Thursday, June 13th, 2019 Posted by Jim Thacker

Boris FX ships Mocha Pro, Continuum & Sapphire 2019.5


Originally posted on 28 March 2019. Scroll down for news of the commercial releases.

Boris FX has unveiled Mocha Pro 2019.5, the next version of its planar tracking software, plus Continuum 2019.5 and Sapphire 2019.5, the next versions of its effects plugins for compositing and editing apps.

Key changes include integration between Continuum’s Title Studio plugin and Cinema 4D.

Particle Illusion, the veteran particle animation tool relaunched as part of Continuum last year, will also become available as a standalone rendering tool.

All of the products will be on show at NAB 2019, though Boris FX hasn’t yet announced release dates.

Updated 20 June 2019: All three of the 2019.5 releases are now shipping. We’ve updated the story below with more information.



Mocha Pro 2019.5: improved spline tools, better GPU support
Mocha Pro users get improvements to the spline tools and further support for GPU acceleration. Boris FX summarises the new features as follows:

  • Improved spline tools: Adds edge-snapping features for accurate masking with fewer keyframes.
  • New GPU matte optimisation: Makes complex Mocha projects more interactive with significantly faster renders.
  • New host support: Will preview long-awaited support for DaVinci Resolve.

The firm has also announced some of the features due in future releases, including a new Area Brush paint tool for definining planar tracking regions, and a new ‘Mega Clean Plates’ option for building larger-than-raster panoramas during object removal work.



Updated 13 June 2019: Mocha Pro 2019.5 is now shipping.

As well as the features listed above, the update adds the option to export tracking data to After Effects in its CC Power Pin format; and autosaves now store iterated history.

There is also a new Layout Manager, which enables users to create and save custom UI layouts, and spline and matte rendering is now faster, particularly when working with many layers or control points.

The update also makes Mocha Pro available as an OFX plugin for Flame, Autodesk having added OFX support to the effects and finishing tool in Flame 2020.

Ironically, DaVinci Resolve is not officially supported, version 16 of the software not having shipped yet, but Boris FX says that the release will work with the DaVinci Resolve 16 beta.



Continuum 2019.5: C4D integration for Title Studio, new standalone version of Particle Illusion
In Continuum, the main change is the new integration between titling plugin Title Studio and Cinema 4D, the Lite edition of which is included with After Effects.

Boris FX describes the integration as bringing users a “brand new 3D model render engine”. Title Studio also gets new material shaders and UI support for 4K monitors.

In addition, particle tool Particle Illusion, previously only available as a plugin, will also become available as a standalone rendering application. Boris FX hasn’t announced pricing yet.

The firm summarises the other new features in Continuum 2019.5 as follows:

  • Particle Illusion: Adds a Forces feature which includes deflectors and attractors and a new customizable sprites feature.
  • Primatte Studio: The Academy Award-nominated keying tech adds a spill control option along with new edge smooth options for heavily compressed source shots.
  • Transitions: Adds Particle Illusion Dissolve, a new self-animating transition. Users can choose any particle emitter to create a fully-customized transition or pick from dozens of presets.



Updated 13 June 2019: Continuum 2019.5 is now shipping.

As well as the features listed above, the spill removal from Primatte Studio is available as a separate filter in Continuum, while the light wrap functionality is now available in related filters.

Users working with the Mocha planar tracking tools in Continuum also get the new features from Mocha Pro 2019.5 itself, listed earlier in this story.



Sapphire 2019.5: support for HiDPI and broadcast monitors
Sapphire users get better UI support for HiDPI displays, and support for AJA and Blackmagic Design broadcast monitors. Boris FX summarises the new features as follows:

  • New effects and transitions: ParallaxStrip effect, PixelSort transition, DigitalDamage transition.
  • Improved functionality: Sapphire Builder, Preset Browser, and Flare Designer can now access clips directly from a composition or timeline. Each features an updated GUI for HiDPI and Retina-enabled monitors.
  • Broadcast monitor support: Compatible with Sapphire Builder and Flare Designer (AJA and Blackmagic).



Updated 20 June 2019: Sapphire 2019.5 is now shipping.

As well as the features listed above, the release revamps the software’s user interface, improving scaling on high-resolution monitors, and adding a new Mocha Essentials workspace.

As with Mocha Pro, Sapphire is also now available as an OFX plugin for Flame.

Pricing and system requirements
Mocha Pro 2019.5, Continuum 2019.5 and Sapphire 2019.5 are available now. All of the updates are free to registered users of the 2019 editions.

Each application is priced according to which host platform you buy it for: there are typically separate prices for Adobe, Apple, Avid, Autodesk, OFX tools and/or multiple hosts.

Mocha Pro 2019.5 costs from $695 to $1,495. Continuum 2019.5 costs from $695 to $1,995. Sapphire 2019.5 costs from $1,695 to $2,795. You can check which versions of the host apps are compatible here.


Read a full list of new features in Mocha Pro 2019.5 in the online release notes

Read a full list of new features in Continuum 2019.5 in the online release notes
(Note: the link goes to the notes for the After Effects and Premiere Pro edition)

Read a full list of new features in Sapphire 2019.5 in the online release notes