DaVinci Resolve vs Final Cut Pro: Don't make a HUGE mistake!

[@Denden-mx9gl]

For those who got intimidated in this video, 2:04 You can make a timeline preset, he also mention you can't change the fps. Well you can, if you messed up the frame rate just make a new timeline change the fps, copy the contents of the first timeline and paste. 4:47 UI is actually fluid, in final cut you need to make 3 moves to show some options rather than resolve where it's just displayed in front of you. But can actually hide it with just one click, and those buttons he clicked and mentions doesn't even take 1 minute to understand what are those for, he even said it on 6:16 5:24 IDK what he was complaining here, what he said here can be done in Davinci it's just called different, you can also auto cut scenes but it's for the paid version. The pop ups he mentioned are literally self explanatory. 6:39 Most built-in effects are usually what your going to need for work unless you need to edit God tier effects. You can also customize the preset effects and save it. One cool thing about that is you get to practice fusion while playing around with it. 7:43 it is complicated when you first try it but it's really easy to learn won't even take 5 mins to learn. It does not get complicated very fast, you learn it very fast. 7:55 there's a ton of templates for Davinci, not as much as final cut pro but they are just out there. The templates are not hard to use, you just need basic knowledge of the NLE. Here's a list you might get annoyed while using Davinci: you can't scrub frame by frame, the selector scrub by audio, you can only get to the next frame by using the arrow keys. Sequence Nesting is different and can get you confused When you can your own presets on a different project library, you can't access them so you need to redo it. the presets only show up on the project library you made. So you need to really organized the type of video you are making. if you have the effects library opened and you want to import a new clip on your media pool, you can't just drag and hover to media pool to switched the opened window. Sometimes you can't import mp4 or whatever codec that's making it not import it on davinci , you have to re render it on a different NLE so davinci would accept it sometimes your imported stereo gets imported as mono when you're adjusting attributes such as size, position or audio level it's to drastic, you really need to be careful to put it on the number you want. you can't import GIF There's no ruler or grid lines, you need to add an adjustment layer and put the grid line effect then adjust it.

[@RafaelLudwig]

Agree on all points. Well said! Thanks for watching and the comment Denden!

[@paramveerssachdeva]

Wow! I think I have the best comments and feedback from both ends of the geniuses, Im just an amateur, so I humbly and thankfully appreciate both viewpoints. Thanks a lot.

[@Denden-mx9gl]

@@RafaelLudwigLet's go!

[@realMysta]

As a noob I think you are speaking more from the wrong POV, maybe he wasn't intending to do this but I resonated with a lot of his complaints because a lot of it isn't intuitive if you're starting out, like 2:04 you say it as if that's a normal workflow, why should you have to do that? That's poor UX. Thanks for pointing out the alternatives to this but I think this video has valid points too.

[@Denden-mx9gl]

@@realMysta what do you mean? I didn't say he doesn't have a valid point. What I did was showing the work arounds on his list for some people who might think that those things he mentioned doesn't have a work around.

[@hersch_tool]

I know nothing about film making, cameras, etc. But I wanted to start a KZbin channel about my passion, machining. I first attempted to start my channel using Resolve because it was free. It took me 4 weeks to edit that first video, and by the time I was done, I uploaded it and didn't create another video for an entire year. Then my wife bought me a new MacBook, and Final Cut Pro. I had so much fun making that first video with Final Cut, and I've been uploading regularly ever since. I think that's the difference that you are describing here. If "creating" is your goal, then FCP is your tool. If being an editor is your goal, then learn Resolve. Just my 2 cents, from someone who knows nothing about the subject, but likes to make videos.

[@Spentbrass717]

Your comment helps me a lot. I am looking at starting a KZbin channel myself. The way you broke down FCP vs Resolve, creating vs editing, helped out and simplified this video so much.

[@hersch_tool]

@@Spentbrass717 I'm glad to hear that. I tell my wife literally ALL the time that my channel simply wouldn't exist without Final Cut Pro. That's not hyperbole. It gets out of my way and lets me tell the story that I want to tell. Go for it, you'll be glad that you did.

[@ggproductions7078]

that is very true, did you use the cutpage though? That's a nice, simple straight forward way to make simple videos.

[@hersch_tool]

@@ggproductions7078 Yeah, I used the cut page.

[@Brian-Hansen]

I totally agree! As a working editor, for the last 25 years, I would say learning all three is going to get you more paid jobs. It has for me. I take on jobs in Premier, DaVinci and Final cut regularly. Being able to say “yes” when you get asked, if you can edit in a certain program earns you money. Not only being able to edit in all three, but being able to transfer projects between all three is even more valuable. There will never be one program to rule them all. And when you act like there is, is when you will get left behind. As for my personal preference, I like Final Cut over all of them. By a mile.

[@RafaelLudwig]

Exactly! Saying YES is a super power if you can follow through. Or at least have the confidence you know you can figure it out as you go. Thanks for watching and the comment Brian!

[@BlueDroneBlues]

Seriously, Guys. Overwhelming the hell out of me and others just learning and want a good program that can do video editing for KZbin or jobs to be railroaded into spending a bunch of money on shit they may or may never need is insane! If I don't spend $400 a year on DaVince Pro and buy Final Cut Pro because there is one feature that isn't available on one or the other, or I have to spend another $300 on another program because neither one of these lacks a feature a must have to complete a job otherwise, I am going to lose customers and not get a good job and feel obligated to buy every program on the planet to be competitive seems like a huge upsell in BS! This is pretty much how you guys lay it out and if we don't buy all these programs, were going to be pretty much shit editors on the open market or a dime a dozen and not many people will do business with us unless we have all the highest ending software. Sorry, but this is frustrating the hell out of me. Seriously?

