PE 14/14.1: Camera Raw 9.4

INTRODUCTION

The "Photoshop Camera Raw 9.4" has been released for Photoshop Elements 14/14.1 and Premiere Elements 14/14.1. For Elements, it is downloaded and installed for use from the opened project's Help Menu/Updates.

The Adobe Camera Raw plug-in enables editing raw image format in a Photoshop Elements Camera Raw dialog but only allows for importing raw (and .dng) images as source media into Premiere Elements. The requirements for the processes involve

• Camera Raw version must support the camera that created the raw image format

• Photoshop Elements/Premiere Elements version must support the version of Camera Raw installed 

 http://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite/kb/camera-raw-plug-supported-cameras.html

The new cameras supported by Camera Raw 9.4 are reported (see here) to be

• Fujifilm X70
• Fujifilm X-E2S
• Fujifilm X-Pro2
• Leica M (Typ 262)
• Leica X-U (Typ 113)
• Panasonic DMC-ZS60 (DMC-TZ80, DMC-TZ81, DMC-TZ85)
• Phase One IQ150
• Sony ILCA-68 (A68)

In cases when there is no Camera Raw support for a given camera and Premiere Elements application, consider the Adobe DNG Converter 9.4 which is described by Adobe

The Adobe DNG Converter is a free utility that enables you to easily convert camera-specific raw files from more than 600 cameras to the more universal DNG raw format.

http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=6019


COMMENTARY

Work in progress.


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PE: Rendering Order For Movie Applied Effects

INTRODUCTION

The focus is the Premiere Elements 11 though 14/14.1 workspace Applied Effects Palette and how the order (top to bottom) of its applied effects panels affects what the overall effect will look like.

By default, the Applied Effects Palette for a selected Timeline clip contains two panels, Motion and Opacity. Typically these are referred to as Fixed Effects. When a fx Effect is applied to a Timeline clip, a panel for that fx Effect is added to the Applied Effects Palette. Typically these added fx Effects are referred to as Standard Effects.

BASIC FACTORS

Some relevant Adobe facts...

• The order (top to bottom) of added Standard fx Effects to the Applied Effects Palette can affect what the overall effect will look like.

• Motion and Opacity Fixed Effects are rendered by the program after the Standard Effects.

• The order of the Standard Effects panels in the Applied Effects Palette can be changed by click and drag of panel; whereas, the order of the Motion and Opacity Fixed Effects cannot. 

• When it matters, Adobe suggests substituting fx Effects (Standard Effects) Transform for Motion (Fixed Effect) and Alpha Adjust (Standard Effects) for Opacity (Fixed Effect).

OBSERVATIONS

Applied Effect Palette Panel Reordering

When video fx Effects are applied to a Timeline clip, the panels for each are seen below the Motion and Opacity Panels and are in the order of their application to the clip. But, their order in the Applied Effects Palette can be changed with a click and drag of panel. The change in order can affect what the overall effect looks like, subtly or more dramatically.

Note the differences between order Sharpen, HSL Tuner, Split Tone versus order Sharpen, Split Tone, HSL Tuner and the resulting overall look for the image.

Figure 1. Applied Effects Palette Order Sharpen, HSL Tuner, Split Tone. Same As Figure 2 Except For HSL Tuner And Split Tone Panel Ordering.

Figure 2. Applied Effects Palette Order Sharpen, Split Tone, HSL Tuner. Same As Figure 1 Except for HSL Tuner And Split Tone Panel Ordering.

Using Standard fx Effects As Substitutes for Motion and Opacity Panels (Fixed Effects) in Order to Change Motion and Opacity Rendering Order

Transform for Motion Panel
(Transform found in Premiere Elements 14/14.1 fx Effects/Video/Distort/Transform)

Motion Panel (Fixed Effect)

Transform Panel (Standard Effect)

Alpha Adjust* for Opacity
(Alpha Adjust found in Premiere Elements 14/14.1 fx Effects/Video/Keying/Alpha Adjust)

Opacity Panel (Fixed Effect)

Alpha Adjust* (Standard Effect)

COMMENTARY

With regard to the Applied Effects Tab/Applied Effects Palette/, it appears that the rendering order for the fx Effects is related to the its panel order

• Standard fx video Effects in the order of their top to bottom panel arrangements, then

• Standard fx audio Effects in the order of their top to bottom panel arrangements, then

• Fixed Effects of Motion and Opacity 

Note: The Standard fx audio effects could be re-ordered in relation to each other. And the Standard video fx effects could be re-ordered in relation to each other. But, a Standard audio fx effect panel could not be placed above a Standard video fx effect panel. And, a Standard video fx effect panel could not be placed below a Standard audio fx effect panel.

