Apple"s Final Cut Pro X, released only yesterday, has already received backlash from users who need certain cut features from the last version. In particular, the absence of multicam support has caused a stir in the community, with some users going as far as to dub the new release "iMovie Pro".
Final Cut Pro X currently holds a 3-star rating in the Mac App Store, the only place the software is available from. The majority of reviews are 1-star, including the highest rated review. Complaints range from the inability to import previous Final Cut Pro projects, missing SDI-out support, a forced single-window interface, and a lack of multicam support.
Reviewers have also noted the similarities between iMovie and FCPX. While users can"t import older FCP projects, iMovie projects will import fine. The interface also sports a look not too far removed from iMovie. FCPX"s new Events media management system is also reminiscent of iMovie"s workflow.
There may be light at the end of the tunnel, however. Reactions bear a striking similarity to that of initial releases of Mac OS X and iOS. Philip Hodgetts has stated that multicam support will come in a later update, along with an improved replacement for the XML workflow and an import tool for Final Cut Pro 7 users. Despite all the missing features, yesterday"s initial release has rebuilt the foundations of Final Cut Pro that had begun to show its age recently.