[@Brian-Hansen]

@@BlueDroneBlues Don't be discouraged. Once you can edit on any program, and have some experience, the skills transfer to other apps. Over the course of a career, you will certainly not be able to stay inside the same software. The market changes over time and software goes away, and new stuff comes in, I would say that you should focus on the craft of editing. Once you get proficient in editing, and you have an open mind to new software, then you should make an attempt to learn simple things in other software. The editing skills transfer, so focus on getting proficient at editing first.

[@ourroadstories8924]

Hey Brain, got a question for ya. I always edit in FCPX, but If I export my rendered project plus XML to a friends non-apple computer, it is not able to recreate my final edit. The reason for this seems to come from FCPX making the timecode for each clip 0:00:00 instead of its original timecode. In other words, my friends computer won't be able to line m up or find the right bit of the file. Do you know a solution? best regards Sbas

[@RafaelLudwig]

@@ourroadstories8924 If you are using Sony Footage you can fix it with the Sony Timecode repair from Commandpost.io commandpost.io/toolbox/sony-timecode/ Works great! Thanks for watching and the comment!

[@AdamSzarmack]

People claiming Resolve is too complex or has a steep learning curve are exaggerating. Simply not true. Use the features you need, ignore the ones you don’t need. It’s not complicated. By your second or third edit you’ll feel right at home. Switching to Resolve was the best decision I’ve ever made as an editor.

[@fogartyfox592]

Thank you

[@remektekmedia6641]

What did you switch FROM? Was it FCP?

[@mezza001]

I agree totally. I am still finding my way around Da Vinci Resolve. Great editing software!

[@FrankJonen]

Some people just think they have to understand everything at once. I haven’t started making custom tools until a year in.

[@klaurcschwackerberg1880]

If you like to cook some potatoes, DON'T ! because it has a steep learning curve of 20 years to finish a 5 star Masterchef cooking classes !

[@timdanyo898]

FCP is just so fast and gets out of the way. The file management with favorites, keywords, smart collections, and search is a game changer that speeds up having to click around and dig for clips and find what you need. Massive time saver and joy to work with.

[@RafaelLudwig]

Exactly! it has some great strengths! Thanks for watching and the comment Tim!

[@Brian-Hansen]

Final Cut is indeed the fastest. There’s no quicker way to string edits together in my opinion. And no better way to handle a mountain of footage.

[@timdanyo898]

@@Brian-Hansen I waited a few years and hung onto FCP7 and then I finally switched. Once I got the work flow I was shocked at how much faster I was editing. Yeah.. big doc projects are handled so much better to keyword and find clips.

[@MaiElizabeth]

I’m currently using Da Vinci and Luma Fusion… considering to try FCP for the first time ever

[@jasoncblackwood]

Yes, agreed. The way it syncs with Apple's overall ecosystem with tags, keywords, Music, photos, etc is icing on the cake to a faster video editor. I paid for the Studio version of Resolve and will keep it around for advanced color grading; I see no issue with using both but FCPX is the ticket for regular editing.

[@balme74]

Started with FCP, then moved to Premiere, now use Resolve. Does Resolve force you to be more organized and actually understand what you're doing with video? Yes. But that's a good thing, in my book! Commiting yourself to understanding what you're actually doing, how you're managing your work, how you're delivering your finished edits, makes you a better video professional every day of the week. Don't let the program "do it for you".

[@JonDaiello]

I’ve been using FCPX for the past few years. Every time I try something else, I wind up coming back to it. My video creation is pretty basic and FCPX helps me create high quality videos in the fastest time. Davinci does seem very overwhelming, and I’ve struggled with the learning curve. And with FCPX coming to the iPad, it keeps it as a compelling option for me. Thanks for sharing!

[@OperationNonsense]

a lot of people say DaVinci resolve is more complex, but i started in video editing a blank sheet of paper, and DaVinci resolve was the first program i learned, so i find final cut pro to be more complex. for those sitting on the fence, one reason alone is enough of a tie breaker - DaVinci resolve is all-in-one, whereas final cut pro requires downloading additional add-ons to realize it's full potential. to me, having everything you need in one program is simpler and easier than one that requires further add-ons. cross platform support is also a bonus, you have more option in terms of working and integrating seamlessly with other organizations that don't run exclusively on Macs.

[@digitalcity1]

As a grader and audio mixer, naturally I use Resolve. I get work from editors and without a doubt the messiest handovers come from FCPX editors. The software lets people make way more mess of a timeline before handing over. As a working professional it comes down to the overall workflow and who you deliver to. Almost all the filmmakers I work with have switched to Resolve because it makes you not only learn your job, it also makes your budget happy when hand overs to others are seamless. I don't tell editors what tool to use, but I will caution them about consequences of not understanding workflow. When asked and I tell them about those consequences, many choose Resolve over other software.

[@RafaelLudwig]

100% agree. I would never start a job knowing it was to be handed over in anything but Resolve. Hands down my go to. Thanks for watching and the comment!

[@Kou.knows1]

I am a FCP user and I’ve used DR, but all my edits come from FCP and I’ve worked on major brands and even with the Motion Picture Association. I think your experience is just that, your experience in that your collaborations with FCP editors are messy and that just stems from messy editors. But I also understand the importance of collaboration and being a FCP editor myself, it does take a level of knowing each NLE (mainly DR & PP) to be able to send a project that can be worked on by different teams. With that said, the power is in the editor, and not 100% with the NLE( as was somewhat pointed out in this great video) The question is…If there was an audience comparison in a room full of executives and show runners, I wonder if their eye could catch which NLE was used? 🤔 I also am an audio engineer and I use Logic Pro X, with Izotope for noise removal and more. FCP is not good for pro post audio as you would know. So everything has its give and take.

[@taurinh]

People ask me all the time what I edit in, the answer is, "it depends on the project" Simple quick, daily edits, FCPx is my go to. The presets I have and the overall speed of quick turn content is perfect. More complex projects or knowing that I need to spend time coloring, Resolve. If it's a bigger project with a lot of motion graphics or After Effects dynamic linking, Premiere. That being said, I almost never touch premiere these days even with AE work, I just do it, export it with an alpha and bring it in to either FCPx or Resolve. But I still know all 3 and use them all when needed. Great video!

