BCC Fast Lens Blur

Category: OBSOLETE

Effect Name: BCC Fast Lens Blur

The original BCC Fast Lens Blur uses OpenCL to emulate a lens blur defocus/rackfocus effect where out of focus highlights of an image clip take on the shape of the lens diaphragm. When a lens is used at it’s maximum aperture (fully open / set to the smallest f stop number) the out of focus highlights are typically in the shape of a circle, however, when the lens is stopped down (set to something other than the smallest f stop number) the blades inside the lens shape the out of focus highlights into multi-sided shapes. This filter includes a pop-up that can be used to match the different looks that can be achieved in the physical world based on the lens aperture setting. This pleasing optical result is referred to in photographic terms as Bokeh.

The BCC Fast Lens Blur filter also includes a comprehensive depth of field (Z-Depth) option, whereby a separate image can be used to control the depth and position of the focus field.

Working with the Filter

Presets and Common Controls

• BCC filters come with a library of factory installed presets plus the ability to create your own custom presets and preview them with the BCC FX Browser™.
• BCC filters also include common controls that configure global effect preferences and other host-specific effect settings.

For more information about working with presets and other common controls, Click Here.

Effect Controls

Mocha Mask and Track

Continuum effects include integrated masking and matte tools that allow you to restrict the effect to specific regions of the image.

• Mocha masks: used to create custom spline masks. Mocha also includes Matte Assist ML and Matte Refine ML, which use machine learning to generate and track masks.
• Pixel Chooser: used to generate geometric shapes, gradients, or mattes based on channel, luma, or color-based selections. Additionally, an AI depth map generator, and an AI-powered face detection model allow for precise control of masks and mattes.

For more information, see Mocha and Pixel Chooser.

Compare Mode

The Compare Mode is used to view the filtered result alongside the original source layer. Several split-screen and side-by-side display options are available.

For more information, see Compare Mode.

• Quality: 3 way pop-up containing options that affect the edges of the generated highlights.
  • Normal
  • Sharp
  • Sharper
• Iris Scale:Used to set the size of the highlight blur effect.
• Scale X:Scales the highlight along the X axis only.
• Scale Y:Scales the highlight along the Y axis only.
• Blur Alpha:Controls whether or not to blur the alpha channel along with the RGB channels.
• Gamma:Used to control the image highlight gamma.
• View Iris:When checked, displays the iris shape on a black background.

Iris Group

Contains parameters to control the shape and look of the generated highlights.

• Iris Shape: Used to control the iris shape.
  • Circle: Generates circular highlights (lens at maximum aperture /wide open).
  • 3 - 16 Sides: Sets the number of sides representing the number of shutter blades in the lens.
• Iris Curvature:Used to control the iris shape. Positive values produce rounded shapes, negative values produce diamond shapes.
• Iris Rotation:Used to rotate the angle of the iris.
• Bokeh:Used in conjunction with the Iris Shape pop-up to define the shape of the out of focus highlights.
• Bokeh Shading:Used to set the level of shading of the inner region of the highlights.

Z Map Group

Contains parameters to enable and control Z-Depth compositing within the filter.

• Mode: Used to set the mode of the Z-Map function:
  • Off: Default, the Z-Map function is disabled.
  • On: The Z-Map function is enabled.
  • View Focus Map
  • View Z Map
  • Mask Defocused Pixels
• Z Layer:Used to select the layer that is used as the depth map image.
• Z Channel: Used to select a channel from the layer that is used as the depth map image with the following options:
  • Luminance
  • Alpha
  • Red
  • Green
  • Blue
  • Lightness
  • PixelChooser
• Invert Z:Allows inverting the range of the Z Map image.
• Smoothness:Higher values produce a smoother blur result.
• Focal Point:Used to set the point along the Z axis which is in focus.
• Depth of Field:Controls the depth of the focus field, or the amount of pixels that remain in focus.
• Z Gamma:Adjusts the gamma levels of the Z Map input image.
• Near Scale:Used to increase the size of the blur applied to the pixels that are closest to the camera.
• Far Scale:Used to increase the size of the blur applied to the pixels that are farthest from the camera.
• Use Obscuration:Controls whether or not to use Obscuration based on the Z Depth.

Noise Group

• Noise Intensity:Used to set the amount of noise in the highlights.
• Noise Scale:Used to set the size of noise structure in the highlights.
• Noise Stretch:Used to distort the noise structure in the highlights.
• Noise Blur:Used to smooth the generated noise in the highlights.
• Noise Seed:Used to set the random seed that controls the noise structure in the highlights.

Highlights Group

• Boost/Sup Mode: Used to determine the way the highlights are composited into the image with the following options:
  • RGB Max: Boosts the RGB values of the highlights.
  • RGB Glow: Boosts the RGB and Saturation values of the highlights.
  • Luma Boost to White: Boosts the Luminosity values and desaturates the highlights.
  • Luma: Boosts the Luminosity values of the highlights.
• Highlight Boost:Used to set the intensity of the highlight boosting – higher values result in brighter highlights.
• Highlight Threshold:Used to set the cutoff point for highlight boosting.
• Suppress Threshold:Used to set the intensity of the shadow boosting – higher values result in darker shadows.
• Boost Soften:A slope control that softens the highlight and shadow boosting effect.

Blur Map Group

• Blend Mode:Select from 24 apply/blending modes.
• Blend Mix:Mix selected apply mode back with normal apply mode.
• Mix with Original: Blends the source and filtered images. Use this parameter to animate the effect from the unfiltered to the filtered image without adjusting other settings, or to reduce the effect of the filter by mixing it with the source image.