As promised last Thursday, Apple released a major update to Final Cut Pro X this morning. Version 10.4.1 of Final Cut Pro X brings two new key features to the table in closed captioning and ProRes RAW support, along with a whole host of additional features and changes.

Those who already own Final Cut Pro X can download 10.4.1 free of charge from the Mac App Store. Everyone else can purchase the well-regarded NLE for $299 with no reoccurring subscription fees.

As we noted last week, the new closed captioning toolset provides a powerful new way to create, edit and deliver accessible content. New Index Viewer and Inspector tools provide familiar workflows that make it easy to create and maintain closed captions. Users can also import already existing caption files into a project, and Final Cut Pro X will do the heavy lifting.

ProRes RAW is the other tent pole feature to come with Final Cut Pro 10.4. ProRes RAW combines the nimble, easy-to-use file format that we know and love with the added untouched sensor data afforded by RAW.

Unlike uncompressed RAW, which leads to massive file sizes, ProRes RAW promises manageable file sizes, with flexibility benefits normally associated with RAW video. Final Cut Pro’s recently-updated color correction toolset + ProRes RAW ensures that users will have even greater control over molding footage to their liking in post.

As of now, there are a handful of midrange cameras that can use ProRes RAW — cameras like the Canon C300, and Panasonic EVA1 — and these will have to be combined with an Atomos Shogun Inferno or Atomos Sumo19 external ProRes RAW recorder. DJI is also upgrading its Zenmuse X7 camera with built-in ProRes RAW recording support, available on the Inspire 2 drone later this spring.

Full Final Cut Pro 10.4.1 release notes:

The update to Final Cut Pro X is accompanied by updates to companion apps Compressor and Motion.

  • Import caption files into a Final Cut Pro project to automatically create time-synced, connected captions in the timeline
  • See captions directly in the Viewer
  • Use the Inspector to adjust text, color, onscreen location, and timing
  • Create captions in multiple languages and formats in the same timeline
  • Use the new Captions tab in the Timeline Index to search text, select captions, and quickly switch between different versions of your captions
  • Attach captions to audio or video clips in the timeline
  • Extract embedded captions from video to view and edit the captions directly in Final Cut Pro
  • Send your project to Compressor in a single step, making it easy to create a compliant iTunes Store package with audio and video files, captions, and subtitles
  • Validation indicator instantly warns about common errors including caption overlaps, incorrect characters, invalid formatting, and more
  • Embed captions in an exported video file or create a separate caption sidecar file
  • Share captioned videos directly to YouTube and Vimeo
  • Support for CEA-608 and iTT closed caption formats

ProRes RAW

  • Support for ProRes RAW files lets you import, edit, and grade using pristine RAW image data from the camera sensor
  • RAW image data provides ultimate flexibility when adjusting highlights and shadows — ideal for HDR workflows
  • Enjoy smooth playback and real-time editing on laptop and desktop Mac computers
  • Highly efficient encoding reduces the size of ProRes RAW files, allowing you to fit more footage on camera cards and storage drives
  • ProRes RAW preserves more of the original image data, making it an ideal format for archiving
  • Work natively with ProRes RAW or ProRes RAW HQ files created by ATOMOS recorders and DJI Inspire 2 drone

Enhanced export

  • The new Roles tab in the share pane displays title, video, and audio roles in a single, consolidated interface
  • Quickly view and choose roles to be included in exported video files
  • Roles settings and enabled/disabled states from the timeline are carried through to the share pane
  • Embed closed captions in a video file or export a separate captions sidecar file in CEA-608 and iTT formats

Final Cut Pro 10.4.1 also includes the following:

360 VR

  • Changing 360° metadata from rectilinear to equirectangular displays the clip’s correct orientation
  • 360° Viewer has a new keyboard shortcut to reset field of view: Control + Option + Command + Delete
  • Command Editor function of “Reset Point of View” is now listed correctly as “Reset Angle”
  • VR headset drop frame warning preferences are honored with a VR headset connected
  • Stray pixels are no longer visible in high contrast regions of a frame

Accessibility

  • It is easier to create custom project sizes when using accessibility applications as accessibility width and height labels have been added for project properties

Audio

  • Volume automation is retained after a retiming effect is applied
  • Quicker display of custom audio effects interface from the audio Inspector tab when using Final Cut Pro in German
  • Correct parameters are displayed in the Inspector when viewing a duplicate audio effect

Browser

  • Text in the notes field of the Inspector is saved automatically
  • Text entered into the notes field in list view in the Browser displays in the Inspector
  • Project thumbnails load correctly when the system is connected to an HDMI display

