Archive notice: This article was originally published on January 31, 2017. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Natron is a free node-based VFX compositing program whose interface bears a strong resemblance to Nuke from The Foundry. The tool is now available in version 2.2. New project formats, as well as documentation and OpenGL improvements, are part of the update. Here is a brief overview:
Features in version 2.2
- More precise ellipse for Roto & RotoPaint tools
- OpenGL enabled by default for plug-ins that support it
- Project formats in HD_720, UHD_4k, and others
- Bug fixes, adjustments, and stabilization of the plug-ins from the 2.1 release
- RotoMerge and WriteFFmpeg
You can read all the update notes here. 3D workspaces and deep-data support are also planned for the future, as you can read on GitHub.
New to Natron? – DP explains!
For anyone who wants to get to know the tool: VFX supervisor Rayk Schroeder (Rise Visual Effects) took a look at Natron for you. Here you can find the free article in our web content for DP issue 16 : 06. For a detailed introduction, the Natron team also offers very extensive documentation, which you can read here.
Download & compatibility
You can download Natron here free of charge. The software is compatible with Microsoft Windows (7, 8, 10), Apple Max OS X from 10.6, and Linux from 2.6.18.
