Camera tracking question

I have some hand held video footage. I have created a 3-D object in 3ds MAX and need to get it into the footage somehow. I have no idea how to do this. I know I can track camera movement with Mocha, but I need help. Can I take this information and transfer it to a camera in MAX?
Dean

There are two solutions (like already metioned):
You can render your object out from 3Ds MAX with a static camera, import the footage to After Effects, motion track your video and parent the render to the tracking data. Therefore you need to match the camera angle in your 3D-Software and you can't use this method for a actually moving camera. But for tilt and shift movement I think it's a good method.
You alternatively could use the free voodoo camera tracking software. Of course it doesn't give as great results as the commercial software solutions but I'm quite sure you can get a pretty nice 3D-track with a little work. Then you can export the tracking data as a script for 3Ds MAX and use it in the 3D software!

Similar Messages

Camera tracking / workflow question with 3DS Max....

Hi guys,
I have a general question about workflow using After Effects and 3DS Max....
Scenerio:
I have a virtual news set in 3DS Max to composite in the greenscreen footage. The footage has everything needed for tracking - markers and so on. After tracking the footage, I want to use the tracking from the footage, plus incorporate some camera moves from 3DS Max when the talent is 'behind the news desk'. Kinda like doing an 'orbital dolly' move to pan across the set. In After Effects, how would I merge the existing camera tracking from the original footage and then merge the panning camera moves from 3DS Max?
Thanks.
Jason

You will need a 3D track/ matchmove. Once you have, you should not ahve any problems importing teh result in both programs. SynthEyes etc. support a ton of export formats. For everything else a simple 3D export from MAX using relevant scripts/ plug-ins should suffice or you simply could use your keyed footage as a texture in MAX.
Mylenium

Camera tracker to C4D - flipped world in Cinema 4D

Hello
my question - when I track footage with camera tracker and set ground plate, send composition with camera and nulls in Cinema 4D my floor becomes ceiling, I tried to fix it with flipping the camera but then the tracked comp isn't shows properly in AE.

What, exact, version of AE are you using (down to the last decimal)? What version of C4D are you using? Could we see some screenshots?

3d camera tracker

I cant get 3d camera tracker to work - keeps telling me 'timed out obtaining dynamiclink server connection. please help me

FAQ: What information should I provide when asking a question on this forum?

Null object not following 3D camera tracking points.

After applying the 3d camera tracker I right click between three targets and select "create null and camera", this creates a null object correctly aligned with the selected target and a camera, however, when I scrub through the timeline the null object is not tracking along with the selected target in the scene, it just stays in the one spot on the screen. It only just started to have this problem, it had been working fine before and all of a sudden its not working. Is there a way of fixing this? Did i accidentally deactivate the feature some how? Cheers Luke.

I'm not sure I follow your description. When you say the null does not track with the target, that would be correct if the target is something that is moving in the scene because the 3D camera tracker solves for a moving camera solution by analyzing the change in parallax of fixed geometry in the scene. IOW, it's looking for things like buildings and roads and rocks that do not move. The camera is then added to the scene and 3D object you add to the scene should stick to the plane in the scene where it was placed. In other words, if you stuck a null to the sidewalk or to a wall, the null would stay stuck to the wall.
If, on the other hand, you want to attach a null to something moving through the scene, like someone walking or a car driving, then Camera tracking is not the right tool. You need to use AE's motion tracker or Mocha to track the moving object inside the scene. That tracking data is what you must use to attach a null, or a layer, or text to something that is moving through the scene.

Then 'm selecting 3 points after camera tracker and right click them there is no SET GROUND PLANE in the list, can U help me?

Then 'm selecting 3 points and right click them there is no SET GROUND PLANE in the list, can U help me?

Quit farting around with the camera tracker. You're not nearly ready to handle it. Go here:
Getting started with After Effects (CS4, CS5, CS5.5, CS6, & CC)

3D camera track points not displaying correctly

Just bought a new iMac and am re-installing all of my programs including Creative Cloud programs. I am having an issue with After Effects not displaying all the track points when I use the 3D camera tracker. I get maybe 6-10 points displaying but that is it. They are there because I can still create nulls, solids, shadow catchers, etc... but the points themselves will not display. I have used the camera tracker in the past with no problems at all. Any idea why this would be going on? Here are my iMac specs...

Try some of your older footage. Some footage produces very few tracking points, other footage produces a lot. Sometimes you need to scale up the size of the track points to see more of them. A screen shot would help us diagnose your problems.