[@RafaelLudwig]

I am the same, I spend 90% of my days now in AE, and render out, and build timelines in DR or FCP. and render replace clips as I go. Never liked Dynamic link in PR. Just felt slower. Similar thing happens with Fusion and DR. once the effects get a bit wacky, the process slows down. Thanks for watching and the comment Taurin!

[@tomaskonvicka4135]

When someone says it has too many buttons, it sounds to me like the book has too many pages:) Regarding the learning curve - when programs are badly designed, simple functions are as complex as advanced functions. When a program is designed well, simple functions are easy to do and complex functions are difficult to do. Resolve belongs to the second group.

[@JSMultimedia-fw9ow]

Thank you for not putting distracting music over this. Excellent comparison!

[@hughan00]

@@JSMultimedia-fw9ow Why do people even *do* that?? It's so refreshing to *not* have those awful 'musak' beds.

[@SethBlackMedia]

I ditched Premiere a couple years ago at work. My boss was a bit apprehensive with me switching to Resolve because we had just been so used to Premiere, but once he saw how powerful it is and how much faster and more stable it is he was blown away. And I can do so much more with it. But I will say the number one feature I miss so much is the essential graphic panel in Premiere. I find that adding even basic text in Resolve is very clunky at best and I really hope they improve this area.

[@kristianvaarvik]

Finally. I love this. Always thought Final Cut was underrated. It’s nice to see more creatives feel the same way.

[@avdpost]

Keep in mind you can change timeline framerates anytime. But, yes the project framerate, is set at the start and once you make timeline it gets locked in since those timelines are referencing the project frame rate after that point. But any new timelines don't need to reference that frame rate if you don't want to. But your right, its a choice you need to make, since Resolve doesn't make that call.

[@RafaelLudwig]

Yeah I know there are ways to do it, but it confused me so much at the beginning with the project vs timeline settings. More of an annoyance than anything at this point and it's muscle memory knowing I have to do it every time. It's a great program, hands down, but doesn't make it "faster" for me. Thanks for watching and the comment Aaron!

[@avdpost]

@@RafaelLudwig For sure, I totally understand the muscle memory argument. I feel you. But after using FCPX for years, and Premiere for decades, learning to get fast with Resolve just felt like the next step. Now I am as fast as I ever was in fcp, just took time to learn it and practice. For a lot of pros it's not really worth the time, especially on client work.

[@The4Tifier]

It seems like people love Resolve because of its great colour grading and audio mixing features, while Final Cut Pro is amazing for doing quick and organized editing. As someone who finds the colour grading and audio features on FCP lacking but have become very fluent in it (especially for doing simple video FX), but deeply appreciate the colour grading and audio features on Resolve (but am still learning), I'm thinking I'll use Resolve to get my raw footage and audio fixed up, then edit the upgraded video in FCP. I'll still slowly learn Resolve overtime, but I'll definitely take advantage of it to up my raw video and audio game.

[@StuartHetzler]

I've been working professionally using FCP for 2 years now and have decided to begin making the switch. I'm sure I'll still use FCP for quick projects, but sadly, Apple have shown with both FCP and Logic that they're not terribly interested in staying competitive with other professional NLEs and DAWs, as they still lack features that have been commonplace in other softwares for many years, or they add them waaaay later than they should (hello object tracking). There's also the rollout of the tablet versions of FCP and Logic, which are subscription-based, which I think is a warning of things to come. I outright refuse to pay a monthly fee for the rest of my life for software I'll never "own". Suck it, Adobe.

[@ADrowning]

I 100% agree. It's honestly the only thing pushing me to use Final Cut x. I don't like investing in software I have to rent.

[@tronam]

You can’t lump both of these programs together though. They aren’t being made by the same teams at all. Logic is still being led by the founder of Emagic and it’s in a far stronger position in the audio industry compared to other DAWs than FCP is in video production. Final Cut lost a ton of users during the FCP7>X fiasco.

[@andreasoberg2021]

I think FCPX for simple projects can be good and Resolve fore more serious stuff or videos with complex grading

[@theodoreivanov6257]

A very fair and enlightening comparison to help each one make an informed choice.

[@RafaelLudwig]

Thanks for watching and the nice comment!

[@vhoiki]

This video has the best explaination for me. This really hits what I really feel for Final Cut and Davinci Resolve. I’m sticking with Final Cut as it goes with what I need. The simplicity suits me.

[@techniumtech4887]

Different tools for different types of work....best summation. I can say this....there is only one true right way of doing things and it usually involves effort and work. That being said, Resolve will give a better complete tool set and product in the end. The very thing, complexity, that can be the bane of your workflow can also be the key to a polished product. But as he said, if you are looking to just crank out KZbin vids, Final Cut can not be beat. Thanks Rafael for this insight from a pro!

[@supergather]

Thanks for your video!. I'm a Final Cut Pro user since it appeared and I can say I'm very satisfied with it. Of course, it depends what you use it for. I've used Davinci some times, but I think that I can do everything I need and more with Final Cut. Unless you're an extremely technical person, I don't see any reason to use Davinci. Anyway, both are good software and the only reason I could find to use Davinci, is that it runs on all platforms, so you're not stuck to Apple. In that sense, I'm already stuck to Apple since years for many other reasons 😁. So, I will stay with Final Cut, as long as I can have an Apple machine. Thanks!

[@MFW09]

12:11 “except Premier Pro”: I switched from Premier pro to Davinci and I found paradise 😊 love this video

[@SalesmanPride]

I jumped from Filmora to DaVinci Resolve 17, then to DaVinci Resolve Studio. It is hard, but so powerful! I love it!

