Admittedly I'm JUST starting to play with this.  But are there any experts in the forum on this subject?  In my photography I often spend a lot of time dialing in the right f stop to get a nice background (and sometimes foreground) blur.  I was really excited to notice that option in Poser.  But wow, is it ugly right out of the box!  Does anyone know of a way to get an actual lens blur?  To me the default setting just look like a stipple painting... destroying not helping the feeling of photo realism.  If not, does anyone know how to render a depth map?  If I had that, I could use it as a layer mask and make use of Photoshop's very nice lens blur filter.  That isn't as elegant as a poser only solution but I could probably make due.

Interesting... more post filtering helps a lot.  But still not quite what I've used to with a fast lens stopped at the right setting.

The blur is simulated, not real. I don't know how well it tracks what you'd get from a camera. The only thing for sure is the DOF is smaller when you decrease the f/ stop.

As for the quality of the blur, it needs a lot of pixel samples to look decent. And then post filtering can improve it.

Pixel sampling for DoF is usually higher than 15 which will increase render time considerably.

LOL, no joke bagginsbill!  I've got my Canon 50D and a fast 2.8 prime lens sitting next to me... this is not close to what I can get with that equipment.  But the more I play the more potential I see.   A little depth makes a huge difference in the believability of renders. 

Good call on the pixel samples, that helps a lot but the more of this I add, the more I start to recall my older, slower computing days. 

What would REALLY help is if there was a way to lock that DOF "target" on the screen.  With photography I usually lock focus with the center AF point and then recompose to get the framing I want.  I find that very hard with Poser since the focus point vanishes as soon as I let go of the slider.  

Yeah, hborre, I'm noticing that big time.  It is actually taxing my i7 3+ Ghz system.  That's a new feeling.

Once I had cast off the shackles of believing that any post work rendered over your render, er, rendered it invalid and was a Bad Thing, I realised that Photoshop + Poser = The Answer!  Convincing DOF, which you can adjust to your heart's content is within your grasp....the only problem being that, unless you're happy doing it each time manually,  you need a z-depth render, which Poser can't do without assistance....check out "Semidue's/Shaderworks" plugins for the solution to that particular Poser deficiency.

The image above is an example of DOF (and some other FX) added in post, via a z-depth render; the DOF was fully controallable and took seconds to add.

And here's how I did it:

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1963531

If you're open to the idea of post work in a 2D app, then DOF in Poser is within your reach, effective, and contollable...if you're not, then soldier on!

Cool, I used depth maps in PS all the time in my "pro" work to get that, so I'm open to it!  I just didn't know of a way to get that info.  I'll check out the plug in.  Thanks Paul.

Oh yeah, is the shaderworks plugin on Renderosity?

I posted this several times :-) I use this method because is way faster in Poser (Hey, Daz Studio is Wayyyyyy Faster doing DoF),

www.keindesign.de/stefan/poser/dof_tutorial.html

Quote - Oh yeah, is the shaderworks plugin on Renderosity?

Not sure; I got it myself from Runtime DNA.  I'd post the link, but I'm not sure if that's allowed here.  PM me if you need it.

Quote -
What would REALLY help is if there was a way to lock that DOF "target" on the screen.  With photography I usually lock focus with the center AF point and then recompose to get the framing I want.  I find that very hard with Poser since the focus point vanishes as soon as I let go of the slider.  

I'm not sure I understand you here. With "DOF Target" are you talking about the crosshair thingie? That stays smack in the middle of things until you disable it... So I'm not sure which "focus point" that can vanish.

Other than that, using the depth cue as a mask is a good idea - sometimes it gives better results than other times, it depends a lot of the scene.

Whenever I've done something that required DOF in larger degrees, I've made two renders, one with the full scene and one with only the thing that should be sharp and combined them in Photoshop. Poser gives you an alphachannel for free when you render over "nothing"

HERE is an example where I used that method and blurred it manually afterwards (general blur filter on the background layer, graduated hand-made blur on the creature)
At the time I made this, I didn't know the Depth Cue trick, which is why there are places that should have been blurred, and isn't - and vice versa :)

I just came across this little similar item @ RDNA.  Link:
http://www.runtimedna.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47974

Apparently the software mentioned is a Photoshop plugin to control DoF in 3D images and photos.  And it seems that it is freeware.  Probably worth investigating.  The Software is DoFPro.

http://www.dofpro.com/overview.htm

Vue has good DOF settings that are realistic, but like Paul Francis I do it in post in Photoshop CS3 using a z-depth image, it's much, much quicker than rendering it in Vue or Poser.