3D Camera Track feature in AE CS6 using static video footage

Today I placed a camera on a tripod at the back of a room so that I could record a presentation that was being made at the front of the room. During the presentation, the presenter was standing beside or moving in front of a screen that had a PowerPoint presentation on it. What I want to do is place some animations, movies or images on the screen instead of the PowerPoint slides during parts of the presentation. My thought was to use the new 3D camera tracker in AE CS6 to paste this alternate content onto the screen using one of the analyzed track points. When the presenter moves in front of the screen I want it to look like the image is pasted to the screen so the image looks like it is between the screen and presenter and my audience viewing the resultant web videos will be none the wiser. I have seen this trick performed during one of the Adobe CS6 launch videos, but in this instance, it was dealing with footage that was panning around a person standing near a wall. My footage, on the other hand is static and does not move. Is this effect possible in my case? Many thanks for your help!
Paul B.

You simply use the conventional 2D Corner Pin or even a manually placed (3D) layer. If the shot is static, there is no point in using the 3D tracker at all. It will fail, anyway, for mathematical reasons. The masking you will have to do either way...
Mylenium

After effects error: unknown exception on frame 0 in 3D Camera Tracker. (1) (25 :: 16)

I am getting this error code ( http://prntscr.com/2qbcro ) when i open a project i've been working on recently. When i press ok, everything that was in the project dissapears. I've tryed to open other projects with 3D camera tracker, and they works fine. I've also been trying to re-install after effects, but with no luck...
I haven't been installing any new third party plugins lately.
I tryed to import the actual AE file. It gives me the same error, but it is not starting up a new project, all the files that i've been using in the project is there in the project panel. But none of my compositions is open. When im trying to open them by double clicking on it, it comes up with a new error saying "After effects error: layer does not have a source (26 :: 335)" ( http://prntscr.com/2qdscz ) (Only some of the compositions is giving me this message, all the compositions where i've been using 3D camera tracker in it, is giving me the message) I'm trying to delete all the compositions that is giving me this error message, but when i've deleted some of them, and i'm trying to save the new project, my after effects crashes, and some new weird error messages is popping up, like: http://prntscr.com/2qdtsu & http://prntscr.com/2qdu67. After these messages it automaticly quits out of after effects.
If you could help me out, i would be soo damn happy!

i tryed to explain it in my other text:
I tryed to import the actual AE file. It gives me the same error, but it is not starting up a new project, all the files that i've been using in the project is there in the project panel. But none of my compositions is open. When im trying to open them by double clicking on it, it comes up with a new error saying "After effects error: layer does not have a source (26 :: 335)" ( http://prntscr.com/2qdscz ) (Only some of the compositions is giving me this message, all the compositions where i've been using 3D camera tracker in it, is giving me the message) I'm trying to delete all the compositions that is giving me this error message, but when i've deleted some of them, and i'm trying to save the new project, my after effects crashes, and some new weird error messages is popping up, like: http://prntscr.com/2qdtsu & http://prntscr.com/2qdu67. After these messages it automaticly quits out of after effects.

After Effects CC: 3D Camera Tracker - No Render Points [HELP]

So I edit Call Of Duty videos and uplaod them to youtube, i always use the 3D Camera Tracker and it usually works perfectly. But, i recently reset my computer and re-donwloaded After Effects, and now my Camera Tracker is Analyzing AND Solving the footage with no errors, but after its done solving no render points come up unless i check "Render Track Points" in the Effects and Controls Window, and if i do that none of the Track Points are clickable. I made sure it is in Full res, the footage layer is selected, and the 3D Camera Tracker fx is selected and turned on in the Effects and Presets window. I get no errors at all and no "Unable To Solve For This Frame" error, so the footage should be able to be tracked, right? Please Help! D:
Bigger Picture here: http://gyazo.com/879f04e12458d7b0663a170e20de38c6

I had the same problem, I think the way I fixed it is by making sure the clip is exactly the same frame rate as the composition. I'm having the problem again, but matching the frame rate doesn't effect the results...
Mylenium and Rick, I don't think either of those are the answers. I've done both and neither solved the problem. I know it's nothing advanced, it's a minor thing I can't put my finger on.
- Alpine

Merging C4D 3D objects with AE camera tracked video

I am able to use CC AE's camera tracker track video, create a ground plane, targets, nulls, etc., and get objects created within AE to move along with the camera movement of the video that was tracked.
However, after I create a C4D "layer" (file), I am unable to align the 3D space of the C4D scene with the 3D camera generated by AE's camera tracker. After matching the position and perspective in C4D, the 3D object remains static and disregards any movement in the video. Selecting either the "Centered Comp Camera" or "Comp Camera" makes the C4D layer shink to about 1/20th of its size compared to the "Cinema 4D Camera".
Can anyone suggest a comprehensive, clearly explained tutorial on how to merge C4D 3D objects with video footage in After Effects?
thanks!

