ADOBE AFTER EFFECTS 7.0
User Guide
62
For more information about file formats that support a 32-bpc workflow, see “Supported file formats for import” on
page 69. For more information about working in 32-bpc color mode, see “High dynamic range footage (Pro only)”
on page 62.
16-bpc color mode (Pro only) 16-bpc frames require half the memory of 32-bpc frames and offer advantages in
terms of speed and storage. Use 16-bpc mode when you work with high-resolution images that contain a narrow
range of colors, such as when you’re creating subtle gradients for film effects or HDTV output. Transitions between
colors are smoother with less visible banding, and more detail is preserved than with 8-bpc color (though less than
with 32-bpc color). You can import 16-bpc images, including those from Adobe Photoshop, and composite and
color-correct footage in 16-bpc mode. Take advantage of 16-bpc color when performing most After Effects tasks,
including layer adjustment, frame blending, 3D compositing, and Cineon file import. The Info panel displays 16-bpc
color values with exact precision.
When rendering to output module depths of Trillions Of Colors, set the project to 16-bpc color depth to take
advantage of the output file’s extra color precision.
You can override the project color depth when you render. See “To change render settings” on page 604
To choose a project color depth
❖ Do one of the following:
• Choose File > Project Settings, and choose a color depth from the Color Depth menu.
• In the Project panel, Alt-click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) the Project Color Depth button.
Project Color Depth button in the Project panel
High dynamic range footage (Pro only)
About high dynamic range (HDR) footage
The dynamic range (ratio between dark and bright regions) in the physical world far exceeds the range of human
visionandofimagesthatareprintedordisplayedonamonitor.Butwhereashumaneyescanadapttoverydifferent
brightness levels, most cameras and computer monitors can capture and reproduce only a limited dynamic range.
Photographers, motion picture artists, and others working with digital images must be selective about what’s
important in a scene because they are working with a limited dynamic range.
High dynamic range (HDR) images open up a world of possibilities because they can represent a very wide dynamic
range through the use of 32-bit floating-point numeric values. Floating-point numeric representations allow the
same number of bits to describe a much larger range of values than integer (fixed-point) values. HDR values can
contain brightness levels, including objects as bright as a candle flame or the sun, that far exceed those in 8-bpc or
16-bpc (non-floating-point) mode. Lower dynamic range 8-bpc and 16-bpc modes can represent RGB levels only
from black to white; this represents an extremely small segment of the dynamic range in the real world.
Currently, HDR images are used mostly in motion pictures, special effects, 3D work, and some high-end photog-
raphy.
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