PhysicalBokehSFX Matchbox

PhysicalBokehSFX is a Matchbox effect dedicated to creating lens effects using a physical bokeh generator. This effect being a Selective FX, you can use it inside of Image or Action with a Selective node. Use the Selective to isolate highlights, or limit the effects to a portion of the image in either Blend or Additive mode.

Controls Menu

Highlights Options

Threshold

Sets the colour value threshold over which a colour is considered a highlight.

Max Threshold

Sets the maximum colour value to be used as a highlight: values over this limit are not considered a highlight. Enabled by Enable Max Threshold.

Gain

Boosts or reduces the highlights selected by Threshold and Max Threshold.

Kernel Options

Type

Specifies the source of the kernel used: Bokeh and ROI Sampling. The Bokeh mode (the default) uses the physical bokeh algorithm. In Bokeh mode, Scale and Rotation are disabled: use the Bokeh tab to control the bokeh effect. The ROI Sampling mode allows you to sample the Input image, and then use that sample to generate the kernel to convolve. In Sampling mode, first set the Viewing to Kernel, and then use the Sampling tab to define a portion of the input image to use as the Kernel for the convolution.

Scale

Reduces or enlarges the sampled kernel by varying the size of the Kernel input. Note that the larger Kernel input, the longer the convolution process takes.

Rotation

Rotates the sample kernel.

Gain

Adds or removes gain from the kernel.

Tint

Changes the colour of the kernel.

Output Options

Viewing

Selects what to display in the viewport the different stages of the processing of the Convolve effect.

• Input: Displays the original Front input.
• Highlights: Displays the result of the Highlights controls. This is what is added to the original image and sent to the convolution engine.
• Kernel: Displays the Kernel input, modified by the Scale and Rotation controls (when applicable). This, once modified by the Gain (Kernel) and Tint controls, is sent to the convolution engine.
• Convolution: Displays the result of the convolution process.
• Result: Displays the final result of the convolve operation, as defined by the Selective control.

Selective

Defines how the Selective shapes the result of the effect.

• Highlights: The Selective limits only the impact of the Highlights controls. This option is quite handy to boost only precise portions of the image.
• Blend: The Selective limits the convolution to a portion of the image: what's inside the Selective is processed, while what's outside remains as-is.
• Additive: This option does two things. First, just as the Blend option, it limits the convolution to the Selective. Second it limits the Highlights section and only convolves the Highlights result, and then additively blends the result on top of the original image. This option creates a result similar to the PhysicalGlareSFX effect.

Mix

Controls the mix of the Result with the original source.

Normalize

Sets the Kernel energy to 1.0 before Kernel Gain and Tint are applied.

Bokeh Shape Menu

Aperture Options

Offset Angle

Rotates the shape of the bokeh.

Blades Number

Sets the basic shape of the bokeh, based on the number of blades of the simulated aperture.

Curved Blade

Enable to have the simulated aperture use curved blades.

Camera Options

Sync To Action Camera

Syncs the FOV and F-Stop to the current Action camera when used as a CameraFX.

Field Of View and F-Stop

These two control the scale of the bokeh. The bookeh is inversely proportional to the FOV, but directly proportional to the F-Stop. Note that in Curved Blade mode, the F-Stop defines the shape of the bokeh: a smaller F-Stop rounds the bokeh.

Aberration Options

Spherical

Represents the maximum aberration, expressed as a relative distance to the focal length. The higher the value, the more the circle of confusion impacts the size of the Bokeh.

Chromatic

Represents the maximum distance to the focal length of the redmost wavelength. The higher the value, the more the colours are separated in the bokeh.

Focal Plane

Represents the focus distance relative to the focal length.

ROI Sampling

Note: To view the sample, set Controls Menu Viewing option to Kernel.

Position

Aligns the part of the input image you would like to sample and use as a Kernel to the centre of the image. It is quite important to centre the feature in the centre of the screen as an offset Kernel will create an offset in the convolve result.

Crop

Center-crops the image.

Falloff

Rounds and feathers the sample.