[@BCE-111]

Thanks Rafael. Really useful info. Just starting out. One thing as far as the price for FCP goes is it's included in the Pro Apps Bundle for Education from Apple which costs $199.99 and includes FCP, Logic Pro, Motion, Compressor, and Main Stage. And anyone can buy this, no proof that you're a student required. I purchased all of these and use Logic Pro a lot. I keep hearing so many people are switching to Davinci Resolve as you mentioned, I thought I should too. I thought about the time involved with learning FCP but then having to learn DaVinci Resolve too. But your video here has convinced me to maybe just start out with FCP. Then at some point in the future I can learn DaVinci if I need to up my game so to speak. At this point looking for something easier to learn and more intuitive. BTW as you would know FCP just came out with version 10.7 with a number of nice new features. Thanks again. I had already subscribed to your channel a while back.

[@GonzaloVarela]

Resolve is truly a professional tool, and the company behind pushes it constantly to new highs. FCP is great but nothing comparable to Resolve in high end and collaborative environments.I really love the Resolve interface and as a long time Fusion user from the eyeon times, cant be more happy with them. I think FCP is better for more straightforward work,(the recently added cut page in resolve try to remediate this) but appreciate the technical awareness of the Resolve editors, in my experience when receiving projects from others, most of the problems are from FCP editors not even knowing the basic technical requirements for broadcast production. Use anything you want but know your business in depth, no matter how easy it is to operate your software.If it works for you, no need to switch.

[@RafaelLudwig]

Exactly! Knowing why to switch is key. What will get YOUR type of work done best and fastest. Thanks for watching and the comment!

[@annaH488]

Thanks for a great breakdown of the differences and factors to consider!

[@real_joey]

I love both of them. I mostly use Davinci Resolve for client and paid work and Final Cut Pro for my social media quick edit contents. Great video Rafael :)

[@JudiChristopher]

EXCELLENT VIDEO Thank YOU so much for sharing this video... UPDATE... This is Nov. 15th 2024 NOW that there is Final Cut Pro 11 What do you think ??? I am very new to all of this... I want to not only write screenplays... but do short film etc I am in the market of buying a NEW MacBook Pro... and now I will have FCP... Maybe??? What do you think? Thank you again for this GREAT video.

[@RafaelLudwig]

FCP would be the best bet it's super easy to learn and got 90% of the way there within a week. Apple is at least committed to keep it around and keep improving it. And have shown they won't make it a subscription which is a really good sign. (though we all have to upgrade our computers eventually, so they get us that way ;) FCP is my favourite NLE, just not always the one I can use because of work. It flys on Mac hardware and it really does get out of the way when creating. Resolve is more technical because it has to be. If you don't plan on working with others in a mixed Mac and windows environment FCP is 100% the way to go! Now I have to go and update my FCP course to cover all the new stuff within this update! Best wishes for your Journey Judi!

[@annebokma4637]

Went to pp after using razor in the prehistory. When pp became ever buggier I went to resolve and never looked back. Want studio? The license is free with a lot of BMD hardware. Cheapest option is the speed editor keyboard. Great deal Resolve is also available on iPad

[@Panther-]

I edit in fcpx and grade in resolve simply because all my effects and pluggins are in fcpx and i took out a course in udemy to learn davinci and its worth it...if u try learn on youtube its like learning about a car and not being taught how the engine works I love resolve but simply grade in Davinci the grading aspect is much better than fcpx imo its a much much more proffesional software and more satisfying to use once u get the hands of it in detail tbh

[@af4396]

Maybe it's because I have an audio engineering background and am used to all of the DAWs, but I switched to DaVinci for my video needs BECAUSE of its simplicity. The way its laid out is fantastic. If you have little experience editing video, it basically tells you how. "Here's your page for file organization, here's one for starting and organizing your timeline, here's one for making your edits to your movie, here's an effects page, here's the audio editing page, here's a robust page for exporting to whatever you need." And if you wanted, Davinci lets you keep it simple on every page, but it also lets you dive in deep. That's what I like about it. It compartmentalizes everything, so people that know enough to break the rules still can, but those who don't just follow the simple formula. Not hating on FCPX, but like Logic, it just feels dated. I switched from Logic as well, to Studio One, a long time ago. I've been waiting for Apple to do something with its trillion dollar valuation to make its apps objectively the best. But, it hasn't.

[@DearGirlwithAlice]

Thank you! Mad value. I appreciate the list of KZbinrs you mentioned. I just started with finalcut pro today and it's not too bad. I like that there is a free version so I can spend the next 3 months learning to edit video

[@DavidMacVicar]

Used Final Cut for years. Got into a project where I need auto captioning, which unfortunately has me using resolve. Captionator doesn’t cut it. CapCut sucks for privacy. This left me learning Resolve from scratch just recently. I feel overwhelmed, but a bit excited. Biggest change for me was lack of magnetic timeline. I don’t know why or how to explain it but it feels safer.

[@RafaelLudwig]

Once you get beyond the different UI and find the right workflow, the editing fundamentals don't change. You will get faster and faster creating the more you use DR. It's a great app worth learning! And I agree it feels "safer" with the seemingly long term commitment to development! Thanks for watching and the comment David!

[@RobTaylor1966]

This is by far the best comparisons for these two amazing softwares. I have watched many a videos on these editing softwares and have been conflicted until today! This has gave me e new perspective on which software will be right for me. I can now focus on the office makeover and starting my channel as well. Thank you for sharing!

[@RGMGFitness]

Currently in the process of switching myself. However, I’m coming over from premiere pro (not FCP). I’m also a WIndow O/S user and have already noticed DaVinci Resolve does crash on me when layering effects. I’ll be honest…premiere pro had NOT crashed on me in quite some time. So, def. be careful is coming over from windows. Resolve def. performs better on Mac O/S. If I was already a Final Cut user on MAC O/S…we’ll, less likely I would be switching. Nice discussion on this topic. 👍👍👍

[@JamieFenn]

Honored to be mentioned. Thanks my dude!

