how to use z-depth 3d render pass for depth of filed blur in vegas 23

JOHN-SVANBERG wrote on 3/7/2026, 1:14 PM

Hi Forum! Just purchased the full version of Vegas 23. I am a 3D designer and do a lot of 3d clips in Cinema 4D with Corona Renderer. I always output my renders clean without depth of field blur but output 2 animations, one amiamtion colour animation and one b/w z-depth DOF output. I would then use After Effects to add the DOF blur which was super easy and I could control the blur by adjusting the b/w animation. I am totally new to Vegas 23 and not heard back from support how to do this. I have a big project next week and need to know how to achieve this with Vegas. Hopefully this is easy? Happy to share some test cips if needed to get this right? Have a good weekend All and hopefully someone out there knows how to do this? Thanks, John :-)

Comments

fr0sty wrote on 3/7/2026, 1:41 PM

I'm not sure of a built-in way to control blur with another black and white depth map image, the best approach I can think of is to set the track with the depth mask on it to the Multiply composite mode. Make 2 copies of your video, one with a blur effect on it, one without. The multiply composite mode would then reveal more of the unblurred image the closer the pixel got to white, with the blurred image sitting on the bottom background layer. You could use a built in gaussian blur effect on the bottom track, and adjust it as needed.The only problem with this is, Multiply isn't made for that... grey pixels get darker, not more transparent.

This guy will show you how to use multiply masks.

You could also export the parts of your image you want to remain in focus as a separate compositing layer with an alpha channel background (you must set cinema 4D to render alpha channels and export as a png sequence, or any other format that supports alpha channels), then export your background elements you want to blur on a separate layer, then blur from there, but that isn't really an accurately simulated DoF, it's faked. Elements will either be fully blurred or not blurred at all.

That's why I can't think of an elegant way to pull this off with the built in tools. Maybe VEGAS will soon get this feature, though... I know the team has long wanted to add a suite of motion graphics tools after losing VEGAS Effects.

fr0sty wrote on 3/7/2026, 1:49 PM

The Z- Depth effect doesn't currently support the use of user-supplied depth maps, it generates its own, and sometimes doesn't do the best job of it. If you can play with the settings and get a result you like, try making 2 copies of your video, stacked on top of each other in their own tracks, then apply blur to one (the bottom one), zdepth to the other copy on top. It'll work sometimes, not as good others.

JOHN-SVANBERG wrote on 3/7/2026, 2:39 PM

Thank you fr0sty. Wow, just paid specifically for this. Pretty much useless for me if it can't read z-depth to generate blur or masks, ouch!

Fu-Ji wrote on 3/7/2026, 2:49 PM

Here's a Vegas tutorial on creating depth-of-field blur using a depth map.

JOHN-SVANBERG wrote on 3/7/2026, 3:08 PM

Hi Fu-Ji,

Just seen this... looks VERY PROMESING! Will give it a go tomorrow 😀🙏

fr0sty wrote on 3/7/2026, 4:31 PM

So basically the same thing I suggested the first time, using the DOF render as a mask and multiplying, but they're using the mask generator effect to do it automatically. It works as a "fake depth of field".

JOHN-SVANBERG wrote on 3/7/2026, 4:44 PM

Hi All, struggeling to understand the interface, so different from AE. Apologies! What does the arrow box thing mean or were do I find it in the new version (were the cursor is in the attached)?

JOHN-SVANBERG wrote on 3/7/2026, 4:59 PM

Hi All,

Think the version he is using is super old, cant find S-Blur, the screen is blurred, hard to read...Finding this really hard work guys, might go back to AE, atleast I know how to do it. finding Vegas a struggle to learn LOL!