You start by running AE's 3D camera tracker on your footage. Then you select tracker points and set the ground plane and origin. Then you either select another set of tracker points or use the same set to create a null and a camera or a solid and a camera.
Now you go to File>Export>Cinema 4D exporter. Save the File. You will get a C4D project with the Ae Camera and any other 3D layers you included in the comp.
Now add your elements in C4d and then import the C4D file into AE. Drag it to the timeline and select use comp camera.
That should do it. It's prety easy if you follow these steps.
If you created the c4D file first, then tracked the footage, you have to select Comp Camera in Cineware, then extract the comp camera in Cineware, then re position your elements inside c4D. This can be done but it is much more cumbersome.
I hope this helps. Just make sure that Cineware is always using the comp camera and that youare using the 3D Tracker Camera from AE in C4d when you are trying to arrange your scene.
Grayscale Gorilla has a tutorial that kind of shows you how to do this. They miss setting the origin and ground plane and there are much more effecient ways to arrange objects in the scene, but it should give you an idea of how this works. The best part of the tutorial is on lighting and color matchin inserted 3D objects.

Camera tracked points not showing up

Hey.
I am familiar with the built in Camera Tracker in After Effects and I have had no problems with it up untill this point.
My problem is that after the 3D Camera Tracker is done analyzing the frames, the track points does not show up on the screen.
If i check on "Render Track Points", they do show up, but when i check it off again, the points disappear again, so that doesn't help me at all.
I got 8 gb ram and a decent graphics card.
Does anyone know a solution to my problem?
Thanks in advance.

Are your view options set to show layer controls?
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/aftereffects/cs/using/WS3878526689cb91655866c1103906c6dea-7eaf a.html#WS66A7ECEA-27AB-4fab-B6D6-39977725A870a

AE CC 2014 Camera Tracker Not Allowing Me To Create Nulls From Track Points

After Effects CC 2014
iMac OS X Version 10.9.5
Pro: 3.2 CHz IC i5
32 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680MX 2048 MB
I have been trying to use AE's camera tracker for two days and while it will track, show the track points, and even create a camera... It will not allow me to right click the track points to create nulls and it will not show any of the plain targets. My work around was to upload my footage (Red Epic footage) to the older AE CC, re set up all my ins and outs, track the footage, save it, and open it up back in AE CC 2014. Then it allows me to create track points and such.
Great that I found a work around but takes so much time. Please help me if you can. Thanks!
Chris

There is obviously some bug regards of resolution of tracked footage, because if you precompose e.g. Epic 5K footage to HD comp and camera 3D track this comp then all works OK (points are displayable, selectable and camera is "addable"(?)).
But I don't know "trigger" resolution value, when it works, and when not.

After Effects text camera tracking problem

Hey everyone,
I have some trouble with creating the effect of having some text in a clip, appearing to be floating in the shot ("3D").
In the scene, I have filmed a large area (inside of a church) from one position, only letting the camera film from left to right (fixed position, variable rotation). After importing this clip and applying the 3D camera tracking effect, I have added a text-layer, made this a 3D layer, and manoeuvred in the desired position. But, when playing this scene, the text drifts/jerks a bit (a bit upwards, a downwards..). I thought, maybe the position only "looks" correct, but is not the actual position. So, after trying different positions, but still having the text appearing to be in the same spot, this still doesn't solve the problem of having the text not fixed to the position.
Another thing I tried was using other Camera solving programs, Boujou and Blender, and importing the camera into AE. This still gives the same problem, and the tracking point of every track seems to be perfect. So, if the camera is more or less solved correctly, what else can cause my text layer to wiggle/drift during the shot?
I'm quite new to this, so any help would be welcome. And, if more info is needed, please let me know!

Oooh, that's not good. I doubt the trip through AME included a frame rate conversion. Unless you were making slo-mo video, you didn't conform the video to 24fps. You probably have a hot mess of mixed frame rates that aren't helping your cause at all -- and 50 to 24 is particularly messy.
So why did you go from 50fps to 24fps? Any other reason than the film frame rate is supposed to look cool? And if you wanted supposedly-cool 24fps, why did you shoot 50 in the first place?

Tracking C4D model in After Effects with Camera Tracker

Hello, I have a problem positioning my C4D object in my After Effects Comp for camera tracking. I create a comp with video footage that I then track camera. I choose a bullseye and position it where I would
like the C4D object to be placed. I right click the bullseye and 'Set Ground Plane and Orgin'. I then place the C4D object in the comp and set the Cineware Camera to 'Comp Camera'. Now, the C4D object is placed where I
placed the bullseye, but it is very very small. I can hardley see it. How do I bring the object closer to the 3D Tracker Camera before the camera starts to move? Or do I bring the 3D Tracker Camera closer to
the object before the camera starts to move. I also tried 'Center Comp Camera' but then the small C4D object disappears and goes off screen. I appreciate any replies. Thanks alot.
Brandon C.

Simply scale the object/scene in C4D.
Mylenium

Camera tracking question

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for