[@RafaelLudwig]

You've answered more DR questions than I can remember. Thank you!

[@NasserTone]

Kindly could you tell me from where did you get the black screen that outlines each point like at 7:37 🙄 Also, great content, you really saved me here, I was considering switching to Dissolve but watching this & according to my work needs I'm convinced now that I don't need to switch.! Many Thanks!😍😍

[@RafaelLudwig]

I use mTitle Boost from MotionVFX for those titles motionvfx.sjv.io/Boost Thanks for watching and the comment!

[@Josh_Sattin]

Some great points Rafael! I appreciate your perspective on this!

[@rehfeldttw]

Excellent sound advise. Thanks for sharing. I have been with Premiere Pro, switch to DaVinci and pretty good at, but also considering trying out Final Cut Pro. You said it. Why limit yourself with only one program. As a professional editor, one should be able to work on all platform with perhaps a small learning curve because, we already know the basic structure of how editing should work. You never know what the customer requested platform, until it might be too late to learn.

[@seanwhite8747]

Big fan of your insightful looks at DaVinci and FCP. Thanks for the help.

[@everythingismid]

Thanks for the clear compare/contrast.

[@RafaelLudwig]

Thanks for watching and the comment!

[@westdoc]

Great overview of both apps. You nailed it!

[@waveintegration9168]

Hi Rafael. Nice work. Thus far, I feel that Premier Pro requires a BA in photo editing. Rush is fairly easy to use but it's limited. Other than Lightroom and Photoshop, I am trying to steer away from ongoing monthly subscriptions. At this stage of my video editing, I my instincts tell me to go with Final cut pro. I am just starting out but from what I have seen online with respect training videos, Final Cuts infinitely more intuitive. Thank you again!

[@RemayPesca]

In my case I use Final Cut Pro because that was the first professional editing software I learned to use, after iMovie. I have always thought jumping into Premier Pro, but as you have mentioned, it is a paid subscription plan which makes it very expensive and more if you are not using it to make money. Another problem that I have heard a lot is that with Premier there is a lot of crashes and that is very frustrating. With Final Cut I can't remember when was the last time something like that happened to me using Final Cut. Having said that, and now that my business is expanding to videography, I have been considering DaVinci as I have heard that it has superior color grading capacity than Final Cut. So my dilema here is, should I go all the way to DaVinci or just use DaVinci for color grading and keep using Final Cut for video editing? I am happy with Final Cut Pro, but my concern with DaVinci, as you mentioned, is the learning curve. Another plus I see with DaVinci is the price which is a one time fee like Final Cut Pro. What do you guys think? 🤔

[@DREZZYFILMS]

Stay with FCPX. color finale has like 80% of the things you need to get a great image . Invest in other third party plugins like neat video or even déhancher pro if you can and it’ll make you love Fcpx even more. I don’t have time for a deeper learning curve. I see no difference between what everyone is putting out on KZbin. Stay creative, get everything right on set and thèse editing tools won’t really matter.

[@erg1450]

really good summary for those of us that are just starting on video and not sure what each of these alternatives can offer or not .....subscribed

[@RafaelLudwig]

Thanks for watching and the nice comment!

[@dylanjohndickerson]

Love hearing the opinion of someone who dabbles in both on a consistent basis! Thanks for making this, Rafael 👊🏼

[@TRUE-LION]

Hollywood uses Divinci Resolve so that is why many are switching. Meaning it can handle pretty much everything.

[@brazik]

Thanks, will give final cut pro a look.

[@kindonvisuals]

Great video. Very insightful. I use Resolve and FCP (depending on the project) and switching between the 2 works perfectly for me. I still pay for PP only because once in a blue moon a company will insist. But yes. It is also indeed dead to me. People still argue with me about how great AE is and how the complete Adobe suite is a must have but with Motion and Fusion and Affinity apps, I don’t think that argument stands up anymore. Get good at using Resolve and FCP and you can’t go wrong.

[@FunkyAlphonzo]

I would add; you don't even have to keep paying adobe, just pay "once in a blue moon" ;-). And if you cancel within 14 days you get a full refund.

[@exxymusic]

Thank you for this video! This is so helpful - going to do the FCP trial now! Subscribing!

[@RafaelLudwig]

Awesome! Thanks for watching and the comment Exxy!

[@benjaminbreslin8415]

Professional colorist editor for a career here. We had a switch from Premiere to resolve to edit (I’ve been using the color for years and years), but wow it’s so stable and smooth. And for 5$ a month you can back up all projects + collaboration and all that. Best switch I’ve ever used. It’s so much more intuitive

[@ApicalTrades]

Thank you so much for this very easy to understand comparison. Highly appreciate. If possible it would be a good idea to also talk about the machine requirements for both apps. If both are installed on the same machine, which one would use more resources than the other and things like that. But once again... THANK you so much.

[@RafaelLudwig]

I made a video talking about system resources for larger apps and what to consider when buying a new machine. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mGTZnItnh8uab5Y Thanks for watching and the nice comment!

[@VirtualNYCTours]

I'm thinking to switch from PP and this video was really good to watch!

[@RafaelLudwig]

The switch to DR is smooth from PR. Similar function, different buttons. You'll be humming in a week or 2. Thanks for watching and the comment Dave!

[@AliBabaFlyHigh]

There's nothing that you can't achieve from colour grade to effects to edit in both the DAWS.Both are amazing. FCPX is quite simple and easy & Motion is the Fusion page for FCPX.I had both and I was deciding between the 2 & kept FCPX. I use the Black Magic Camera and do the rest with FCPX & Motion.

[@kingalysterianlion5542]

I found this video very informative. That being said, there was one area that (respectively) you shouldn’t have spoken on because you were WAY wrong. Fair light does not compare with Logic Pro. Logic is industry standard for audio production and continuously wins Grammys in music. Furthermore, Logic Pro has spatial audio BUILT IN with a built in Atmos renderer. Fair light is great but to say that logic is a companion app is something that you’re waaaay off base on. Again I mean no disrespect. Fair light just does not have any of the capabilities as Logic Pro. When you combine Logic Pro with final cuts that is a crazy powerful combination that should not be glossed over or underestimated. Hope this helps.

