In nuce: Boris FX releases Optics 2022, the latest version of the tool that lets you enhance your still images with the kind of effects you know from current blockbuster films. Optics is software designed to make visual effects accessible to photographers.
New features: Perhaps the biggest innovation is the so-called Particle Illusion, which is a particle generator. Optics 2022 is equipped with over 1,500 particle templates, including natural phenomena such as fire, water and smoke, but also more fantastic effects familiar from sci-fi or fantasy films, such as a magical glitter (for vampires) or a futuristic-graphic user interface (for space vampires). These are all elements that you can use to spruce up your photos (and make Nosferatu happy). The best thing about it is that you can customise the effects directly in Photoshop or Lightroom.
More of the new features: Effects from Sapphire have also been added, including – as the accompanying announcement states – UltraZap, UltraGlow, EmbossGlass and WarpWaves.
Apple users are celebrating: Apple users are pleased about support for Metal’s compute shader computer graphics interface, but also about the fact that Apple’s M1 processors are now supported. Overall, the performance on Mac devices with Optics 2022 should be better than before.
Availability: Optics 2022 is available both as a standalone tool and as a plugin for Photoshop and Lightroom. If you are afraid of the costs of the perpetual licence (149 US dollars) or the monthly (9 US dollars) or annual (99 US dollars) versions of Optics 2022, you can also try out the free trial version of the software first. Please note: The standalone version is only updated sporadically – so check here to see exactly what you need.
Click further: In the video below, John Dickinson, the main person responsible for motion graphics at Boris FX, demonstrates how you can change the particle template in Photoshop and Lightroom to suit your requirements. The second video gives you a quick overview of the new features in Optics 2022, and if you’re a complete beginner, click on the third video (with a body part of your choice) to learn how to get started with Optics 2022. Finally, in the accompanying announcement you will discover Optics 2022 grosso modo. We wish you lots of fun with the image processing, worthy of a major Hollywood production (with bang effects)!
New in Boris FX Optics 2022: Particle Illusion inside Photoshop
Introducing Boris FX Optics 2022 – Full Overview
Getting Started with Boris FX Optics 2022
And who wants to know more?
In the upcoming issue 22:02 DP author Uli Plank tests and whether it’s worth getting in!
