After Effects vs. Plugins: A 3D Showdown!

Let’s dive into the epic battle between the native 3D tools in After Effects and four powerful plugins: Helium, Element, Geo and Cineware
Links:
Vinyl Record Player: bit.ly/49QGEnS
Audiotechnica Headphones: bit.ly/44lTBoD
Curves: app.pluginplay.app/tool/curves
HeliumX: heliumx.tv/
Element: www.videocopilot.net/products...
Geo: www.maxon.net/en/red-giant/tr...
Comparison Table: bit.ly/3xSCP4j
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IN-DEPTH TRAINING
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Website: sternfx.co.uk
#aftereffects
00:00 - What you will learn
01:48 - The Rules
03:37 - Native After Effects
08:57 - HeliumX
12:55 - Element 3D
15:14 - Geo
18:44 - Cineware
22:07 - Conclusion

[@MaxonRedgiant]

Thanks for this breakdown! We're glad you saw how nice it can be to work with After Effects layers for your various texture maps right in the AE interface. We hope the easy UI makes it fun to use. As you mentioned regarding some of the current limitations, this is the very first iteration of Geo; we have lots planned for the future! One note: for animated models, Geo can use OBJ sequences too. You just have to import them via Geo's model browser (since After Effects' recent update made it so OBJ sequences can't be imported into AE anymore).

[@SternFX]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm certain that like all the other RG tools Geo will become an in despicable part of my 3D workflow in Ae. I anticipate a bright and extruded future for it :-)

[@Rosomyat]

Can't wait to see E3D updated version (3). Andrew Kramer must be listening 😊

[@jzwadlo]

Ooh this seems fun! Nice to have you back!

[@gazzabazz]

Brilliant overview and comparison, Eran - thank you!

[@SternFX]

Thank you!

[@originmusic9316]

Very nice comparison, thanks

[@pluginplay]

Great breakdown! Thanks for the Curves shoutout ❤

[@SternFX]

Of course!!

[@richochet]

Thank you so much for putting so much effort into this appreciated

[@SternFX]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Cineinsaner]

thank you so much for this awesome video

[@SternFX]

You are so welcome!

[@vinodhvarma6075]

Amazing analysis

[@SternFX]

Thank you

[@furyzenblade3558]

Nice comparison!

[@SternFX]

Thanks!

[@bojacksimpson8624]

Thank you for investing so much time in this video, very useful.

[@SternFX]

Glad to hear

[@helgasonb]

Great video! thank you.

[@SternFX]

You bet!

[@NLENinjaEffects]

Awesome!

[@gummoman]

With all the time that has passed and element 3d is still incredible

[@SternFX]

It is

[@annorcosmos9561]

Thank you

[@SternFX]

Welcome!

[@furyzenblade3558]

8:24 Doesn't the camera layer in after effects already have a built in depth of field option? Or does it not work with the advanced renderer?

[@PaperTrailStudios]

It normally only works natively with Classic 3D renderer. There are workarounds to get 3D depth with Advanced, but there is a lot of give and take with each renderer.

[@SternFX]

I hope that at some point it will work without these workarounds such as the 3D Channel Extract or Depth Scanner plugin that I showed in the previous tutorial.

[@furyzenblade3558]

ah I see yeah that’s unfortunate

[@joekunitz620]

If you want to be a professional artist you're going to do it in cinema 4D It's going to look 1000 times better. Plus you can still use Cineware for your compositing. Doing full 3D in after effects is always going to be frustrating. Learning a true 3D program is going to be frustrating in the beginning but get better and better with time.

[@SternFX]

Thanks for the comment. In this video I wanted to test the level of 3D in After Effects. Hopefully I managed to articulate it.

[@joekunitz620]

@@SternFX I was making the comment for people watching this video. The main reason I made the comment was showing the improper workflow for Cineware. Nobody that's trying to be a professional would use cinema 4D and after effects in this way. I understand you're trying to create a like for like comparison but using it improperly is not really a comparison and gives the wrong impression that's how you use Cineware. Something I always say just because you can doesn't mean you should especially with after effects

[@SternFX]

@@joekunitz620 Noted! Thanks for the clarification

[@paolovisions3D]

Element 3D will never issue a V3, the site is dead since before Covid....

[@SternFX]

I'm not entirely convinced about that

[@Rosomyat]

Any news of E3D ver 3

[@SternFX]

@@Rosomyat I'm sure when (and if) it happens you'll all know about it

[@Rosomyat]

@@SternFX very Optimistic 😊

[@thegreatszalam]

I talked with Andrew Kramer at NAB Show. They're still working on the next version of Element, so don't count them out yet.