In this free video tutorial, we'll learn how to create a magnifying glass effect in After Effects, without loss of quality.
We'll start by creating our own magnifying glass design, metalized and minimalist, using shape layers. Our lens will be completely vectorial and all its elements are editable with a few clicks (colors, reflections, etc. ..).
And finally we will see how to configure our magnifying glass to display inside a zoomed version of our main composition, without loss of quality.
Caution: you must use high-quality images (above 2000px wide) or vector illustrations in order to enjoy this tutorial.
Bonus Expression
Here's a tip to make your zoomed composition moves proportionally with the magnifying glass to display the image even at the edges, without manually move the composition.
Here's the expression to add on the position property of your 100% layer. You must change the name of the layer in the first line with the one that you use for your magnifying glass, and make sure that the position of the composition are reset to its original values (eg 640.360 in a 720p composition) .
loupe=thisComp.layer("Loupe"); big=thisLayer; bigS=transform.scale; small=thisComp; ratioW=(big.width/(100/bigS[0]))/small.width; ratioH=(big.height/(100/bigS[1]))/small.height; p=loupe.transform.position-[thisComp.width,thisComp.height]/2; value-[p[0]*ratioW,p[1]*ratioH]+p
This should work regardless of the lens size, regardless of the zoom level, and regardless of the composition size. When the lens will move on the edge of the composition, the zoomed comp will follow accordingly!
wonderful tutorial?I love all your wonderful amazing tutorial~~i wana learn everything form your tutorials?
Like!
Thanks !! I learned a lot from this !!
A few lessons
)=
i can't watch this. It says: "Could not load plugins:
File not found". :(
hello une question this programs is the after effects cs 4 o after effects cs5 ....???
It's CS5.5, but this technique will works fine with CS4 too !
thanks .. I did the tutorial, I had trouble because there are a lot of English but I succeeded thanks =)
Great tutorial! My only problem is that the track matte that is parented to the magnifying glass seems to be getting distorted by the glass effect. This is even happening in the source files that I downloaded from you. Is there a solution for this?
Thanks!
Hi there
Mattrunks, your tutorials are great, thank you a lot.
In addition, i have made up some expression to put on the position of the magnified layer:
s = transform.scale[0]/thisComp.layer("Insert Small Fit").transform.scale[0];
x = thisComp.width/2 + (thisComp.width/2 - thisComp.layer("lupe").transform.position[0])*(s-1);
y = thisComp.height/2 + (thisComp.height/2 - thisComp.layer("lupe").transform.position[1])*(s-1);
[x,y]
Now you will always have the correct magnified piece and dont have to fit the position of this layer. Does it work for you?
why can't i whatch the tutorial??
cool)))))))))))
Cant watch it either... any help?
We have an issue with our main streaming server. I've switched on a backup server. It should works now if you refresh the page ? Sorry for the inconvenience.
Working now! Thanks
Cant see it, any alternative?
Should this technique work in CC? I've tried and tried going through the tutorial and not getting correct result. Download the project and the loupe is black and all files are connected.
Hi Matt, great tutorial! Although I'm having a problem and I'm really going crazy.
I followed all the steps, review it a hundred times to make sure all is the same than in your video.
But when I link the center of the magnifying effect to the position of the loupe in the main comp, I just keep getting the same result. The center is moving with the position (numbers of the glass effect change to the same value as the position inside the loupe comp), but the fact is, that the magnifying effect is kept right at 200,200 in the main comp (top left hand side) and not moving at all....So all I get is a black circle for all the rest of the screen......Do you know at all what this might be? Hope I make sense...
Thanks!!
It seems to be a problem with the Optical Compensation effect on AE CC.. :/ A quick fix is to open the "Loupe" composition, and disable the "Glass Effect" adjustment layer.
Yeah, I tried to put the effect inside the main comp but it didn't work either. It works alright with the spherize though, but you don't have so much control.
Thanks!
Hi
Can this effect be used with particular to create dynamic bubbles that magnify contents in comp?
Thanks
Al
Hi Alan,
I want to do the exact same thing. Did you already found out how to do it? Please let me know.
Thanks,
Sturmwurm8
Hi Alan,
I want to do the exact same thing. Did you already found out how to do it? Please let me know.
Thanks,
Sturmwurm8
Hey there
Unfortunately, no i didn't find out how to do this.
Sorry i cant be of more help!
Too bad.
Thanks for your answer.