PFTrack and PFMatchit When The Pixel Farm first introduced their renowned node-based flowgraph architecture back in 2010, the development focus was on tools that provide absolute precision. But with every degree of accuracy comes an unavoidable level of complexity. PFTrack and PFMatchit 2013 now bring us back to basics with two very simple to use, but incredibly robust new tracking tools:Simple Track and Solve: The Simple Track and Solve node is an auto-feature tracker and camera solver all in one. Featuring a classic working environment that many users will find very familiar, the Simple Track and Solve node is as easy as it gets, with a single click to track and a single click to solve. Junior trackers will enjoy a significantly simplified UI, while benefitting from the tried and tested algorithms that The Pixel Farm are famous for. More experienced matchmovers may chose to work in the Advanced mode, unlocking all of the individual parameters that effect how tracking is performed on increasingly difficult shots. Advanced integration artists can also use the Simple Track and Solve node to establish an initial camera path, to be built upon and refined using the more advanced tracking tools already found in both PFTrack and PFMatchit. Simplicity and robustness - its the best of both worlds, in a single node. See it in action here
The Planar Camera Solver: The Planar Camera Solver node can be used to track camera paths for simple shots containing one or more planar surfaces. Roto masks and X-Splines are tracked onto planar surfaces, and then oriented in 3D space against one another to hint an initial camera position. The Planar Camera Solver then tracks the camera into the scene using the planar surfaces as the source for triangulating the cameras position frame-to-frame. If youve ever tried tracking an open field with nothing but grass to track on, the node quickly shows its strength. Its fast, easy to use, and it just works.
PFDepth Taking artists to new depths with an even more unified workflow, PFDepth further positions itself as the most efficient toolset available for detailed depth map creation, total scene reconstruction and 2D-to-3D conversion. New features in PFDepth 2013 include:
Timeline: The Timeline allows a clip to be viewed in the context of its two immediate neighbors, and adjustments to be made to the stereoscopic effect of the clip for the purpose of identifying and correcting extreme changes in perceived scene depth across a series of shots. A Stereo Disparity Histogram displays the per-frame variation in stereo disparity for each of the three clips in the timeline. Keyframeable changes to the disparity Scale and Offset allows artists to ease the change in stereo disparity for incoming and outgoing clips, all but eliminating eye strain and general discomfort for the viewer.
This video features PFDepth's stereoscopic review tools, including the new Timeline
Simple Track and Solve Node: PFDepth benefits greatly from tracked cameras, since an objects position in world is assigned relative to its distance from camera frame-to-frame. Utilizing the renowned camera solving algorithms of The Pixel Farms industry-leading matchmove applications PFTrack and PFMatchit, the Simple Track and Solve node allows 3D camera tracking to be performed directly within the PFDepth node tree, where several tools further down the tree can utilize the solved camera and point cloud data to assist with automatic depth map creation, making dynamic changes to convergence, and automated changes to depth offsets for segmented objects.
Import/Export of Z-Depth Objects: Roto shapes, or Z-Depth objects created in the Z-Depth Object node can now be imported and exported, along with their individual static or animated depth assignment in 3D space.
Stereo Camera Export: Stereoscopic cameras can now be exported from PFDepth in the FBX file format for use in other 3rd party applications. This allows better interoperability between PFDepth and 3D applications, when CG characters or atmospheric effects must be integrated into the final shot.
Export OBJ geometry: The Z-Depth Export node can now export depth data as a per-frame triangular mesh in the OBJ and FBX file formats.
Further UI improvements and Enhancements In additional to the key features above, all of our products also benefit from a variety of UI and workflow enhancements resulting from numerous feature requests weve received from our users. Increased stability and various bug fixes round out the list, collectively contributing to significant releases to kick off the year.
2012 Software Maintenance 2012 software customers haven't been left out in the cold either. Under our new Software Upgrade program, the 2012 development focus now switches to maintenance (from Feature Stream in 2012). Customers not wishing to make the jump to the products under the 2013 feature release will continue to benefit from maintenance releases of the 2012 version through December 31, 2013. They may continue to submit bug reports, and those bugs will be address in subsequent maintenance releases throughout the course of the year, commencing with the forthcoming 2012.4.3 maintenance release, which will be available shortly after the 2013 versions ship. The 2012 maintenance stream is only available to customers who had upgraded to the 2012 feature release in the 2012 calendar year, and is available free of charge under the 2012 subscription fee.
To for access to the 2012 maintenance release, or to upgrade to 2013 Feature Release customers should login to their accounts here
Pricing and Availability PFTrack 2013 is now available for £1000 / $1600 / 1200. Upgrades from PFTrack 2012 to PFTrack 2013 are now available £300 / $495 / 400.
PFMatchit 2013 is now available for £300 / $480 / 360. Upgrades from PFMatchit 2012 to PFMatchit 2013 are now availab