[@RafaelLudwig]

I agree with you, I was talking from a video production standpoint. Where the needs are greatly reduced. Final Cut needs better audio and logic is right there and apple doesn’t integrate it with video production in mind. Fair light does that, fcp does not. Thanks for watching and the comment!

[@theshopper6902]

Thank you for this video 🙂... i will be looking for more such videos comparing premier vs final cur

[@pal2tech]

Great video Rafael. I agree with your points and the ultimate point of using software in the first place. Well done on this one...

[@JaroslavBengl]

This is a wonderful summary, thanks so much! I'm staying with Final Cut Pro 👍

[@oatspodcast]

Agree! I love FCpX it’s just keeps out the way which I find important for my creative workflow.

[@SouthernEmperor]

Well, being a wordpress developer, I find solace in having the option to use 3rd party plugins and I love FCPX, because it's exclusive to MAC and it doesn't crash. I love being able to implement 3rd Party Plugins to accomplish what I'm looking to do. I also have Audio Desk Design and together FCPX is a beast. But, I'm a MAC guy until the end we're just different. I'm not a Hollywood Filmmaker and I know many of those guys and girls are going with Resolve. I'm hoping Apple will upgrade FCPX with the tools that would make it equal to Resolve in every way, until then I'll keep it simple with FCPX. Great video!!!

[@MrRonaldlochard]

Great Video Great title I came from the old FCP 7 days. I love how you compared the two. You are very informative. Thanks for sharing.

[@billmakatowicz8603]

I have been using FCP for about ten years, but never at a professional level, maybe until now. Presently I making an 18 minutes long documentary and my mic set-up was slightly to bad, so I had to put a lot of effort into saving the audio. For example, I cut every single audio line from a girl who spoke quite low and cleaned it up (the mic was shared with another person talking) This resulted in a million audio clips. I know I can compound these, but here is my problem in FCP: there are no tracks in FCP and this makes the process very difficult. One one hand you need your compressor, de-esser, EQ to be on a track, but on the other hand I continuously find myself chopping up edit in order to make sure it is synced with the picture. Yes, in theory it is possible for a very experienced person to import the sound fix all aspects of it and then when you start chopping it up it does not matter because you don’t have to bother with improving audio quality. However, I need to hear it on different speakers and it is a process for me. I can understand for the life of it why FCP makes this process so difficult. If there had been tracks it would be a lot easier. For this reason alone, I’m probably going to switch. Any thought? Am I missing something here?

[@jasonshortphd]

I agree. I am super technical, but Davinci has some really complicated tools. Try to record a voice over…. It requires you setup stuff like a sound board, I am not an audio engineer and that was super frustrating. Then a couple weeks later when I need to do it again, have to look it up all over again because it is NOT intuitive. I think I am going to switch to Final Cut Pro.

[@RafaelLudwig]

I do this often as well, looking up how to do very specific things over and over. Great tool with lots of buttons! Thanks for watching and the comment Jason!

[@BethCochran]

So helpful! Thank you, Rafael!

[@3xcho]

FCP always felt like iMovie Pro to me. Been using Davinci resolve for a couple years now. As someone who spent years editing in media composer, and premiere, I can say right now I have no plans on switching back. But in the end it only matters on what you like and what pays your bills.

[@kdleifert]

Switched from FCP to DVR about 1.5 years ago. Frustratingly fantastic covers it well. FCP made especially talking head videos a lot easier. But I had to revert to several tools and/or plugins. I don’t use any in DVR and think it made me a better editor overall - at the price of some time commitment. So I won’t be switching back but if you’re solely looking at educational videos FcP is a better choice.

[@cuerv0films]

The best comparison i have seen today, thank you so much

[@RafaelLudwig]

Thanks for watching and the nice comment Andre!

[@seecraig]

I've been using software-based NLE since 1990 (Avid) and think FCPs magnetic trackless timeline is singularly the most innovative feature for creative editors. That and its immensely flexible media organizing tools. This does make it super frustrating that it's falling behind in so many areas that Resolve is leading on especially in areas around AI. The dependency on plugins to perform functions that other NLEs do well built-in, makes FCP one of the more expensive NLEs to use now.

[@RafaelLudwig]

I would say premiere pro is the most expensive - to get the most out of it, it requires photoshop and After effects, so a full creative cloud subscription, plus RedGiant plugins and the numerous scripts I have purchased over the last decade - I have easily spent over 10k for the honour of using adobe products. I am not complaining, as a business this is a low cost for the revenue it brings in. (And it's a business write off) - But it doesn't make the editing process faster. I typically start in FCP and finish in Resolve or Premiere as the job requires. It does sadden me that FCP has a 50/50 chance of being at END OF LIFE status at any point. Hopeful it gets a HUGE update with the new Mac Pros coming this year! #fingersCrossed Thanks for watching and the comment!

[@rayrapphaelbisnar]

this was one of the reasons why I didnt fully switch to Resolve. But my work around was just using "trim to end/start" cuts more, even in FCPX. tried looking for a setting where it mimics the "magnetic Timeline" but nothing.

[@SaltEarthandSun]

How is FCPX one of the most expensive programs to use? Are you joking right now? I purchased Final Cut Pro on it's release date. 21 June 2011. It cost me $350, with Compressor and Motion. Since then it has been updated every single year, multiple revisions, huge feature updates, etc. etc. and it has cost me exactly $0 more. I wonder to myself, in what world does that even seem possible? It has single handedly been the best investment in software I've ever made.

