News Roundup: All the news we couldn't fit in elsewhere

It's been a busy few weeks, so here's another roundup of the stuff we couldn't fit in elsewhere!

Apple Updates Final Cut Pro, Motion, Compressor, and Logic Pro 

A couple of weeks back, Apple unveiled its monstrous new MacBook Pros, powered by the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips. It also released major updates to its pro apps with Final Cut Pro 10.6, Motion 5.6, and Compressor 4.6 available for editors to download and start working. Additionally, Logic Pro 10.7 has been released. Along with new features, all pro apps have received a variety of fixes.

Final Cut Pro 10.6’s newest features include Object Tracker (quickly create animated graphics that follow the movement of faces or objects), edit seven streams of 8K video (with the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips), edit Cinematic mode footage filmed with the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro (change focus points without reshooting), Neon effects for text and graphics, and much more.

Meanwhile, Motion 5.6 users will be able to render a complex project up to 2 times faster with the new MacBook Pros (M1 Pro and M1 Max), plus playback two streams of 8K video at 5 times the frame rate. Additionally, you can edit footage filmed in Cinematic mode on the iPhone 13 and 13 Pro (as with FCP) — including depth effects — and new Neon filter for text, shapes, video, etc.  

Compressor 4.6 can transcode HEVC video up to 2 times faster with the new MacBook Pros and ProRes video up to 10 times faster. The latest version of Compressor can now transcode Canon Cinema RAW Light to formats like ProRes and H.264 (!!). You can automate transcoding with watch folders, plus encode footage filmed in Cinematic mode (you'll need macOS Monterey for that feature).

Finally, Logic Pro 10.7 adds spatial audio capabilities and the ability to export their songs in Dolby Atmos, which is compatible with Apple Music. There are new mixer and panner controls and updated plugins (including the Loudness Meter, Space Designer, Limiter, etc.) to be able to work with Atmos. They also added the Producer Packs, introduced in Garageband, with beats, loops, and samples from popular producers.

You can learn more about Final Cut Pro, Motion, and Compressor on Apple's site, plus try out FCP for free for 90 days. Check out Logic Pro here. And as a reminder, if you're in the middle of a project, don't update the apps until you're finished.

Canon Introduces Mod Kits for Manual Control of 17-120mm KLL/P1 0.8mm and 25-250mm KLL/P1 0.8mm CINE-SERVO Lenses

Following high demand, Canon has unveiled modification kits that will enable full manual control of the 17-120mm KLL/P1 0.8mm and 25-250mm KLL/P1 0.8mm CINE-SERVO lenses. The kits need to be installed by certified technicians at a Canon Factory Service Center, who will remove the drive unit and the 0.8mm ring gearings (focus, iris, and zoom). This is perfect for cinematic productions. 

These cinematic lenses for full-frame sensors, with 4K optical performance, are available in EF and PL mounts, feature the warm look of Canon lenses, plus the design cuts down on chromatic aberration and corrects color fringing.

The mod kits are $1100 USD each for labor and parts, and must be done at any Canon Factory Service Center. Visit Canon's site to learn more.