What is not understood at this time is the relationship of the Adjustment Palette panels (Adjust Tab/Adjustment Palette) to this matter of Rendering Order in the Applied Effects Palette. In Premiere Elements 14/14.1, the Adjustment Palette's "Fixed" panels there are Smart Fix, Shake Reduction, Auto Smart Tone, Color, Color (RGB), Gamma Correction, Lighting, Temperature and Tint, Volume, Balance, Treble, Bass, and Audio Gain. None of these panels were found to be movable.

The open question for now is does it matter if Adjustments Palette adjusts are made before applying fx Effects which present in the Applied Effects Palette. Attempts to answer this question seem to suggest that it does not make a difference - Adjusts first, fx Effects second or fx Effects first, Adjusts second. Work in progress.
  
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* For Alpha Adjust, please see earlier blog post "PE: Alpha Adjust, What is it?"
http://www.atr935.blogspot.com/2015/05/pe-alpha-adjust-what-is-it.html

PE 14/14.1: Hollywood Looks Effects

INTRODUCTION

Hollywood Looks represent a group of effect presets, each offering a different combination of applied effects and adjustments to achieve a certain look for the clip to which it is applied. In Premiere Elements 14/14.1 there are 16 looks found under fx Effects/Video/Hollywood Looks. The same 16 Hollywood Looks are also found in 13/13.1. In Premiere Elements 12/12.1, the same 16 looks are there but now the category for them in fx Effects is called Film Looks instead of Hollywood Looks. In Premiere Elements 11 these looks are there under the Film Looks fx Effects, but there are only 12 of the 16 which are found in later versions. The Adobe defaults settings for a look can be edited under the Applied Effects Tab and Adjust Tab.

To date, the names of the 16 Hollywood Looks effects presets are: Comic, Cross Process, Crushed Color, Deep Copper, Dreamy, Hollywood Movie, Horror, News reel, Old Film, Pandora, Red Noir, Sparta, Summer day, Trinity, Vintage, and Yesteryear.

REVIEW

This blog post is intended as a review of the combination of applied effects and adjustments that go into each of the 16 looks to give the unique look. Samples, each at its default settings, are given for comparison.

SAMPLES*

ORIGINAL

fx Effects: NewBlue Cartoonr Plus. Adjust: Lighting. Not in Premiere Elements 11.

fx Effects: Split Tone. Adjust: Color, Lighting. Not in Premiere Elements 11.

fx Effects: None. Adjust: Color, Lighting, Temperature and Tint

 

fx Effects: Split Tone. Adjust: Color, Lighting, Temperature and Tint

fx Effects: Gaussian Blur, Blend with Original. Adjust: Color, Lighting, Temperature and Tine

fx Effects: Three-Way Color Corrector. Adjust: Lighting

 

fx Effects: Three-Way Color Corrector, Split Tone. Adjust: Color

 

fx Effects: Old Film. Adjust: None

fx Effects: Old Film. Adjust: None

 

fx Effects: Invert. Adjust: Color

 

fx Effects: HSL Tuner, Blend with Original. Adjust: Color, Lighting

fx Effects: Three-Way Color Corrector, HSL Tuner, Split Tone. Adjust: Color, Lighting

fx Effects: Split Tone. Adjust: Color, Lighting, Temperature and Tint

fx Effects: Three-Way Color Corrector, Split Tone. Adjust: Color, Lighting

 

fx Effects: Shadow/Highlight, HSL Tuner, Split Tone. Adjust: None. Not in Premiere Elements 11.

 

fx Effects: Split Tone. Adjust: None. Not in Premiere Elements 11.

COMMENTARY

This samples were created using Premiere Elements 14/14.1 on Windows 7 64 bit and confirmed on Windows 10 64 bit. The Mac side of these effects presets was not looked at. The samples would apply to Premiere Elements 11 through 14/14.1. These particular effects presets were not found in Premiere Elements earlier than 11.

The order of application of effects was discussed in Item 0003 in the Premiere Elements 13 Daily Discoveries blog post back in September 2014. Please see 

http://atr935.blogspot.com/2014/09/premiere-elements-13-daily-discoveries.html 

especially the quoted Adobe's PRE_Help Team's insights on Hollywood Looks.