Color Correction

  • Color wheel sliders retain values at 100 IRE for white and 0 IRE for black, with the ability to move above and below using color correction controls
  • Color board exposure parameters are consistent for Rec. 2020 PQ projects
  • Keyframes are properly maintained when copying and pasting color wheel effects
  • Custom white balance values are pasted correctly in Rec. 2020 HDR libraries
  • View Masks selection displays the mask in the Viewer before color grading parameters are changed

Effects

  • Camera LUT is applied correctly to de-interlaced media
  • Fixes an issue in which the playhead jumps to a transition when adjusting the Ken Burns effect
  • Fixes an issue where the Viewer displays black when adjusting a crop or Ken Burns effect using on-screen controls in an Audition clip
  • Fixes an issue where Replicator edges appeared corrupt when exporting or rendering from projects set to Rec. 2020 HLG color space
  • Undo works correctly after a Luma Keyer effect is applied
  • Fixes an issue where a blade edit could reset an effect checkbox

Formats

  • MXF Item Signal Standard is set to correct values for AVC Intra, DVCPRO HD, and Uncompressed HD
  • Fixes an issue where spanned Canon C300 clips are imported as multiple clips
  • Clips over 4GB on FAT32 media cards including Sony and JVC source files are represented as one clip in the Import window and also honor the recorded start and stop points
  • Fixes an issue where certain Sony SxS cards with large files would cause Final Cut Pro to quit unexpectedly
  • XAVC/XDCAM plug-in returns the correct timecode values for BPAV file types
  • Improved performance when stabilizing RED RAW files on iMac Pro
  • Fixes an issue where the folder structure for the Panasonic AU-EVA1 is not recognized
  • Loading spanned JVC XDCAM clips no longer causes Final Cut Pro X to quit unexpectedly
  • Failures while Sharing with AVCHD media now displays the corrupt filename in the error dialog for easier troubleshooting
  • Fixes an issue where, with multiple camera volumes mounted in the Import window, skimming in Filmstrip view displayed the incorrect clip

General

  • Changing media storage locations from one location to another then back again on NFS storage updates the media links correctly
  • After typing text into an Inspector metadata field, entering text into a second text field works correctly
  • Relink Files button highlights after selection, allowing you to press Enter to commit the command
  • Screen recordings created using QuickTime Player in French or Spanish apply retiming effects correctly when imported into Final Cut Pro
  • Find People and Create Smart Collections After Analysis works correctly
  • Fixes an issue where PSDs with an alpha from Pixelmator appeared cropped in the Viewer

Multicam

  • Fixes an issue where switching between video scopes and the Angle Viewer or the 360° Viewer causes the Angle Viewer to display incorrectly
  • Fixes an issue where spatial conform causes Multicam clip angles to display incorrectly in the Angle Viewer

Optical Flow

  • Last frame of 100% reversed clip with optical flow retiming renders correctly
  • Optical flow retiming renders correctly on clips with audio that is longer than video
  • Reversed clips with optical flow applied now render in the timeline without requiring analysis on the entire source clip

Rendering

  • Render bars appear correctly on 29.97i (60 field) clip in a 30p project
  • Background rendering works correctly on 29.97i (60 field) clip in a 30p project

Share

  • 29.97i (60 field) clips in a 30p project export correctly
  • YouTube “Visit” and “Tell a Friend” buttons open video URL correctly

Stability and reliability

  • Fixes an issue in which resetting a gradient control could cause Final Cut Pro to quit unexpectedly
  • Fixes an issue in which quickly switching back and forth between View > Layouts then selecting a color picker could cause Final Cut Pro to quit unexpectedly
  • Fixes an issue in which initiating an undo action after re-arranging roles in the timeline index could Final Cut Pro to quit unexpectedly
  • Improves stability when lifting two adjacent transitions from a Storyline
  • Improves stability when skimming over or importing a corrupted MXF (MPEG-4) file
  • Improves stability when importing a PSD file created in Pixelmator
  • Improves stability when inserting a SxS card into a Sony SxS USB card reader
  • Fixes an occasional hang after adding a title, relaunching Final Cut Pro, and then modifying parameters

Text

  • On screen controls for text in the Viewer are more responsive and properly sync with the Inspector

Timeline

  • Timecode display no longer skips timecode or frames during processor intensive tasks
  • Rename Clip in the timeline applies to all selected clips

XML

  • Color Balance effect now properly round trips via XML in HDR Libraries
  • Final Cut Pro no longer considers the part of the library name after a period “.” specified as the library location import option in FCPXML as a file extension

iMovie has also received an update, bringing it to version 10.1.9.

We plan on taking the update for a test drive to try out the new closed captioning soon. Be sure to read our initial details about Final Cut Pro 10.4.1 for a deeper breakdown of all of the new features and enhancements.