NAB 2004 saw the release of a suite of new tools based on the new optical flow technology built into PFTrack 2.0. The new optical analysis features in PFTrack utilise the advanced tracking environment to generate comprehensive optical flow data.

Optical flow data represents the movement of pixel information from one frame to the next, building up another level of data modelling of footage along side camera data. The accuracy of the flow calculations can be controlled and influenced using PFTrack's feature tracking tools. This data is then utilised by the new suite of Optical flow plug-ins’ third party applications such as Apple’s Shake and Eyeon’s Digital Fusion. The suite allows users to perform common place and complex tasks within long form productions such as automatic clean plate generation, blur and un-blur, and retiming.

PFRetime uses the optical flow data generated by PFFlow to speed up and slow down a shot. Speed adjustments can be made on a per-frame basis, and use of the optical flow data results in very accurate frame interpolation, giving much smoother final motion. By linking retiming data it is possible to automatically retime other elements within a project. For example any retiming in the 2D environment can be passed back via the server and automatically retime 3D elements.

PFBlur uses the optical flow data to add motion blur to a sequence. The amount of motion blur can simply be controlled by the user and varied over time. By making use of optical flow data blur is only added in the direction objects are moving. This is an ideal tool not only for day to day production but also for those involved in stop frame animation where motion blur effects need to be quickly added.

Also launching at NAB is PFPlate.

PFPlate stitches footage taken by a panning camera into a single large panorama. By using data generated by PFTrack, PFPlate copes with any type of camera rotation, left/right up/down etc. and different types of panoramas, planar, cylindrical, spherical. Fully resolution independent PFPlate is ideal for film projects as well as video.

Availability and Pricing
The new plug-ins will ship at the end of April 2004

PFRetime $500
PFBlur $330

PFPlate $500
Bundle pricing is also available.