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*For this review, Premiere Elements project preset = NTSC/DSLR/1080p/DSLR 1080p30@29.97.

Original image (3264 x 2448 pixels) was imported into the project and scaled to the Edit area monitor 1920 x 1080 space which was established by the project preset setting.

Any editing for the looks would be, 

for fx Effects = Applied Effects Tab/Applied Effects Palette/Panel for the Effect expanded

for Adjust = Adjust Tab/Adjustments Palette/Panel for the Adjust expanded

fx Effect: Important, when more than one fx Effect is used for a preset, the order of those effects panels in the Applied Effects Palette is important to the effect outcome. Each Sample above lists the fx Effects used in its order (top to bottom) in the Applied Effects Palette. More on this in the next blog post. 

ATR

 

PE 14/14.1: Slide In/SpinOut Photo Display Using Motion PiPs

INTRODUCTION

My earlier blog post HERE wrote about and demonstrated basic keyframing principles involved in the use of the Premiere Elements motion PiPs. And, in that work a scheme was introduced to reduce the task of an animated photos effect to a "by the numbers" workflow. That work used 28 photos spun progressively into the video frame ultimately to form a rectangular shape.

ISSUE

What is another example for the use of PiPs to create another type of animated photo effect?

SOLUTION

This new blog post targets the keyframe principles involved in using a 40% PiP to assist in the creation of a photo effect where a photo slides into view from off screen left, goes to a center point where it is zoomed in to full frame, returns to 40% scale, and is scaled down as it rotates out of sight. The animated photo effect created is displayed in the mini video found in the How To Step 3 Results section of this blog post.

Once the keyframing by the numbers is done:

• The photo effect produced for one photo can be applied to another photo by keyframe copy/paste in the Show Keyframe Controls area for each of the photos.

• The photo effect can be made to display in reverse by entering the keyframes at each designated time in reverse.

It should be pointed out that user created Position, Scale, and Rotation keyframing is being done as well as using the Scale and Rotation keyframes that come with the Adobe PiP preset being used. This will become evident as the How To proceeds.


HOW TO 

STEP 1.  
Start
Premiere Elements 14/14.1 on Windows 7 64 bit
Project Settings NTSC/DSLR/1080p/DSLR 1080p30@29.97
JPEG Photo 3264 x 2448 (5 seconds duration), scaled to fit the Edit area monitor 1920 x 1080 space provided by the project preset. The photo is selected on the Timeline, and keyframing area accessed via Applied Effects/Applied Effects Palette/Motion Panel Expanded. The two partitioned keyframing area is opened by clicking on the Show Keyframe Controls icon.


The setup up at the Start is represented in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Premiere Elements 14/14.1 Expert Workspace At Start. This Setup Can Be Applied To Any Photo Imported And Scaled To Fit the 1920 x 1080 Edit Area Monitor Space.

STEP 2.
Keyframing By The Numbers.

Drag the PiP 40% UR Spin Out effect into the Timeline photo. See fx Effects/Video/Presets/PiPs/40% UR/PiP 40% UR Spin Out. With the Timeline Indicator at 00;00;00;00, hit the Toggle Animation. Then type in the 00;00;00;00 values for Position (-277.0 and 576.5). The keyframe values for Scale (40.0), and Rotation (0.0) will already be there. Next move the Timeline Indicator to the times indicated in the Table below and enter the unique keyframe values for Position, Scale, and Rotation for each time. Changes time using the timecode under the Edit area monitor and tapping on the right arrow key.

Entering of the keyframe value of the property Position, Scale, or Rotation is done in either of two ways...
typing in the value
or
hitting the diamond icon between the previous and next which are to the right of the keyframe value field(s).

In the Table "Motion Panel Expanded Settings"
Type in keyframe values are indicated by Red T after value.
Diamond icon set values are indicated by Red diamond shape after value.
No mark next to keyframe value indicated no action needed.

1. Keyframes for having 40% scaled picture off screen left, no rotation.

2. Keyframes for moving 40% scaled picture from off screen left to the right in order to get to the center position.

3. Keyframes for keeping 40% scaled picture at center position for 0.5 seconds.

4. Keyframes for maintaining center position but with picture scaled to full frame view.

5. Keyframes for maintaining center position - full frame view for 1 second.

6. Keyframes for taking the full frame view back to 40% view in the center position.

7. Keyframes for maintaining the 40% view at center position for 0.5 seconds.

8. Keyframes for scaling the 40% view to 0% as the picture rotates out.

Expert workspace with keyframes  all entered. Figure 2 demo's view of keyframe 5, the keyframing at 00;00;03;00 Monitor timecode.

