Autodesk’s product upgrade steamroller powers on

Autodesk is leaving no stone unturned in its yearly product updating drive, as it reveals the latest version of its compositing program Toxik and the new edition of ImageModeler.

Toxik 2009 adds support for stereoscopy (also added to Maya 2009 as detailed yesterday), an accelerated 3D to 2D workflow thanks to the ability to import render pass and render layer setups from Maya, and several new tools such as the spline-based Warp 2D tool and a Lens Blur tool.

ImageModeler 2009, on the other hand, is the the first version of ImageModeler to be released by the firm after its developer, RealViz, was acquired by Autodesk earlier this year. The app lets users create 3D models from 2D photographs, from setting calibration points to photo texturing from the source image.

“A growing number of post-production facilities are embracing Autodesk Toxik as a companion to Autodesk Maya,” said Stig Gruman, digital entertainment group vice president, Autodesk Media & Entertainment.

“As the entertainment industry grapples with the challenges of stereoscopic production, Toxik 2009 bridges 3D and 2D workflows, facilitating the production of stereoscopic films and virtual set extensions.”

Toxik 2009 and ImageModeler 2009 are both scheduled to launch in October.