Blur Node seems to shift image...

Question

Level 1

10 points

Blur Node seems to shift image...

Hey all,

I'm trying to soften skin tones on a particular shot. When I use the blur node, and combine it with a HSL key/Blur, I noticed that the Blur causes a "shift" in the image, which then appears as a "ghosting" outline on my final image.... obviously COMPLETELY defeating the purpose.

I noticed on the COLOR 1.04 release notes, that it mentions a "Fix" in the Blur Node, but I'm running 1.04 and it doesn't seem to be fixed...

Anyone else notice this?

MacPro Octo 3Ghz, 16 GB RAM, XT1900, Mac OS X (10.5.6), BM Declink Extreme 2, ProAvio RAID, HighPoint 3522 Raid Controller

Posted on Mar 26, 2009 12:37 AM

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Answer 1

JP Owens

Level 4

2,015 points

Mar 26, 2009 8:08 AM in response to Technova

The blur node remains broken.

It "blows up" the image, even before any blur is applied, so it is pretty much totally useless.

It is particularly bad news with interlaced media since it destroys the frame dominance, even with a carefully constructed deinterlace tree.

I had to re-do 2/3rds of a 48 minute program last month because of this. Rebuilding pretty much exactly the same node tree in SHAKE cleared up all the difficulties, and for the most part was 100% cleaner, with a ton more control over fine-tuning the overall effect.

jPo.

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Answer 2

Technova Author

Level 1

10 points

Mar 26, 2009 1:45 PM in response to JP Owens

Thanks JP.

So what do you think they claim to have fixed in 1.04 related to the "blur" node?
I can honestly see no difference in its functionality from 1.03.

Can you think of a workaround that doesn't resort to having to go to Shake?

Thanks again

Sunman

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Answer 3

JP Owens

Level 4

2,015 points

Mar 26, 2009 2:58 PM in response to Technova

Its frustrating. The ColorFX room is just sitting there like low-hanging fruit, but hiding a "world of hurt". I haven't noticed any improvement either.... I went ahead and used the thing... ignoring the display (since Geometry isn't usually to be trusted, anyway)... and... well...

Shake IS my workaround. There may be some filters in FCP, but the absolute controllability usually isn't there.

jPo

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Answer 4

Zebulun

Level 5

6,749 points

Mar 27, 2009 7:16 AM in response to Technova

You may want to look at [Electronic Makeup Artist|http://www.sheffieldsoftworks.com> to use within Final Cut. It's a very powerful selective blur filter. FWIW, I find the Color FX room maddening and rarely venture in.

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Answer 5

JP Owens

Level 4

2,015 points

Mar 27, 2009 8:50 AM in response to Zebulun

Thanks, Zeb, there was an FCP plugin hanging there in the back of my mind, but I haven't implemented it myself in favour of getting my investment back from SHAKE first!

jPo

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Answer 6

Mar 31, 2009 4:14 AM in response to JP Owens

The ColorFX should simply be replaced by Shake or allow dynamic linking to Shake or its successor.

Hopefully in the next FCS we'll get an integrated compositor in the suite and Color can link to it instead and bypass the woeful ColorFX room. Oh, and it would bypass the appalling tracker and geometry room too.

This would give a massive increase in functionality and usability to Color.

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Answer 7

Mar 31, 2009 7:45 PM in response to Colourist

Colourist wrote:
Oh, and it would bypass the appalling tracker and geometry room too.

I gotta say the tracker has been redeeming itself with me in an indy film I've been immersed. I guess on progressive sequences its waaay more accurate than on the usual interlaced footage I work with.

- pi

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Answer 8

melorama

Level 1

20 points

Apr 19, 2009 6:41 AM in response to Technova

I'm running 1.0.4 on an ATI x1900 card, and found that the Blur node only scales up if you're working in Float. It does not scale at bit-depths of 16bpc and lower.

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