Performance
It’s true, you can do tracking in other programs such as Motion, and sometimes they do the trick. But mocha can track through shots that most other software systems can’t...Shots where motion blur tends to confuse the tracking points, objects that go off screen, and objects that have severe changes in dimension ruin at least part of a track, rendering most trackers' data useless.
The biggest performance change in mocha v2 is that now, like a lot of newer software, it's 64 bit optimized, which means it supports a lot more RAM. (Whereas many 32 bit systems couldn't support more than 4-8 Gigs of RAM, 64-bit systems can support up to 128 Gigs of RAM.)
Other than that, the performance hasn't changed too much from other versions of mocha, but they continue to build on a very solid program. In my opinion, I'd rather see a company refine the unique and useful aspects of their software, rather than add all sorts of bells and whistles that you may use once a year. Imagineer Systems is doing just that.
The new Stabilize tab allows you to smooth out the tracking in rough spots.
Value
The standalone version of mocha might not be the right choice for our FCP and Adobe exclusive readers, since the pared down versions with the Shape plugin are less expensive. However, if you need to export out to a variety of different platforms, then mocha v.2 is definitely the right choice. While the straight $1095 price point is a bit hefty, you can upgrade from any Imagineer product for only $499. (This even applies to the free version of mocha for AE that shipped with Adobe CS4 products.)
Final Comments Imagineer Systems has created some real winners with the mocha series of products. I would recommend finding the mocha product that's right for you based on price and compatibility. It is a must have tool for any editor or effects creator.
If you would like to know more about the pared down versions of mocha, check out my previous review here at MFM, or see some of the videos on their website, www.imagineersystems.com
Ease
of Use
10.0
Depth
of Options
10.0
Performance
9.0
Value
vs. Cost
8.0
Overall Score
9.3
A.J. Wedding is a graduate of Western Michigan University and has won festival awards for his first feature film, "Pop Fiction". As a writer/director, he has won several awards for his short films, and recently garnered worldwide distribution for a feature film titled “The Disappearance of Jenna Matheson” releasing this year. His hit web series, “Infamous” created an instant fanbase, and spawned interest from networks to create a tv series based on it. A.J. currently works with The Production Green, directing and editing commercials as well as developing his next feature film, "Junior Crew."
