Cartoonize Video Footage with ToonIt!

On 19th June, 2007, Digital Anarchy, creator of digital imaging filters, announced the release of ToonIt!, a software pack consists of filters that adds a cartoon look to digital video. Now users can create cartoon-like videos at home via automatic filters. However, the $299 or RM990 price tag will be an obstacle for Digital Anarchy, considering that most consumer camcorders offer similar effects pre-installed.

“Until now there hasn't been a high-quality way to create these effects that isn't very labor intensive,” said Stan Schwartz, co-founder and President of Toonamation. “We're delighted to bring that capability to you, here, first, through the ToonIt! plugin and our partnership with Digital Anarchy."

ToonIt! is composed of 4 filters:
Roto Toon - flattens color shades and provides control over outlines, shading, and halftone effects.
Outlines Only - creates a black and white comic book effect by detecting outlines and removing color entirely.
Goth Toon - dabbles with high contrast imaging by utilizing an internal color rotoscoping
Blacklight Edges - locates pronounced edges and adds a neon glow to them.
A number of styles can be applied to footage, such as Flat Cartoon, Graphic Novel, Line Art, Stipple and Pen & Ink. Digital Anarchy also claims that ToonIt! reduces temporal artifacts commonly found in other cartooning software.



Images taken from: digitalanarchy.com


Other features include:

• Beautiful Variety of Styles.
  
• Create complex looks such as Flat Cartoon, Graphic Novel, Line Art, Stipple and Pen & Ink.
  
  
• No Resolution Limits
  
• ToonIt! supports footage with any resolution or size.
  
  
• No Hand Masking or Rotoscoping
  
• Each toon effect is generated automatically. While there are customizable controls in the plugin, no manual or frame-by-frame work is needed.
  
  
• Customizable Looks
  
• There are many possible approaches to get the best result for different types of footage with 40 different parameters available to adjust the plugin results.
  
  
• Temporal Noise Reduction
  
• ToonIt! keeps the results consistent over time, frame-by-frame. There is no jittering when played back at full speed, which is a common problem for software trying to achieve the cartoon effect.

ToonIt! 1.0 will be available in late June through July 4^th only. ToonIt! is compatible with the following NLEs: After Effects 5.5 and higher, Final Cut Pro 4.5 and higher, Motion 2.1 and higher, and Premiere Pro 2.0 (Windows only) and higher. To view some footages that has gone through ToonIt! editing, click here.

Source: awn.com
digitalanarchy.com

JVC ProHD Camcorders Advances

JVC has developed a new firmware for its ProHD cameras that enhances the performance by increasing the gain and sensitivity, allowing pristine HD images to be captured at night. It does so while introducing very little noise into the picture, something low-light shooters have struggled with for years.

The software which is called Lolux, gives the user 30, 36 and 42 db of gain, specs offered on more expensive cameras, in addition to the gain settings that ship with the camera’s standard software. LoLux is comprised of half electrical gain and half light accumulation through the shutter. The result is a clean image with few artifacts and little image noise. What is image noise, you ask?
Image taken from: downloadsquad.com
An example of image noise. The left picture is with image noise, while the right is an improved version.

Image noise is a random, usually unwanted, fluctuation of pixel values in an image. Image noise can originate in film grain, or in electronic noise in the input device (scanner or digital camera) sensor and circuitry, or in the unavoidable shot noise of an ideal photon detector. Image noise is most apparent in image regions with low signal level, such as shadow regions or underexposed images. - Wikipedia


Image taken from: abelcine.com

Although they have a 1/3-inch imager, the quality of the ProHD camcorders, such as the GY-HD250U(picture above), is getting so good that many people can’t tell the difference in terms of picture quality between it and other 1/2- and 2/3-inch cameras costing much more. Using a wide band A/D converter on the front end of the imager, the 250U allows users to get greater sensitivity than other HDV cameras. Users have reported seeing f8 at 2000 lux, which is nearly equal to what a larger-format CCD delivers.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Speaking of JVC, after months of speculation, followed by months of failed negotiations with other agencies, JVC and Kenwood have officially agreed to merge under a holding company in 2008. JVC has been under the control of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. (trade name Panasonic) since the 1950s.

Source: reuters.com