Foundry releases Katana 9.0
Foundry has released Katana 9.0, the new version of its lighting and look development software for VFX and feature animation work.
The release introduces the UsdSuperLayer node, a new framework that provides access to a USD Layer at node graph level, intended as a basis from which to develop more efficient tools.
Other new features include a new UsdMaterial node for making simple edits to USD materials, and an alpha preview of viewport rendering using Hydra 2.0.
New UsdSuperLayer node provides a new framework for creating and editing USD prims
The headline feature in Katana 9.0 is the new UsdSuperLayer node.
It forms the basis of a new framework for creating and editing USD prims in Katana, providing direct access to a USD Layer at node graph level, and accessible via Katana’s Python API.
According to Foundry, its purpose is to provide a basis from which to develop tools built around Katana’s new Native USD context.
Tools built in this way provide “huge computational savings as everything is in a single layer, rather than producing a new USD layer for each node”.
New UsdGaffer node provides an example of the UsdSuperLayer framework in action
Katana 9.0 itself comes with one such tool, UsdGaffer: a UsdSuperLayer-derived node that makes it possible to create groups of lights and store changes under one USD layer.
New UsdMaterial node
Other new features include the UsdMaterial node, for creating and editing Native USD materials and shaders.
It’s currently relatively limited in scope, and “may only be useful for simple workflows or for debugging purposes”.
Alpha support for Hydra 2.0 rendering
Katana 9.0 also comes with alpha support for Hydra 2.0, the new version of the USD rendering architecture.
It’s essentially a very early feature preview, and is intended as a “taster into what an end-to-end Hydra Rendering solution could look like in Katana”,
A new Hydra 2.0 Viewer tab renders only Hydra 2.0 data in the viewport, making it possible to compare it to the existing Hydra 1 viewport.
Compliant with VFX Reference Platform 2025
The update also moves Katana to the CY2025 spec for VFX Reference Platform.
Price and system requirements
Katana 9.0 is available for Windows 11 and Rocky Linux 9. It is available rental-only.
Since Katana 8.0, the price of Katana Interactive subscriptions has risen to $4,199/year, up $670/year. Katana Render subscriptions cost $374/year, up $35/year.
For new customers requiring less than 10 interactive seats, Team subscriptions now cost $7,497 per three years for interactive licences and $627 per three years for render licenses.
Read an overview of the new features in Katana on Foundry’s product website
Read a full list of new features in Katana 9.0 in the online release notes
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