Adobe After Effects CS3 - Manual (Page 183)

AFTER EFFECTS CS3
User Guide
178
Aperture The size of the lens opening. The Aperture setting also affects the depth of field—increasing the aperture
increases the depth of field blur. When you modify Aperture, the values for F-Stop change to match it.
Note: In a real camera, increasing the aperture also allows in more light, which affects exposure. Like most 3D compos-
iting and animation applications, After Effects ignores this result of the change in aperture values.
F-Stop Represents the ratio of the focal length to aperture. Most cameras specify aperture size using the f-stop
measurement; thus, many photographers prefer to set the aperture size in f-stop units. When you modify F-Stop,
Aperture changes to match it.
Blur Level The amount of depth-of-field blur in an image. A setting of 100% creates a natural blur as dictated by the
camera settings. Lower values reduce the blur.
Film Size The size of the exposed area of film, which is directly related to the composition size. When you modify
Film Size, the Zoom value changes to match the perspective of a real camera.
Focal Length The distance from the film plane to the camera lens. In After Effects, the camera’s position represents
the center of the lens. When you modify Focal Length, the Zoom value changes to match the perspective of a real
camera. In addition, the Preset, Angle Of View, and Aperture values change accordingly.
Units The units of measurement in which the camera setting values are expressed.
Measure Film Size The dimensions used to depict the film size.
Create a light and change settings
A light layer can affect the colors of the 3D layers that it shines on, depending on the light’s settings and the Material
Options properties of the 3D layers. Each light, by default, points to its point of interest.
Lights can be used to illuminate 3D layers and to cast shadows, either to match lighting conditions of the scene into
which you are compositing or to create more interesting visual results such as the appearance of light streaming
through a layer as if it were made of stained glass.
Parts of a light
A. Point of interest B. Spotlight cone C. Light
You can animate all of a light’s settings, except for Casts Shadows.
You can specify which 3D layers a light affects by designating the light as an adjustment layer—place the light in the
Timeline panel above the layers on which you want it to shine. Layers that are above a light adjustment layer in the
layer stacking order in the Timeline panel do not receive the light, regardless of the layers’ positions in the Compo-
sition panel.
A
B
C