Need a help:

How can I create a DOF setting in Vue8 for a realistic render ?

Thanks and regards Umberto

Which version of Vue 8? Below Complete, you only have one possibility: raytraced dof. From Complete and up, you can use Hybrid blur.
Raytraced blur is more accurate, but creates a lot of noise artefacts that can only be eliminated with a lot, and I mean a lot of anti aliasing.
Hybrid is between 2D and 3D blur, less accurate, but requires standard AA levels. This one works in passes after the render is complete.
For both methods, you first need to set up your camera for DOF, and the process is the same:
With your camera selected, choose a target object in the object properties panel ( target icon).
Once this is done, choose the amount of blur you want, minimum 10%, otherwise the effect might not be visible, unless the target object is very close to the camera.
You will notice 2 planes in the camera's field of view:  what's inside the planes is in focus.
Next, just tick the Depth of field box in the render options, and then choose either raytraced or Hybrid. If you choose Hybrid, go for 3 passes minimum. Personally, I always go for 4.

Just as a complement to what Bruno rightfully said:

Raytraced DOF requires so much anti-aliasing that, in practice, I never use it (because it becomes impossibly slow). I always use Hybrid 2.5D. In my latest image, I used 3% camera blur and 6 passes. Using this many passes is very time consuming but, in my opinion, it's well worth the time.

An hint regarding camera target:
In practice, it's difficult to manipulate the camera target manually and still keep the POV you want. I do the following:
a) I create a very small cube (1mm) and place it in the place that I want in focus.
b) I make the cube invisible to render
c) with the camera selected, go to the object properties panel and click on "switch to target"
d) in the "focus on" field, select that mini-cube you created before.
e) you can now move the mini-cube to wherever you want and the camera target will follow, but you always keep the same POV. The area near the mini-cube will be in focus.

Hope that helps.

thank you for your information.
I had forgotten to mention that I use Vue 8 Pro

If you aren't opposed to applying DOF in post and have Photoshop, you can do the following:

1. Have Vue save a separate depth map when you render your scene (in render options).
2. In Photoshop, open the depth map, select all and hit copy.
3. Then open the rendered scene, select the channels palette and click 'new channel'
4. Paste the depth map into the new channel and rename it or remember what it defaulted to (probably Alpha 1 or 2).
5. Click the RGB channel to reveal the complete render and then go Filter>Blur>Lens Blur
6. In the depth map field, select your new alpha channel from #4 above
7. Tweak the blur focal distance and radius to taste and when you're happy with the preview, his ok.
8. Enjoy the accurate DOF and the amazing control you have over it :)

There are several other settings that you can play with as well, but those two are the ones I tend to use the most and have the most visible results. Like with anything, play around and see what you like.

I used to try and have Vue render the DOF in the image or do some really wonky gaussian blur/gradient mask stuff in post to fake it, but Stonemason turned me on to the method outlined above and I've never looked back. It allows you to really control the final image and even when pushing the DOF hard, the depth map stays accurate and keeps it on the believable side of things.

Totally agree with JCD. I would strongly recommend to do this in post. The gain in control and ease of experimenting will give you great results in a short time. For stills this is definitely the way to go.

One tip to add to JCDs would be to use 16bit TIFF for saving out the depth map (select TIFF click options in the save dialog). This will gibe you far smoother transitions than the default 8 bit TIFF or a BMP.

Ciao
TD

I  second JCD and thd777 - in most cases the Photoshop lensblur is good enough. But some intricate alphamaps (foliage e.g.) may not be masked detailed enough (poor antialiasing in the Vue z-channel) giving less pleasing results. Maybe thd777's advice with the 16-channel TIFF works better, I'll certainly give it a try!

• Lars "bigbraader"

I made a test render, and, well, the TIFF 16 does nothing visible with the Vue AA in the z-channel.

Quote - I made a test render, and, well, the TIFF 16 does nothing visible with the Vue AA in the z-channel.

You are correct, the 16bit doesn't change anything with respect to the AA of the z-channel. It simply saves the z-depth map with the full 16bit gray scale info that Vue uses internally. Unfortunately, this does't help for the trans map artifacts you mentioned (those have bugged me too on  several occasions, with transmapped hair for example). However, it does help significantly in my experience when you have long continuous transitions that are getting de-/increasingly blurred. For example a ground plane or a terrain or walls. The blur on those will be far smoother when using 16bit z-depth. That's what I was referring to.

Ciao
TD

[quote
You are correct, the 16bit doesn't change anything with respect to the AA of the z-channel. It simply saves the z-depth map with the full 16bit gray scale info that Vue uses internally. Unfortunately, this does't help for the trans map artifacts you mentioned (those have bugged me too on  several occasions, with transmapped hair for example). However, it does help significantly in my experience when you have long continuous transitions that are getting de-/increasingly blurred. For example a ground plane or a terrain or walls. The blur on those will be far smoother when using 16bit z-depth. That's what I was referring to.

Ciao
TD

Yep, realised that, after I made the post :)