Using Image Planes and Depth

[Anonymous]

Hi Everyone,

I found this link Depth Compositing with Image Planes 

I've pulled a few depth pass images off the internet and converted them to IFF files but am unable to get them to work. I'm connecting my IFF file to Image Name and under Depth using separate depth file and then selecting the depth file.

I've tried putting all different kinds of numbers in for the Bias and Scale but am unable to see a result in the viewport or in a render via Maya Software or Arnold.

Any thoughts on this?

Thank you,

Craig

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Anonymous and welcome to the community!

It's possible something went wrong when converting the files to IFF and/or converting them may have changed some values and therefore the depth isn't working.

By chance, do you have any depth pass images that were natively in IFF format?

Finally if that doesn't work, can you attach the images you are using here so I can test them on my machine?

[Anonymous]

Hi Sean,

I don't have any files that were natively saved in IFF format. I tried saving them through Photoshop and FCheck.

Thank you,

Craig

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Anonymous

Thanks for attaching the images!

I forgot to ask, when you get a chance can you please zip and attach the scene file here or via dropbox/google drive or another file sharing program so I can take a look at it as well?

[Anonymous]

Hi Sean,

Let me know if this link works...

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1_gMrfQwpoPI9EICqgWHML9lBhlffYlKQ

Thanks,

Craig

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Anonymous

Thanks for attaching the scene file!

It doesn't look like you have any models in your scene and this would be why you aren't noticing anything with the depth compositing. From that article "This z-depth compositing feature allows you to place 3D objects further and closer within the field of view of the camera together with an image plane mapped with depth information."

Since all you have in the scene is an image plane, that's all that is going to be rendered. If you add objects on top of it then you should see the change with the compositing.

Please let me know if this information makes sense or if you need any more assistance!

[geordiemartinez]

I'm also interested in the response to this post. 

I'd like to possibly convert an EXR with z depth to whatever format works in image planes in maya.

would that be iffs or is there a .mov file format (codec like animation) that will support z depth.

[Anonymous]

Hi Sean,

I did not add a piece of geo. Would you like me to add a sphere into the scene and send it again?

It still does not work even adding geo to the scene.

Thank you,

Craig

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Anonymous

Hmm ok.

I want to make sure I understand this correctly. Are you trying to render out a depth pass for compositing, or are you trying to use an existing depth pass in your Maya scene?

If it is the former, this video has a solid breakdown on rendering depth with Maya that may help you!

[Anonymous]

Use an existing depth pass in my Maya scene.

Craig

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Anonymous

Ok that's why I'm a bit confused. Generally when working with depth passes and compositing there's already models in the scene and that's what the depth map is applied to like in this video:

If you're just using an image of a depth pass on an image plane what are you trying to get rendered?

Sorry if I'm not understanding this correctly just trying to figure out what your workflow is.

[Anonymous]

Hi Sean,

I'm trying to get this to work https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2017/ENU/Maya/fil...

It says "Maya’s image plane features real-time z-depth compositing in the camera scene view. This z-depth compositing feature allows you to place 3D objects further and closer within the field of view of the camera together with an image plane mapped with depth information. Objects that are closer than depth values in the image will appear in front of it. Objects that are further than depth values in the image will appear behind it."

I have an image and z-depth pass from outside of Maya. I want to place those two in my image plane. Then I can animate my 3D object and see it appear in front of behind the image based on the Z-depth.

Thank you,

Craig

[sean.heasley]

Hi @Anonymous

Ok I understand what the article says but I believe that this only works with zdepth embedded in .iff files – so from Maya software render. 

Can you try rendering your own depth image with your character?

Because I don't believe you'll be able to just take any depth image and throw your character in it based on the images depth file.

[Anonymous]

Hi Sean,

I had a few questions...

Within the Image Plane, under the Depth pull down, check "use Depth Map" and check "Separate Depth" does not allow me to use a different Depth File?

The first video you posted goes over the process of using the Render Layers Tab which is not there in 2017? Has this been replaced with Windows<Rendering Editors<Render Setup?

The second video just shows how to render a single z-depth pass and not a beauty+zDepth pass into a single iff file.

The method using a surface shader and a volume primitive work in Maya Software but not Arnold.

Arnold has AOV's that are using the Render Setup?

Can another program embed the depth pass into the iff file?

Thank you,

Craig

[geordiemartinez]

this is related.

Is there any information on Maya IFF file format being exported from Nuke?

how the channels for z an be created?  do we have to resort to some special tool to make .iff files?  

is it essentially a .tif file? 

I ask because I would like to combine in nuke:

a mantra render from houdini 

with a depth render from houdini 

and generate an .iff file sequence that can be used in maya to preview houdini work inside of maya. 

[mspeer · Accepted solution]

Hi!

There is only one workflow for this feature:

1. Render a Maya-iff file with Maya Renderer (Hardware or Software)

2. Import this Maya-iff file into Maya (apply to image plane) and render again with Maya Renderer (Hardware or Software)

Every other workflow will not work.

A general depth support for main image plane would be nice, for example by selecting a channel of a multi channel file as depth channel, but that's not the case here.

[sean.heasley]

Hi @geordiemartinez and @Anonymous

@mspeer summed it up for me and this is ultimately a workflow issue. Following the steps he provided are the only way at the moment to achieve the kind of results you are looking for

As for the question about the Render Layers Tab not being there in 2017, yes this been replaced with the Render Setup and Render Layers tools.

[Anonymous]

Hi Mspeer,

Thank you for the response. Though I'm still lost.

I've created a scene. Rendered a depth image. Saved it as a Maya iff. Added an image plane to the camera. Then applied the iff to the image plane and the "separate depth" area. It then still does not work.

Am I missing anything?

Thank you,

Craig

[geordiemartinez]

yeah.

I've even tried making .iff files with OpenImageIO and it doesn't read the z depth channel when it reads it in so it's not really helping because I don't know if the spec will allow writing out the z depth channel. 

Think I'm going to give up on iff file format. 

It's time to consider a different route as this file format is ancient and archaic. 

[mspeer]

Hi!

@Anonymous , there is no Z-Depth in your file.

Maya docs: "The z-depth data is contained within the z channel of an .iff image file ".

@geordiemartinez , "iff" is not (necessarily) the same as "Maya-iff", i will not go into detail about this.

You can add a Z-Depth only by using Batch-Render and file-type "Maya IFF (iff)".

There is no other way, except you are a programmer and can write your own converter.