Figure 2. Expert Workspace Keyframing Details When Keyframing Completed...Focus On Monitor Timecode For Demonstration Purposes.

STEP 3.
Sample of Photo Effect*

The video shows 4 sample photos put through the above process
Photos 1, 2, and 4 all  have the photo effect with keyframes in 1 to 6 direction. Photo 3 has the photo effect in reverse order than the 1, 2, or 4. A 0.5 second Black Video file was placed in front of the first photo file; another 0.5 second Black Video file was placed between photos 3 and 4. Ways were considered as to how to smooth the movement of the animated photos effect, such as by using interpolation method applied to keyframe. This will not be elaborated on in this blog post. The slide ins seemed the hardest to get the smoothest slide in effect.

COMMENTARY

The above is meant as an introductory exercise for the user wanting to start working with keyframing of a property, Position, Scale, Rotation, and other. It is hoped that the assisted support from presets such as PiPs and suggestions "by the numbers" can help the Premiere Elements user build a better understanding of keyframing in preparation to moving forward to independent and creative keyframing.

The work has been proof read several times and appears to be OK. However, any work published here is continually checked for accuracy.


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*Plug-in problem was found trying use Firefox to play back the "Sample of Photo Effect" video from the blogger.com web site. No problems were found on the same computer when Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or Microsoft Edge was used instead as the computer default browser.




ATR

PE 14/14.1: Custom Export Presets

INTRODUCTION

Premiere Elements 14/14.1's export area is called Export & Share, and its layout is broken down to choices many with certain fixed properties

• Quick Export

• Devices (Computer, TV, Movie, Custom)

• Disc (DVD, Blu-ray, AVCHD)

• Online (YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo)

• Audio (Track, Custom)

• Image (Frame, Custom)

This layout is dramatically different than what Adobe used in export area (called Publish+Share) in Premiere Elements 11, 12/12.1, and 13/13.1. In Premiere Elements 13/13.1, the Publish+Share layout broke down to

• Private Web Album (Adobe Revel related)

• Social Websites (Facebook, Vimeo, and YouTube related)

• Disc (DVD, Blu-ray, AVCHD related)

• Computer

• Mobile Phones and Players

 13/13.1's Publish+Share/Computer was broken down to different formats for export to file

• Adobe Flash Video (11 and 12/12.1 only)

• MPEG

• AVCHD

• XAVC-S

• AVI

• Windows Media

• QuickTime

• Image

• Audio

And, eventually the subcategories narrowed down to choices with presets with default settings that could be customized under the Advanced Button/Video Tab, Audio Tab, Multiplexer Tab of the preset selected.

ISSUE

Essentially 14/14.1's export opportunities are the same as in 11, 12/12.1, and 13/13.1 (exceptions, loss of webDVD and the gain and loss Private Web Albums along the way). The issue becomes where to find the 14/14.1 export counterparts for what was done previously in those earlier versions.

SOLUTION

Use of the "Custom" opportunities in 14/14.1's Export & Share can be used to create custom export presets when an existing Adobe export contains settings that cannot be customized by the user or when an export of choice does not exist anywhere else in Export & Share.

EXAMPLES OF 14/14.1's CUSTOM OPPORTUNITIES

• Devices (Computer, TV, Mobile, Custom)

• Audio (Track, Custom)

• Image (Frame, Custom)

 Example 1

Devices (Computer, TV, Mobile, Custom)

Why Custom instead of Computer, TV, or Mobile? Answer for this AVI example is that there is no place else to set up for AVI export except in this choice.

So, if the export is to be NTSC DV.AVI Widescreen file to the computer hard drive

Premiere Elements 13/13.1
Publish+Share/Computer/AVI
Presets available - DV NTSC Standard, DV NTSC Widescreen, DV PAL Standard, and DV PAL Widescreen.
Preset selected = DV NTSC Widescreen and hit Save button after naming the export and designating the Save In location for it.

Premiere Element 14/14.1
Export & Share
Devices
Custom
and Custom's advanced settings.
In the advanced settings' Export Setting dialog
Video Codec = DV NTSC selected from the choices including DV PAL).
and
Aspect = D1/DV NTSC Widescreen 16:9 (1.2121) selected from choices including D1/DV NTSC (0.9091), D1/DV NTSC Widescreen 16:9 (1.2121), D1/DV PAL (1.0940); D1/DV PAL Widescreen 16:9 (1.4587) 
Name the preset, onward to hit Save button after naming the export and designating the Save In location for it. The name of the preset and its settings remain in Export & Share/Devices/Custom for use in the current and future project.

