Depth cues cause the image to be rendered with different levels of bluriness at different depths. This can be used to, for example, simulate the effect of a lens that focuses sharply at only one depth, or atmospheric haze that causes distant objects to appear blurrier.

Depth Cue for Best render

The Render > Depth Cue sub-palette is used with a Best render.

 

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Depth Cue Alpha: You can modify the depth cue effect by using Depth Cue Alpha. Click the Depth Cue Alpha patch to access the texture sub-palette and choose a texture. It will be converted to grayscale alpha and stretched over the entire canvas area. Each pixol of the alpha will determine the intensity of the depth cue at that location. White areas give the strongest depth cue effect, black areas give no effect. Useful for restricting the depth cue effect to a selected area of the canvas.

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Intensity: Sets the intensity of the blur at its far point. Range = 0 to 100%. Default = 100%.

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Softness: The number of pixols averaged to produce the blur. Higher numbers produce more blur. Range = 1 to 8. Default = 4

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Depth1: Depth1 is the near point of the depth cue effect. There is no blurring at this distance. The blurring begins as depth increases. Type in the Z depth directly or click and drag from the slider to the canvas to set the value; pick an object at the depth where you want the depth cue to begin and release the mouse button.

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Depth2: Depth 2 is the far point of the depth cue effect. There is full blurring at this distance. Type in the Z depth directly or click and drag from the slider to the canvas to pick a depth.

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Depth Cue Curve: Clicking on the collapsed Depth Cue Curve area of the sub-palette expands the Depth Cue Curve to its full size. You can adjust the intensity of the depth cue between the near point (Depth1) and far point (Depth2) by adjusting the curve.

Note: By setting a high depth cue intensity at each end of the curve, and a low intensity at an intermediate point, you can achieve a “lens effect”, where depths both in front of and behind the focal plane of lens of the virtual camera are blurred.

Depth Cue for BPR

The BPR Filters can be used to create a Depth Cue effect when using BPR.

The image on the left shows the BPR render with no filter applied, on the right is the render with the filter.

To create a Depth Cue effect for BPR, first do a BPR render and then:

1. Click a Filter switch to select and then click the circle in the switch to activate. A open circle indicates an active filter and the buttons and sliders will be enabled.
2. Choose the type of filter, in this case Filter>Blur.
3. Set the BlendMode to Replace.
4. Adjust the Blur slider as desired. This example uses a setting of 100.
5. Set the Radius slider which adjusts the spread of the blur. This example uses a value of 3.
6. Set the Blur type to Normal Gaussian. You can experiment with the different types to see which best suits your needs.
7. Adjust the Depth slider. A setting of 1 ill have the blur furthest away.
8. Set the Depth Exponent slider. This controls the roll-off or how quickly the blurring occurs. This image uses a setting of 5.
9. Set the Depth A and Depth B sliders. These sliders work as pickers – you can click and drag from the slider to the canvas. Click and drag from Depth A to the nearest point you want in focus. Click and drag from Depth B to the furthest point you want in focus. This image uses a setting of -0.5 for A and 0 for B.

Once the filter is set up it will be automatically applied to any new BPR renders.