FDCALC
=======
Copyright(C) 2003, David L. Oldridge

Author:  Dave Oldridge (doldridg on Renderosity) doldridg@hfx.eastlink.ca
Files: FDCalc.exe
         Readme.txt
         License.txt
         Render 1.jpg
         Render 2.jpg
         Render 3.jpg
Requirements:
Poser 5.

Installation:
=========
Just extract the archive in the root directory of the drive you want to run FDCALC from.  Leave paths on, just as if you were installing something for poser.  The archive will create its own FDCALC folder on your hard drive.

When you have extracted it, bring up Windows Explorer and navigate to the foder FDCALC on the drive you extracted the file onto.  Find the FDCALC program (you can spot the icon) and right click on it.  Holding the right mouse button, move your cursor to the desktop and release the right mouse button.  You will see a popup menu.  One of the options is "Create shortcut here."  That's what you want to do.

By now, there should be an FDCALC icon on your desktop.  You may want to repeat this with the quick start bar on your task bar.

Operation:
========
To use FDCALC, you need to set your P5 to do its measurements in Poser units.  Use P5's Edit menu and select preferences to set that.

To use FDCALC, double click its desktop icon.  You must have a scene loaded into Poser 5 (you can leave FDCALC running while you load P5 and set up your scene.  Use the Props' primitives to create a low-res sphere.  Position the sphere where you want the camera lens to focus.  Then, using the main camera only, set up your scene the way you want it to appear in final render.  

Now, in P5, select the main camera from the document menu (that's the right hand dropdown under the picture, not the camera controls).  Make sure you can see the Dolly x, y and z dials.  Now go to your taskbar and click on the FDCALC icon.  Move the FDCALC window, if necessary so that you can read the dial settings for the camera and just copy them into the appropriate spots in FDCALC.  Be careful to match them, as the Poser camera presents them upside down, z first, then y and x.  Then, in Poser again, select your ball and switch back to FDCALC and enter those values.  Finally, press the "Calculate" button on FDCALC and note the value returned.  This is what you must type into the Focal distance window in Render Options.  You can then delete your ball or make it invisible.

Some parameters to consider:
========================

Two other render options affect this:  
The F stop will determine how much of the picture is in focus.  The higher the value, the more in-focus the picture will be, the lower the value, the more pronounced the lens focus affect will appear.  Don't be afraid to experiment with values that are bizarre from a photographic point of view.  Experiment until you get the effect you want.

The other parameter is the "pixels samples" parameter.  This determines the quality of the out-of-focus blur.  The lower the number, the more grainy the blur.  The higher the number, the better the quality and the longer the render time.


A third parameter worth mentioning here, though it's not directly important is the camera focal length.  Poser defaults to a rather wide-angle value for this and I frequently increase it to around 110mm.  This changes the perspective.  See Render 1 for a look at the graveyard at 25mm focal length.  The other two are done with 110mm.

Files included
===========
FDCalc.exe    (the program itself)
License.txt
Readme.txt   (this file)
Render 1.jpg    a shot of the graveyard with mild depth of field effect using 25mm camera and f2.8
Render 2.jpg    a shot of the graveyard with no depth of field effect, using 110mm camera.
Render 3.jpg    a shot of the graveyard with strong depth of field effect, using 110mm camera and f0.5

Pixels samples set to 12 for all three shots.



=================================================================================================================
FDCALC and this archive copyright(C) 2003, David L. Oldridge.