S_ZDepthCueBlur Blurs areas of the source clip by different amounts using depth values from a ZBuffer input. Separates the input into a number of layers between Z Near and Z Far and blurs them by different amounts depending on Blur Near and Blur Far. Linear fog can also be mixed into the result. In the Sapphire Blur+Sharpen effects submenu. Inputs: Source:  The current layer.   The clip to be processed. ZBuffer:  Defaults to None.   The input clip containing depth values for each Source pixel. These values should be in the range of black to white. Normally black corresponds to the nearest objects and white to the farthest.

Parameters:

Layer Mode:   Popup menu,  Default: Interp.
Determines how the differently blurred layers are combined.

Comp:  the closer layers are composited over the farther layers. This method often gives better results if you have objects at different depths overlapping each other with discontinuous values in your depth image. However, the seams between layers are sometimes visible with this option.

Interp:  the blurred layers are interpolated using depth image values. This method gives smoother transitions between layers, and is usually better if there are no sharp changes in your depth image.

Z Near:   Default: 0.33,  Range: 0 to 1.
The value of the input Z corresponding to near objects. Z values less than this will be blurred by Blur Near.

Z Far:   Default: 0.66,  Range: 0 to 1.
The value of the input Z corresponding to far objects. Z values greater than this will be blurred by Blur Far.

Layers:   Integer,  Default: 3,  Range: 2 to 50.
The number of depth layers to separate the source into. More layers require more processing but are sometimes needed to avoid visible seams between the layers blurred by different amounts.

Blur Near:   Default: 0,  Range: any.
The amount to blur the layer at Z Near.

Blur Far:   Default: 36,  Range: any.
The amount to blur the layer at Z Far. Setting either Blur Near or Blur Far to a negative value causes the interpolated blur amounts to be zero between Z Near and Z Far, as if the focal plane were inbetween those depths.

Blur Rel:   X & Y,   Default: [1 1],  Range: 0 or greater.
The relative horizontal and vertical blur widths. Set Blur Rel X to 0 for a vertical-only blur, or set Blur Rel Y to 0 for a horizontal-only blur.

Fog Color:   Default rgb: [0.5 0.5 0.5].
The fog color should normally match the sky or background color of the source clip. Use gray for mist, brown for smog, blue for underwater, etc.

Fog Near:   Default: 0,  Range: 0 to 1.
The amount of fog to add to objects at or closer than Z Near.

Fog Far:   Default: 0,  Range: 0 to 1.
The amount of fog to add to objects at or farther than Z Far.

Zbuffer Use:   Popup menu,  Default: Luma.
Determines how the ZBuffer input channels make a monochrome z image.

Luma:  the luminance of the RGB channels is used.

Alpha:  only the Alpha channel is used.

Soft Borders:   Check-box,  Default: off.
If enabled, transparent borders are added to the input image before processing. This allows the result to include soft edges beyond the original image size. When off, the effect only occurs within the frame and the result will retain an edge at the borders. This parameter does not appear in FCP or DF because those applications don't support image expansion.

Opacity:   Popup menu,  Default: Normal.
Determines the method used for dealing with opacity/transparency.

All Opaque:  Use this option to render slightly faster when the input image is fully opaque with no transparency (alpha=1).

Normal:  Process opacity normally.

As Premult:  Process as if the image is already in premultiplied form (colors have been scaled by opacity). This option also renders slightly faster than Normal mode, but the results will also be in premultiplied form, which is sometimes less correct.

See Also:

ZFogLinear ZFogExponential

ZComp Sapphire Plug-ins Introduction

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