Adobe has released a new beta version of After Effects that significantly improves how artists can work with HDR content, a technology that offers more vibrant colors and sharper contrasts. It is now possible to preview projects in HDR, even on non-high-end laptops, making it easier to see how the final results will look.
HDR Preview in After Effects
One of the main new features in this beta is the ability to preview compositions in High Dynamic Range (HDR). This is achieved thanks to the inclusion of support for the most common HDR formats:
- HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma)
- PQ (Perceptual Quantizer)
This advancement is crucial, as artists can import HDR media, integrate it into their compositions, and see the result in real time with the quality these technologies offer. The preview can be performed on either a local screen or an external screen via Mercury Transmit.
Performance and Cache Improvements
Another key aspect of this new version is the improvement in the caching system. Now, previews of rendered frames are stored on the hard drive, instead of relying solely on RAM memory. This offers several advantages:
- It allows working with longer projects without having to wait as long for frames to render.
- It improves performance on less powerful computers, providing a smoother experience.
This optimization makes editing and compositing more agile, especially for those who do not have high-end equipment.
Interface Customization
In addition to performance improvements, this beta allows for greater user interface customization. It is now possible to change:
- The color of the transparency grid.
- The color and size of panel backgrounds.
These options offer artists more flexibility to adapt the workspace to their preferences.
Additional Features
Among the new features is also Quick Set Anchor, a tool that facilitates the placement of the anchor point on 2D layers, allowing it to be fixed in common locations such as:
- The corners of the layer.
- The center of the edges of the layer.
These features aim to facilitate the work of artists, making the composition and animation process faster and more efficient.
These improvements aim to streamline the work of artists on motion graphics and editing projects, especially when working with HDR content. However, many artists still prefer to use other tools, such as Adobe Media Encoder, to export the final content in HDR.