Example 2

Audio (Track, Custom)

Why Custom instead of just Track? Answer for this WAV example is that the Custom choice gives opportunities for more options for Audio Codec, Sample Rate, Channels, Sample Size, and even an option "Export each channel as a separate file".

If Premiere Elements 14/14.1 Export & Share Audio/Track/ and Format WAV are selected, only choices and details before export are the following (there are no settings in between Low and Mid or Mid and High)

• Low = 32000 Hz, Stereo, 16 bit

• Mid = 44100 Hz, Stereo, 16 bit

• High = 48000 Hz, Stereo, 16 bit

After export, the export file does contain the  properties given in the choice name. But, it takes a MediaInfo readout of the export to give important file’s properties of

• Audio  compression =  PCM  

• Low setting,  bitrate used = 1024 kbps (kilobits per second)

• Mid setting,  bitrate used = 1411.2 kbps

• High setting, bitrate used = 1536 kbps and 48000 Hz

• and the file size.

If Audio/Custom/ and Format WAV are selected, a wider choice for Audio Codec, Sample Rate, Channels, and Sample Size is available, even an option "Export each channel as a separate file".

• Audio compression = Uncompressed; IMA AD PCM; CCITT A-Law; CCITT u-Law; GSM 6.10; Microsoft ADPCM.

• Sample Rate (in Hz) = 8000; 11025; 16000; 22050; 32000; 44100; 48000; 88200; 96000.

• Channels = Mono; Stereo; 5.1.

• Sample Size (in bit) = 8; 16; 24;32; 32; and 32 bit float.

There is no user customization found for WAV bitrate in this Audio Custom WAV format choice.

If Premiere Elements 13/13.1, the counterpart for the 14/14.1 WAV described above would be
Publish+Share/Computer/Audio with Presets = Windows Waveform. The default would be "48000 Hz, Stereo, 16 bit". Customization of the default is done under the Advanced Tab/Audio Tab of the preset. There options include

• Audio compression = Uncompressed; IMA AD PCM; CCITT A-Law; CCITT u-Law; GSM 6.10; Microsoft ADPCM

• Sample Rate (in Hz) = 8000; 11025; 16000; 22050; 32000; 44100; 48000; 88200; 96000.

• Channels = only Mono and Stereo, no 5.1.

• Sample Size (in bit) = 8; 16; 24;32; 32; and 32 bit float.

• No "Export each channel as a separate file" as offered in 14 and no place to adjust audio bitrate.

Example 3 

Image (Frame, Custom)

Why Custom instead of just Frame? Answer for this  200 x 200 pixels JPEG freeze frame example is that the Custom choice gives opportunities for more options for Format, Preset (frame sizes + varied Quality setting), video frame size width and height in pixels, Aspect, and even an option "Export As Sequence" when applicable.

The single freeze frame workflow starts with the Timeline Indicator placed on Timeline video frame that is to be exported.

If Premiere Elements 14/14.1 Export & Share Image/Frame/ and Format JPEG are selected, only choices and details before export of that frame are frame size (1920 x 1080, 1440 x 1080, 1280 x 720, or 720 x 480), format (JPEG), and Quality = Low, mid point, High which represents a relative file size for the export.

If Image/Custom/ and Format JPEG are selected, a wider choice exists for Format, Preset (frame sizes + varied Quality setting), and Aspect.

Note: if it is wanted to export every frame of a video clip as a JPEG file, here is found the option "Export As Sequence" to do that.

If Premiere Elements 13/13.1, the counterpart for 14/14.1 described above would be
Publish+Share/Computer/Image with Presets = JPEG - NTSC SD and then customization of that preset under the Advanced Button/Video Tab of the preset. In 13/13.1, the encoding Format = only JPEG.

COMMENTARY

There are many more comparisons that can be made between 13/13.1* Publish+Share and 14/14.1* Export & Share, but space would not permit. This blog post has grown very large already with just 3 selected examples.


It is hoped that the 3 examples given will act as an introduction to the topic and stimulate interest for personal exploration and experimentation with these export settings.

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*Study done using Windows 7 Professional SP1 64 bit.


ATR