Digital Fusion Plugins

Our plugins all bear the name "Pel", which is an old-school term for "pixel," or literally "Picture Element."

Pel Z Tool

The Z Tool is a node designed to ease working with Z (depth) channels in Digital Fusion. It will automatically setup your Z Channel values to work properly with Fusion's built-in depth tools, such as Depth Blur and Fog. Z Tool will even scan your entire clip and normalize the depth values to fit within the smallest possible range for the entire clip. Unlike a frame-by-frame normalization, which is something you should never do, Z Tool will set the near and far clipping planes properly for the entire clip, without causing the depth represented by any particular value to change throughout the clip.

Have you ever create a rendering with a Z Channel and brought it into Fusion only to find that the built-in depth tools like Depth Blur and Fog don't seem to play well with your Z info? You end up with depth of field that is way too sharp, or fog you have trouble controlling. Let the Pel Z Tool straighten out your Z Channel and prepare it for use with Fusion's depth tools. The built-in depth tools are designed to work with a Z Channel of a particular scale and a particular sign (+/-). Most 3D apps do not produce Z Channels within these parameters. But the Pel Z Tool can straighten them out for you!

But don't take our word for it, download the demo below and try it on your own system today! Read the documentation online.

Key Benefits:

• Properly scale and tune Z Channel info to work seamlessly with Fusion's built-in depth tools.
  
• Easily add a Z Channel to an image, taking the Z Channel information from a second loader (or any node). Can take the Z info from the R, G ,B , A, Luma, or Z channel of the second input!
  
• Properly normalize your Z Channel info over the entire clip with the click of a button.
  
• Enable a color overlay to properly visualize your depth channel without resorting to turning on the Show Full Range feature in Fusion (which inevitably gets left on ruining hours of color correction).
  
• Activate the Z-Curve to edit your Z Channel info with a curve (LUT) in order to achieve non-linear fog effects and more.
  
• Fully compatible with floating point images - ideal for film work and the quality-conscious.
  
• Compatible with most Z Channels. An Automatic mode magically sets the proper foreground and background planes. (Please test that it works within your Z Channel pipeline using the Demo below.)



Download the DEMO, and try it for yourself! (~120K)
(Works for interactive or render node with watermark.)

View the Documentation

The Pel Z Tool fits into your budget

Right now, we are offering a special introductory price of $35 US.

Render node licenses are available for $15 ea in quantities of 3 or more. See the order page for other quantities. This is also an introductory price.

Introductory pricing ends soon. So act now!

Pel Z Tool - Interactive License(s) $35 ea.
Pel Z Tool - Render Node License(s) $45 three-pack (see order page for additional qty info)

Due to the varied nature of Z Channels and 3D pipelines please be certain that the Z Tool works with your Z Channel pipeline using the DEMO above prior to purchase. Should you encounter a Z Channel with which it does NOT work please contact info@laffey.tv so that we can attempt to support it in the future.

Orders are processed through RegSoft. The order page gives you options to order online, or by phone, or fax. See the order page for details.

Volume discounts can be arranged for larger quantities. Please inquire.

See other Fusion Plugins