
- Batch Export
- Exporting Reference Movie (I won't mind this very much IF they had the smart render/export option I talked about above, because normally I work with self-contained media almost 100 percent of the time)
- Color Wheels (yes, they are much better than the Color Board. Having the option of color wheels, together with more of the power of Color - curves, secondaries, masks, vignettes, ... - would be great. Some of the power is already there in FCP X, but not complete, and it still can't match Color, by far.
- Pushing a clip (audio or video) later or earlier with one frame in the timeline, by ALT + arrows.
- Making a timeline with a custom resolution (yes, I know there is a work-around, but it's work around to a feature that isn't there...)

That's just out of the top of my head, I can probably think of more... But those are the biggest ones, and the most of them are deal-breakers which make the software a big step backwards in comparison with FCP 7 for our facility at work. So I do some things at home in FCP X, but I still can't recommend it for use at our facilities. And that's a pitty, because I think FCP X has a lot of interesting things going for it, and because it was supposed to be an upgrade and better in most ways to FCP 7, and it's still not there yet, even a year after.
But the unique features that it DOES have (key wording, metadata, timeline index, roles, hardware acceleration, ... are very big features too, and it's worth mentioning alongside the criticism)

you can batch- share/export using compressor settings (just create one and save it in compressor)/then watch as the share monitor shreds the background task as you continue to add projects!! it's awesome =]

You still can't select multiple projects and export. Since projects operate like sequences, it would be good to have this.

In FCP7 it was one click, in X I have to go and export each one to compressor. Not bad when there is 1 or 2, but when I've just finished 30 1 minute tip videos for a client, I really miss it!

I have had good luck just selecting them in the project library and adding them separately from there. I have a keyboard shortcut for "export with compressor setting".
Might be an extra 2 clicks at most =]
But yes, it would be nice to select more than one project for this task, or even cleaning up the project library.

Just wanted to elaborate- I don't export to compressor in the batch process, I export using a pre made compressor setting. that way i'm not noodling with compressors crappy interface, and don't even have to have compressor open for that matter- just the background share monitor.

What about multi color labeling?

sidderke wrote:
Some to add, which I've also sent feedback for:

- See timecode of original clip in viewer when clip is on the timeline

This is actually there. Turn on Clip Skimming, and the timecode window will change to original clip timecode. Also displays when the range tool is selected.

This was broken in 10.0.3, but is good after that.

What about washing my car and mixing drinks?

I over heard an Apple project manager at NAB this year, planning that new feature for 10.0.6... they better not let me down or i'm gonna start editing in media 100 again :evil:

What is gang playback used for?

Gang is used to move canvas and viewer media at the same time.

For example, a client edits a short film in his computer and wants you to do the online and color correction. He gives you a quicktime movie export of the complete short film as he has it on his computer, all the media and the project, so when you finish the conform you can load the offline export in the canvas, load the sequence on the viewer, activate GANG and compare cut by cut that everything is in order. This is how it works in FCP7.

filmfreak3000 wrote:

sidderke wrote:
Some to add, which I've also sent feedback for:

- See timecode of original clip in viewer when clip is on the timeline

This is actually there. Turn on Clip Skimming, and the timecode window will change to original clip timecode. Also displays when the range tool is selected.

This was broken in 10.0.3, but is good after that.

Hey Filmfreak,

yes, that partly takes some issues away, but not all. Say, you have 5 recordings.
You put them on a stack above each other in FCP 7. In 7 I can go to one place and see the timecode of all original media (if I turn the timecode overlay on) above each other, the same for the audio. I see it in one view, I don't have to go skimming above each track separate, and with skimming it's much easier to loose the place where you were standing.

sidderke wrote: In 7 I can go to one place and see the timecode of all original media (if I turn the timecode overlay on) above each other, the same for the audio. I see it in one view, I don't have to go skimming above each track separate, and with skimming it's much easier to loose the place where you were standing.

Actually, you DO have to "select" the clip in the Timeline window, double click it to open it in the Viewer, and drag the playhead in the scrubber bar.

No, it's not easier, you're just more used to it. FCP X is faster and easier to move from clip to clip and get the same info.

canelson wrote: What is gang playback used for?.

Tthere is one editing technique it does lend itself to that I consider important. Editing two shots together that are both shot in two takes with one camera. Multicam won't work. But Gang Sync does.

QA can be done in other ways that are faster and easier. It's called Multiclip. I used that in 7, too. Run them side by side in one windows to verify sync. Way better.

Trim Edit Window, was invaluable in 7, wish we had it in X.

BenB wrote: Actually, you DO have to "select" the clip in the Timeline window, double click it to open it in the Viewer, and drag the playhead in the scrubber bar.

Are you talking about FCP 7 here? If so, it's not true. Since FCP 7, you had a new feature: Timecode Overlays in the Canvas. You should show and hide them.

Actually that overlay has always been there, it's not new to 7. But yes, you're correct, it does show individual clip TC. Haven't been inside of 7 in so long, I had to go back and check. And it's not a feature I ever had user for. Once my clips are in the Timeline, personally, I don't have much use for their individual TC. Some folks do, though. But skimming is so fast, it works for me.

Fill out the feedback form! Let them know it's a feature you need. And a suggestion. When you fill that out and request a feature, tell them exactly how you use that feature and why it's important. If you just say, "I want a stopwatch generator", I mean, who cares. But if you tell them why you need it, and how you implement it as a vital part of your workflow, it gets more notice.

Adding transitions to the start or end of a cut. At present if there is no extra media on the start of the clip it won't add. Adding multiple transitions with one click.

You can't compare two shots easily because there is only one viewer. Means a lot more trial and see editing.

You can't select a range of the whole timeline including all layers.

There is no dupe detection or loss of sync detection in the timeline.

You can't rename favorite clips.

You can't save "Filter Packs" where you create a folder, drag a collection of filters to it and then use that as a filter collection on subsequent clips.

You can't put your Render files somewhere other than with the project.
This makes backing up and sharing projects problematic to say the least.

That'll do for now.

You can rename Favorate ranges, but their ranges, not really sub-clips.

To compare two shots, I use the Match Color option, but that's a workaround, not a real comparison.

As for render files, I don't see that matter, as if I dup a Project to a portable drive to give to someone else, I never include them. I never did that with legacy FCP.

But yeah, Filter Packs, dupe detection, shot comparison, those would be nice. It's the little things. How did the dev team not know we use that stuff a lot?