Is LumaFusion a Viable Substitute for Final Cut Pro X

                                   

Looking at the LumaFusion program we can see that it is very similar in looks to Final Cut Pro. Online most reviews call it a great editing program, and in fact it is. With this software you can edit together footage loaded on to your iPad and add titles, green screen effects, music, sound effects, transitions, work with the sound, and export in 4k. As a mobile video editor this beats out ALL others I have tried. iMovie what’s that? Most video editors love to use this software when they are traveling as a substitute for Final Cut. After all taking an iPad with you is a lot easier than taking a laptop. 

With iPads touch screen capabilities using LumaFusion is a breeze since it is designed for touch interaction. Sliding clips into place and opening up new windows comes naturally if you are used to touch interface. The software is optimized for mobile allowing it run super fast and export 4K footage in record times. LumaFusion has some limited control over green screen effects and color grading as well as sound mixing. When I say limited I mean these are not controlled as deeply as on a desktop professional application. This however doesn’t mean that these options are not viable and useful. 

                                  

Final Cut Pro X is Apples professional editing software that has all the features that you could need. This desktop class software allows full control over all your editing needs, You can upload straight from your desktop or from an external source. Inside the program you’ll find the traditional timeline as well as titles, music, transitions, and green screen capabilities as in LumaFusion. The controls are much more deeply integrated with the effects and as a result your final product will be much more professional looking. If you need more effects like those produced in Adobes After Effects then Apples plugin Apple Motion can handle most of the same tasks. 

Now I use both of these programs weekly and can find no reason to choose one over the other. Both of these programs will do an excellent job with what ever you throw their way. The main deciding factor for most will be the price of each program. 

With LumaFusion you will spend $30 on the software as of this writing in 2020. Considering you already own an iPad. An iPad Pro ($799) will edit and export footage much faster than a standard iPad. You may also want to consider an Apple Pencil ($129) and Keyboard ($179) since these accessories will make the process easier and faster. Considering all of these extras you will have as much in your setup as buying a MacBook Pro 13 inch. 

Final Cut Pro will cost you $300 and you must have some form of Mac computer to run this software. The good thing about buying a Mac is that you get all you need right up front. No accessories needed to run any software. I used to have a 2016 12 inch MacBook with the core m3 processor as well as a 2014 MacBook Air with a core i5 processor and both ran Final Cut Pro X but much slower than my 2018 MacBook Pro 15 inch with the core i7 and dedicated graphics. 

If I was asked to choose which software was better I feel like I would choose Final Cut Pro X. The reason is that it has all of the fine tuning tools needed to make a truly smooth professional looking final product. LumaFusion has those tools as well but they don’t feel like they work quite as well as Final Cut does. LumaFusion is a fine substitute for Final Cut Pro X but i wouldn’t say it is a full replacement. 

If you are just beginning in video editing or are making home movies of your family vacations for your self to enjoy down the road then yes it is a true replacement. No need to spend $300 for that kind of use. If you are a film major in college or you work as a professional video editor then Final Cut Pro is the best choice.