Depth of Field settings

[mister-t]

I am having the hardest time controlling the range of the DOF in maya. I tried using the measure distance to get the correct distance between my camera & the focus point so I can enter that number into the DOF box. But I'm still having problems getting my objects to be in focus. Anyone have an easier way to do this? HELP!!!..thanks

[pbuckley]

This info is on page 187 of the Maya:Rendering Manual.
(you need to use a 2 or 3 node camera to use this technique).

[airojade]

hy,

there is a melscript here on the server to help you out.
it

[andy-davis]

I control depth of field by having a locator set up to represent the point of sharp focus. Then write an expression such that you calculate the distance between the perpective camera and the focus locator using pythagoras's theorem.
You then assign perspShape.focusDistance with this value in the expression.
It's also a good idea to add other attributes to the focus locator to control the fStop and focus region scale parameters.

If you have trouble with this, email me and I'll send you the scene set up with locators.

[tjibbemaya]

pop up the distance tool. Parent the beginning locator of the dist too to the camera. The 2nd locator to the object. Pump the distance from the tool to the camera's focus distance in the connection editor. Now your object will always be the center of focus, no matter the distance from the camera.

((( DePingus )))

[kiwi]

may be better to composite using .rla or .iff sequences. Use z-depth rack-focus in Maya Fusion or some other 3D compositing software.

DOF in Maya can be frustrating

KIWI

[swede]

with a 2 node camera connect your focus distance to your distance between (in the group node). Use IPR to dial in the depth of field.

Hope this help

Swede

[mckena]

Post is defintly a way to go. Why to blur your images in Maya when you can do it in post , and you can experiment more in post instead of doing a number of renders in maya to figure out how blury you want something to be when you can get almost realtime manipulation in maya fusion.
And again don't be afraid of post it saved me a lot, lot, LOT of time.