• Adobe After Effects

  PFTrack – 3dsMax – AE workflow

  Posted by Mike Nielsen on January 22, 2012 at 10:52 am

  Hi Folks

  I have a HD shot to track, for adding CG elements. The shot is done with a wide angle lens (Tokina 11-16mm), so to get accurate results with PFTrack I need to remove lens distortion. I’m reasonably confident about the process until I reach AE,- where I’d like to re-introduce the lens distortion (using the original un-distorted footage).
  My question is: What’s the best way to add lens distortion to my cg elements? Obviously, I can play around with AE’s distortion tools, but I’m hoping that someone has a better formula, than “hit and miss”

  Thanks in advance,
  Mike

  Luca Veronese replied 10 years, 6 months ago 3 Members · 5 Replies
• 5 Replies

• 

  Andrew Somers

  January 22, 2012 at 7:19 pm

  Steps:

  1) Out of PF track, export a frame (or a few) of the image after the UN DISTORT node. Ideally, choose a frame with a lot of sharp details, and vertical and horizontal lines.

  2) In after effects, create a comp with the camera original footage in it, and add the frame you exported from PF track so that it lines up with the same frame(s) as a layer over the original footage.

  3) Add the OPTICS COMPENSATION plug in to the undistorted frame from PF track.

  4) Set the transfer mode of the undistorted frame so that you can see it overlaid on the camera original – I usually use the DIFFERENCE transfer mode, as once you have both images exactly aligned, the total image becomes black (or close to it).

  5) Now adjust the optics compensation effect until both images align exactly (in difference mode, the entire screen should be nearly black.

  NEXT:

  6) Create a pre-comp for your CGI elements.

  7) Place this precomp in the comp with your original footage.

  8) Add the optics compensation effect to the precomp using the exact same settings that you came up with in step 5 above.
• 

  Mike Nielsen

  January 22, 2012 at 7:45 pm

  Andrew,- thanks a lot for that input – much appreciated. Optics compensation was already in my mind,- the only thing that worries me is whether this “one-parameter” effect can do the job. Time to test! And good idea about the difference mode to check the footage!

  Thanks again,
  Mike:o)
• 

  Andrew Somers

  January 22, 2012 at 9:57 pm

  Yes, you may need additional plug ins if the distortion is complex – if you have Sapphire plug ins they have one called “WarpMagnify” that has a several additional parameters.
• 

  Mike Nielsen

  January 22, 2012 at 10:21 pm

  Excellent, thanks for the info…

  Kind regards,
  Mike
• 

  Luca Veronese

  November 13, 2015 at 3:45 pm

  thanks, best trick ever

  I need more power

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