Outputting Depth Info

[Johnnyx]

Hi Shaun,

In the Layout Effects panel, choose "Extended RPF export" from the 'add image filter' dropdown.

Double click the added filter to choose which depth options you need, and to set and image name and export path.

close and hit F9. An xxx.rpf image will be saved for you to mess about with. If its an image sequence you are saving, just set the range in the render options box, but don't set any image saving options here - you have already done that in the RPF export box.

If you are still not seeing depth in Combustion, it may be the depth info needs multiplying. I use DFX, and its easy to change the depth info... don't know about Combustion.

Good luck!

J

[Shaun_michael]

Hey Johhnyx thanks for your reply, I'll give it a go. It's been driving me nuts! Will report back later...

Shaun

[Shaun_michael]

grrrrr, still no joy! I'm guessing in that case that this has something to do with my settings in combustion.

I've got this great plugin for C3 that does proper DoF, not just faked with a gaussian blur or something, but obviously it requires z-depth info to work. Like I say, the dstorm buffer_saver 1.11 works great, but if I can get that same info in one image file rather than two, that would be, erm, greaterer :)

I'll flip over to another forum and try m they luck there, and post any results I have incase other LW/C3 users would like the info.

Cheers J

Shaun

[gerardo]

Try this:
Add the 3D_Depth_of_Field operator; to the side of Near_Focused_Plane and Far_Focused_Plane you will see some buttons with this symbol: +
First increase the Maximum_Radius a little; then click (+) in Near_Focused_Plane (in the area of the nearest image to the camera); then click (+) in Far_Focused_Plane (also in the nearest area to the camera); this will almost always force to that the effect works.



Gerardo

[Shaun_michael]

Hi Gerardo,

Thanks for the tip. I'm actually using a plugin called Lenscare from http://www.frischluft.com/home/home.php which is giving some beautiful DoF affects with good control - far better than a simple blur from within C3. To set this up I need to point it to a depth source, which as I've mentioned I can get in various different ways, other than, it seems, from the one rpf, or rla image.

I've followed Johnnyx's advice and have rendered out rfp/rla files with all the flags ticked and it produces everything other than a proper depth image - seems to just produce a standard alphad channel.

Initially I thought it was because many of my objects were being generated by HD_Instance, but if that were the case, I wouldnt be getting the depth information from buffer_saver by DStorm, and one or two of the inbuilt LW image filters.

So this has me stumped. It's no biggie, as I can extract the info I want in other ways, but it just makes far more sense, and significantly simplifies the workspace if I can extract the info I need from the RPF files.

Any other ideas would be very welcome.

Cheers,

Shaun

[slipster70]

Shaun,
any update on getting extended RLA or RLF files to contain depth information?
I'm trying to render out the depth info in the same file, not separately (with Buffer Export), and LW just does not seem to be able to do it. This is a bit of a problem because it would force me to buy Lenscare to bring the separate depth files into AE and use those as my DOF guide. When it should work with Extended RLA and/or RPF!

Perhaps there is another program that could comine the grey-scale depth images into the RPF images? Anyone?

Thanks,
slipster70

[gerardo]

Lenscare 1.2 works well here with RPF and RLA. RLA & RPF works comprehensibly well with AE too (but not sooo well as with Lenscare :) )



Gerardo

[Zarathustra]

It's LW to AE, but maybe this will help:
RPF and RLA explored (http://www.creativemac.com/2004/01_jan/tutorials/lw2ae1.htm)
Manipulating RPF in AE (http://www.creativemac.com/2004/01_jan/tutorials/lw2ae2.htm)

[CGTalk Moderation]

This thread has been automatically closed as it remained inactive for 12 months. If you wish to continue the discussion, please create a new thread in the appropriate forum.