[@seecraig]

@@SaltEarthandSun Add Color Finale, CoreMelt Splice X, Track X, BorisFX Continuum Complete (the last three add Mocha Planer Tracking features), FrameIO for collaboration, BRAW Toolbox, SimonSays for Speech to Text, Neat Video for noise reduction, Izoptope or at least CrumplePop for audio clean up. There are probably a few more some need that is in the other NLEs. Now you're well past $1000; some require paid support with renewals, updates, and subscriptions. Many of these functions are built into Resolve and/or PremierePro.

[@offendingcommit]

I’ve been using Premiere Pro and considering FCP. Doing KZbin videos only. I’m an amateur content creator.

[@eddu4361]

Color grading in DR is THE standard in editing. FCPX is miles behind. DR grading is not that hard actually. Play around with it a few days and you’ll be quite capable. Maybe not yet like Cullen Kelly or Darren Mostyn, but quite alright. Sufficient.

[@mattrobinson-filmmaker3209]

Love this video. So pleased someone takes the time to think properly and not just jump on any bus going...

[@RafaelLudwig]

🙏 Thanks for watching and the nice comment Matt!

[@vienabalsi]

at last a mindful review ! Resolve push it further on some domains but it's difficult to master. One of the best way to proceed would be to edit on FCPX then export to Resolve for color grading with xml

[@TomasRamoska]

Final Cut Pro don't get much update anymore. Apple pushing DaVinci resolve in promotional material is well. Hopefully they not going to kill it like they did it with Aperture app.

[@leethomaskc3327]

The most frustrating part is how DaVinci Resolve saves and manages project files. I find it not easy and not straightforward to move it to another storage device.

[@JesusArmasOficial]

Interesting video! I’ve been casually using Resolve for some light video editing since version 16 too and I find it quite powerful and it certainly has more than I’ll need for the time being. The only gripe I have about it is that audio waveform editing feels weird, especially for someone like me coming from Pro Tools. In my case for performance videos with musical instruments, syncing has always felt a bit complicated to me thanks to how audio clips slide through the timeline. I’m sure there’s some user error in my case but in all, I think it’s a great tool.

[@KBlaze]

I cant say much for FinalCut Pro coz i have need used it before But as a Premiere Pro user switching to Davinci Resolve was like a breeze and I'm never switching back, and today marks 7yrs of using Davinci Resolve ❤❤

[@tilu3303]

How amazingly beautiful! I'm curious to know how you guys could stay at that depth without appearing to work at not bobbing toward the surface. Were you wearing lead suits?

[@vladimirtalijan]

Spot on explanation. The same can be said for Sony cameras compared to Canon, mirroless or cinema.

[@TedMattos]

Hey Rafael, thanks for the video and going into such detail. I came here after watching your CapCut possibly getting banned (which looks more and more likely) video. I'm bummed, because while I haven't even downloaded CapCut, it looked VERY PROMISING to a new user like me. I do have a new Mac Mini, so I may lean towards FCP. I have tried DR before and I agree... gosh, it's rather intense. Since I'm a retired teacher who wants to get into video editing more as a hobby, I think FCP may get my interest. Thanks again, friend!

[@bassyey]

I'm on Mac mini M2 16GB. I use Logic Pro for my music. I occasionally edit videos for my covers. I'd still choose Davinci. Because it's "cheaper". I say "cheaper" because I can run it on a Windows machine if I want a dedicated machine for video editing. Audio is not as demanding as video so I can get by with a decent cheap mac mini (especially with M4 mini release). But for video, if someday I want to take it seriously, I can build a good PC for cheaper and run Resolve in there.

[@Moe-Talks]

Thank you for this. I'm just playing around and doing this as a hobby. I'm using CapCut which for what is need is really good but I think I need that step up and think Final Cut Pro may be the right one. I'm only afraid of losing all the effects that CapCut has or having to pay for a plugin but I will do the research on that and see what I come up with. I appreciated the video.

[@rickpinelli1586]

I have used FC10 for years and last year started using DaVinci Resolve. I hear ver. 19 of DaVinci Resolve is in the works!

[@jennifergow6524]

As a DaVinci user (free version) Final Cut is a total non option for me because I use a Windows PC, not a Mac. DaVinci does need a fairly powerful machine. I have a Ryzen 7, 32GB RAM and 4GB GPU and I have managed to crash when pushing things to complex in fusion. I then subdivide the motion graphics into layers -- a bit tedious but i manage. I agree about some of the inflexibilities and complexities of the workflow but I am moving along the learning curve. In the future I may replace the GPU, add another 32GB of RAM and switch to the paid version. Try to do that on a Mac. The latest version (18) does have a magnetic timeline particularly in the cut page, but I prefer to work in the edit page and actually prefer to work on my cut points mostly before dropping the clip on to the timeline. It's a slower process I suppose but suits the way I like to work. I am still exploring the possibilities of fusion but general I prefer to make my own motion graphics that to use the work of others. I do mostly enjoy the luxury of not being pressed for time by other people's deadlines.

[@thaticelandicguy]

great info man, been wanting to change from Premiere for maybe 5 years now lol. Think it's FCPX i'm going to :L

[@RafaelLudwig]

That Icelandic Guy casually dropping a comment on my vid! Depending on how apple moves forward, DR may be a better long term choice. Though I will keeping use FCP as long as I can, I do love it! Thanks Arnúlfur for watching and the comment!

[@thaticelandicguy]

@@RafaelLudwig watched the video till the end, super informative, love your style and knowledge ☺️ I’ve already bought fcpx and Peter has been trying to get me to use it for ages. It’s just the learning curve and the amount of videos I always have planned and need to go out that has put that off lol 😂 Will need to make time soon. The fast workflow and ease of use on fcpx is what is interesting me.

[@anilaboutme]

How much I want to love Resolve. It is really an amazing NLE. Whenever I use it, it crashes or bugs quite easily when adding a bit of extra effects etc. whereas Premier Pro runs pretty good on my lowest powered machines and workhorses. I'm a Windows user though. It's probably a different story on a Mac. PP really feels clunky in many ways, but unfortunately it's more stable than DR for me to fully make the switch. Oh and the auto remix feature and I'm not a fan of the nodes system but that goes grow on you after a while.

[@NiekkieNick]

If you are a Windows user, the choice is easy. Da Vinci Resolve and the free version is great! Not easy to use, but there are a lot of tutorials on KZbin.

[@RafaelLudwig]

Very True! Thanks for watching and the comment!

[@AitorITurbe]

Totally agree, if something is not achieved in color or in some effect that is not achieved with fcpx it can be used, if fcpx is not faster

[@dh1163]

I agree with putting as many useful tools in your arsenal as possible. But are professional editors cutting TV shows and movies on FCP?

[@DavidFedele]

This is a brilliant video, different to most of these "comparison videos" out there. I'm actually an old dinosaur, and still use (wait for it) ..... Final Cut Pro 7! Everything tells me I need to change, but ..... I just find the basics so good on FCP7, as I'm a documentary filmmaker and it does everything that I need it to do. I have tried Premiere Pro and Davinci Resolve, but came back to FCP7. But I now definitely need to upgrade ..... Any thoughts out there, as far as the best and most simple software, that is as least a learning curve as possible from FCP7 (and as similar as possible)? I have always been scared away by the magnetic timeline in FCPX if I'm honest, but perhaps it's time to bite the bullet and give it a go ..... thoughts?

[@RafaelLudwig]

For getting up to speed, DaVinci would be the easiest to wrap your head around jumping from FCP7. I would recommend the studio version eventually, but the free version has most of what you will need, just no 10bit video, no GPU acceleration, and none of the neural net goodness. If you need to collaborate with anyone, and do any simple animations with keyframes - DR would be the way to go, Though, If you give it time, and don't need too much audio processing FCPx will be the fastest editing experience after you get used to it. In the description on this video, there are a list of great tutorials to get you started with either. Either way you will be in good hands, just need to dive in and choose one, they are soooooo good and fast on new machines. Thanks for watching and the comment David!

[@DavidFedele]

@@RafaelLudwig - Such a great reply, thank you. I've just downloaded Davinci Resolve 18 ...... here we go .....!

[@LouMassari]

Excellent advice and info! Thank you.

[@RafaelLudwig]

Thanks for watching and the comment Lou!

[@Simsationxl]

After using both Final Cut feels like butter in comparison.

[@RafaelLudwig]

It really is hard to be in that department! Thanks for watching and the comment!

[@jakelovescinema]

I am 26 deciding to try my hand at videos with resolve. I haven’t used anything since Sony Vegas 10 when I was very young. So far it is not too hard for me to learn.

[@RafaelLudwig]

DR is a great app! Thanks for watching and the comment Jake!

[@Wackywoodworks]

I am a Graphic artist (and do a lot of video editing) and the same argument goes with Adode vs Corel vs Affinity vs ... First off any new software there is a learning curve even when you are switching... and I found DaVinci Resolve just as easy or difficult (in places) to learn as any other software... and to be fair even if you have been in said industry using x Software... the learning curve is the same... where is the button to do XYZ... oh what do they call XYZ in software ABC... oh its call LMNO... I have use to use Adobe Premiere and Hitfilm Pro... (and I used a variety of other editing tools over the years)... Now it is DiVinci Resolve and HitFilm Pro (I can't comment on Final Cut never used it as I am not on a Mac Platform) To be fair I haven't found DaVinci Resolve any more difficult to use than any other software whether graphics or Video editing etc... and yes it has speed up my video editing process a lot faster... At the end of the day use what you are comfortable with using... You also have to think Resolve and the company Blackmagic Resolve is designed to work with their hardware as well for professionals... personal they apples and oranges (Pun intended) Resolve Professional software that is now affordable for Prosumers where as FinalCut I would class as a Prosumer product that can do a little bit of high professional work... and more and more people are on both blurring the line.

[@DarkStoneCastle]

Pinnacle Studio here. Would consider Final Cut Pro, but I prefer Windows to Apple.

[@AxelAxe]

This is exactly how I feel. even having people on my team who work with Davinci it was so much easier to finish my feature film on FCPx. I love the way you explain everything and the nuanced case use.

[@Aboutadamatlas]

Thanks for the great video. It exactly confirmed my personal experiences. Now I can stay with Final Cut with an even clearer conscience.

[@camerachris]

I've been an FCP user since version 1.2. I have used plenty of other NLE's all the way along but it was my staple... Until they changed it. When they rebuilt it and essentially made it iMovie Pro it was unusable. I had to go elsewhere for years. Having bought it upon its release announcement I still owned it and was hearing that it was getting better. I got back into it mostly for the amount of plugins that were being made for it and the promise that real-time playback without rendering was said to be far greater than Permier, it was/is. Now, having sunk, I'm afraid to total it up, countless dollars into effects and plugins I feel compelled to keep it and utilize it. I do like Davinci's classic approach, though. It's what Final Cut USED to be, and should still be, had the single Apple engineer not been on a trip and felt the need to fix what wasn't broken, or so the story goes.

[@ryanseif]

Can you please make a video of all the plugins you use for FCP. Thank you

[@RafaelLudwig]

Here are two videos: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mHO3eKmCYrpkgsk kzbin.info/www/bejne/paOTfaSAlt11grM Thanks for watching and the comment Ryan!

[@irelana2650]

Logic Pro is not limited - one of the industry standards for tracking and mixing music. I have been using it for years to track, mix and master client's music. It's easy if you have the plugins to mix for video - I do that as well. Agreed the integration for video in Davinci is a lot better.

[@fullsteamahead-shipspotter]

The 1st of these "FCP vs. Davinci" videos that faces reality and takes a rather pragmatic approach. Brilliant work!, thanks for that! 🙏🏻

[@RafaelLudwig]

Wow, thanks for watching and the nice comment!