The bytes node – Apple Shake 4 User Manual
Page 413
Chapter 15
Image Processing Basics
413
You can seamlessly layer images of different bit depths together. This results in the
lower bit-depth image being automatically promoted to the higher of the two bit
depths. (For example, an Over node compositing an 8-bit image with a 16-bit image
results in a 16-bit image.) This is an automatic operation, invisible to the user.
To reverse this behavior, insert a Bytes node before the Over node on the 16-bit image
to reduce the image to 8 bits.
Bit-depth level is calculated locally in the node tree. In the previous example mixing 8-
bit and 16-bit images, only the sections of the node tree that come after the 8-bit to 16-
bit conversion in the Over node are calculated at 16 bits.
Cineon File Bit Depth
10-bit Cineon files are automatically promoted to 16 bits when read in or written by
Shake, so you don’t have to worry about any data loss. However, the linearization of the
log files may result in loss unless you first promote your images to float. For more
information, see “
The Bytes Node
The Bytes node converts the input image to a different bit depth. The bit depth is
counted in bytes per channel. To view the current bit depth of an image, you can look
at the title bar of the Viewer, or look at the output of a Shake -info in the Command
Line field at the bottom of the interface. 10-bit Cineon files are automatically pushed to
16 bits when read by Shake.
Note: When compositing images of different bit depths, you do not need to force the
images to conform; Shake automatically pushes the lower bit-depth image to the
higher bit depth.