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Create depth maps on the fly or ‘precompose depth’ to give your Lens Blur even more power.
The Depth plugin takes the distance of each point on a layer from the camera and outputs a grayscale pixel with a brightness that is proportional to that distance. Values between the minimum and maximum input depth are scaled to be between the minimum and maximum output depths. You can then use the result as either a gradient map for other effects, or export it for use in a 3D application, or another compositing application.
The Depth Helper plugin works like the other helper plugins, but includes one extra feature. If you’re using After Effects 6.5 or later in the Composition menu, you’ll see there is also a “Precompose Depth” option. If you select a comp that does not yet have the Depth plugin applied and choose “Precompose Depth,” that comp will be duplicated, the Depth plugin will be applied to the duplicate, and both the original and the duplicate will be put into a new comp.
This allows you to create a complicated composition, and immediately generate a depth map for it. You can then apply an effect to the original comp contained within the new comp, and choose the duplicate comp with the Depth applied to it as a gradient map, track matte, or anything else
that requires another layer for input.
There are several compound blur effects that can use with depth maps. The beauty of this is that you may use the depth map to pull a rack focus in the post. For example, the Lens Blur effect included in After Effects can reference a depth layer to realistically blur portions of the shot that seem closer or further from the camera. Depth maps are normally difficult to create in After Effects because there is no way to automate making objects further away the darker end objects closer lighter and after effects. Even adding a light does not accomplish this because objects are not lit by their distances in after effects.
There are several other actions included in Depth that make it useful in creating the most accurate depth map that you can in After Effects. Depth allows you to change the “curve” from the options to linear, square, logarithmic, or exponential, letting you choose how fast objects get close and far away. this essentially lets you adjust the distance gradient.
While depth may be a simple plug-in for After Effects, it can be a big time saver for anyone trying to make a depth map. The plugin can accomplish in one click what a person could spend hours on, and will do so with greater accuracy. So if you’re looking to add depth of field in post-death is a great addition to your toolkit.
Project Gallery
Project: 8bit Pong
Plugin: Depth
Effect: Depth
Project Folder Included
Supported Host:
Project: Macros Boxes
Plugin: Depth
Effect: Depth
Project Folder Included
Supported Host:
Project: Garden Depth
Plugin: Depth
Effect: Depth
Project Folder Included
Supported Host:
Project: Reading Depth
Plugin: Depth
Effect: Depth
Project Folder Included
Supported Host:
Project: Water Depth
Plugin: Depth
Effect: Depth
Project Folder Included
Supported Host:
