Skip to main content

Part of VFX

Real Lens Flares

Create realistic lens flares based on simulated optical models and ray traced light.

Real Lens Flares

Lens Simulation Engine

Real Lens Flares was built on an engine that simulates the optical qualities of a real lens and calculates rays of light bouncing around inside of glass to create beautiful images.


The accuracy of our simulation creates lens flares that move, morph and merge as the light source shifts across the screen. It will make you feel like you are looking at the real thing.

        Real Lens Flares

        Infinite Customization

        Modify almost any property of the lens to change the look and feel of the lens flare. Dial the aperture, tweak the antireflective coatings, move the sensor, and shine some extra light on your shots.

              Real Lens Flares

              Presets

              Real Lens Flares ships with dozens of beautiful presets based on real lens simulations, as well as a set of stylized flares and core projections to start building your own.

                    Real Lens Flares

                    Aperture Control

                    Changing the aperture is one of the most dramatic ways that the user can change the look of the flare. With Real Lens Flares, you can change the number of blades, curvature, twist, and countless other properties of the aperture to tweak the look of your flare.

                          Real Lens Flares

                          Light Control

                          Real Lens Flares works like a real camera lens, you set the type of light, position and intensity, and our engine calculates a realistic flare based on the exposure that you set.

                                Real Lens Flares

                                Color Control

                                In addition to being able to control the color of the light of your flares, artists now can edit the properties of each piece of glass to change the color of the reflections that it creates. The color of your reflections is the color of your flare.

                                      Real Lens Flares

                                      Core Projections

                                      A set of core projections that can also be controlled through the lens model, as well as individually:

                                      • Glowball - soft zone of over exposure around a light.
                                      • Starburst - a star shaped visual artifact caused by the aperture.
                                      • Single spike - emulating a smear of oil across the lens.
                                      • Halo - chromatic ringing effect caused by a scratched or oily lens.
                                      • Gate Flare - light hitting the edge of the lens barrel and bouncing across the glass.

                                            Real Lens Flares

                                            Technology Preview

                                            This release is a technology preview and will evolve with the participation of our artistic community. Your feedback will help us shape the future of this brand new tool.

                                                  Real Lens Flares

                                                  Resources

                                                  Looking for information regarding operating system requirements and compatibility?