EXR 2.0 plugin for Photoshop

[Rodney]

EXR IO 2.0 for Photoshop has been released.

This won't do much for those without current Photoshop/Adobe CC but for those that have it...

Among other things, EXR IO is said to extract all channels from an EXR file and place them into separate layers in Photoshop.

For features and download see:

 

https://www.exr-io.com/features/

 

Disclaimer:  I haven't tested this with A:M's EXR files yet.

[John Bigboote]

I am grabbing it... as well as update 19.0i... will play and see how/if it works with A:M. It might be the bridge to getting more A:Mer's to use EXR file format.

[John Bigboote]

Well- once installed it gives you this nice option box when you open an exr in Pshop...

[robcat2075]

I'll note that in AfterEffects there is a script you use to get it to properly identify and use the extra channels A:M creates.

I don't know if that is relevant here anymore.

[John Bigboote]

Here is an exr rendered in A:M and opened in Photoshop CC with EXR-IO importer. It gives me an 'A' layer- which is all white... an Alpha.A layer-which is all white... the RGB layer which is the normally rendered frame... an alpha.RGB layer- which is quite colorful but I can't see a use for it... a Depth.Depth layer which is all white but I can get the info by playing with exposure/levels filters... and a Normal.XYZ filter which I can't see a use for.

MISSING would be the light buffers(I tried it in all 3 settings- 1) Single 2) Light Buffers objects 3) Each light in its own buffer. The exr file imported back into A:M shows the same way though. SHOULD'NT the exr file have another buffer(image/layer) for each light? Is this broken?

THEN- I went and googled 'exr and after effects' and found this(attached Vimeo link) for free plug-in ProEXR... but after installing and watching the 'how to' video... still the same 4 channels are all I see, no light buffers.

 

 

 

[John Bigboote]

Then I searched our AM forum and saw Rodney's link to this:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/mrviewer/

 

EDIT- Major breakthru... I was rendering with the regular A:M renderer... then I tried MULTIPASS(x9) and things started working better!

[robcat2075]

 

OpenEXR is properly implemented in A:M

 

but...

 

From Adobe..https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/3d-channel-effects.html#WS3E78212A-C902-4d74-9FE6-C0E98E602AAA
 

Quote

 

Unlike some other formats, like RPF, in which a specific set of channels is defined to always represent specific properties of a scene, the OpenEXR format is an arbitrary collection of channels with no inherent meaning. The R, G, B, and A channels are reserved to represent red, green, blue, and alpha values, but other channels can be used for any other characteristics. To map channel names to the values of a specific type for use by other effects, you can use a file with the name OpenEXR_channel_map.txt. If this file is in the same folder as the OpenEXR format plug-in, the OpenEXR plug-in will use the information in this file to tag channels when it imports an OpenEXR file.

 

 

Open this EXR file in A:M and expand its tree. All the buffers I rendered for are there.

EXRTest_000.exr

 

 

If you are using ProEXR see if it has a text file "OpenEXR_channel_map.txt" in its dir.

[John Bigboote]

Yes- I get the text file... I updated my entry from above- I had discovered that I was using A:M's normal renderer and when I used MULTIPASS things started to go better with exr's... I am seeing all the buffers now... there is almost TOO MANY which is powerfull stuff!

[John Bigboote]

Too bad there is not a way to add A:M's SSAO into the mix as a buffer, I know you can add it by rendering a separate image file with SSAO on and SSAO effect only activated- perhaps this would make a nice feature request.

[robcat2075]

I looked into this channels thing years ago for Kevin Detwiler and I found that a few of the channel names in A:M are different than in the default text file that came with ProRes ProEXR.

 

To get everything out of A:M you need to make the text file right.

[John Bigboote]

ProRes? Trying to figure-out how Apple ProRes is involved... I see the text file as a layer in AE, but reading it is gobbleddy-gook to me- so I won't mess with it. I have my light buffers and specularity and shadows buffers now and playing... fun! That ProEXR is the catch!

[robcat2075]

I meant ProEXR. The thing you are using.

[robcat2075]

I'll note that "Build Composite" in A:M will create a composite project that lets you manipulate all the shadow and light buffers in A:M if you are inclined to do so.

[John Bigboote]

48 minutes ago, robcat2075 said:

I'll note that "Build Composite" in A:M will create a composite project that lets you manipulate all the shadow and light buffers in A:M if you are inclined to do so.

I see that- it does a pretty good job automatically... you just lose a degree of- control.

[robcat2075]

What control do you want?

[John Bigboote]

Here it is- half a year later... I was trying EXRs again and again for one reason or another was using the regular renderer... glad I found this thread!