DOFPro isn't freeware, but it's really inexpensive and well worth it IMHO. Just make sure to disable antialiasing when rendering for best results (this is mentioned in the user manual).

How do you render an animation with non-poser DOF effect?
Do you need to render 2 sets of images, one normal and one z-depth and then using script or whatever apply the z-depth to each image using photoshop?

Is there a tutorial somewhere?

Yariv

Apols if anyone has seen this image before - nothing else on this machine.

The problem, mrsparky, your picture had a large angle of vision and dont need dof ... Add an helicopter or an ovni and yes this picture could have dof ...

Quote - > Quote - Oh yeah, is the shaderworks plugin on Renderosity?

Not sure; I got it myself from Runtime DNA.  I'd post the link, but I'm not sure if that's allowed here.  PM me if you need it.

posting a link is allowed.

your not advertising a product, your responding to a question.

please post it. I would like to see it.

the only thing i knew of that would make the depth mask was Glowworm.

http://www.daz3d.com/i/3d-models/-/glowworm?item=3946&_m=d

I contacted Poseworks to see if it would be updated for P8 and he said no, but it is available under Mozilla Public License for anyone who wishes to update it.

code.google.com/p/pw-glowworm-source/

:)

The second ...

After you select what grey is blured or not in your 2d software

This method of creating a depthmap is destructive, so be sure to SAVE your scene before using.

Before you render you'll need to change all materials to one type.  PhilC has written a little Python script that does  this,  you can find it in this thread  www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php

take care

This method  works with Poser 5 and up except in Poser 5,  the script may have to be altered to suit the Python version.

take care

You don't need to change any materials unless they glow.

Just turn off all lights. The scene should render completely black. Then turn on depth cueing in Atmosphere, and set the Depth Cue color to white.

ahhh,  cool,  thanks that makes it easier   :)

Ok, after you get that greyscale image, you go to photoshop and....
I guess you must use as a mask layer, but can anyone post how to do it?

Thanks

Quote - Ok, after you get that greyscale image, you go to photoshop and....
I guess you must use as a mask layer, but can anyone post how to do it?

Thanks

I repeat, follow this www.keindesign.de/stefan/poser/dof_tutorial.html

Load your render and go to the channel and add a new channel

Now in the channel tab select the RGB without the Alpha channel and go to
Filter-Blur-Lens Blur

In the Depth Map Source select the channel previously created, now with the Blur Focal Distance slider your can choice the blur distance !

Fantastic!!
Thanks for the info. I didin't realize that in the filter I could load the z-depth.

Quote - You don't need to change any materials unless they glow.

Just turn off all lights. The scene should render completely black. Then turn on depth cueing in Atmosphere, and set the Depth Cue color to white.

I'm sorry, where do I set the Depth Cue color? And then can I just render and use this in Photoshop as explained?

I'll add that Vue cameras have an extra box that is at the focal point. You can click it and drag it to any target and the camera is focused at that point. Poser needs this.

Quote - > Quote - You don't need to change any materials unless they glow.

Just turn off all lights. The scene should render completely black. Then turn on depth cueing in Atmosphere, and set the Depth Cue color to white.

I'm sorry, where do I set the Depth Cue color? And then can I just render and use this in Photoshop as explained?

You find it in the material room, select Object-Atmosphere, and then yes you just have to render and apply as explained ;-)

Hello again. I'm playing with Z-Render and photoshop and I have a question for you all.
The figure is not in the first plane, but in the middle of the scene. If I want to 'focus' and blur not only the elements in distance, but the elements in first plane (all except my figure), how can I achieve it? I'm painting in white the main figure, but this solution is not 'elegant' and I bet there'd be a better choice.
Merci in advance ;-)