Unveiled: Sapphire 2021 Release
Sapphire 2021, the latest iteration of the popular visual effects suite, has been released, bringing a host of new features and improvements to the table.
The new version includes over 45 presets designed by artists, as well as 10 new lens flares. Notable additions include the S_UltraGlow and S_UltraZap effects, designed to create stunning, luminous visuals and dynamic, energy-based effects, respectively.
S_UltraGlow, a new glow effect, is designed to enhance highlights with organic, soft glows, outperforming traditional glow effects in quality and flexibility. On the other hand, S_UltraZap produces vibrant, animated electrical or zap-like sparks and lightning stylizations, ideal for sci-fi or energetic visual elements.
Sapphire 2021 also introduces Metal GPU-acceleration, which means the Sapphire plugins are optimized to leverage Apple's Metal graphics framework on supported Macs. This enables faster rendering and smoother real-time previews by offloading processing to the GPU, significantly improving performance over CPU-only processing.
These updates build on Sapphire's signature collection of 270+ effects and over 3000 presets, preserving key capabilities such as the powerful Effect and Transition Builder and integrated Mocha planar tracking and masking. The Metal GPU acceleration specifically enhances workflow efficiency, making these effects viable for higher resolution, complex compositions without slowing down editor or artist productivity.
Mograph master John Dickinson provides tutorials on the basics of S_UltraGlow and S_UltraZap, while an overview by Ben Brownlee highlights the new features and effects in Sapphire 2021.
Sapphire 2021 is available for purchase as a new license, or as an annual or monthly subscription, or as an upgrade for those already on a subscription or upgrade & support plan. The installer can be downloaded, and a free trial is also available for those who wish to explore the new features and effects before making a purchase. If you're on an annual/monthly subscription or upgrade & support plan, Sapphire 2021 is a free update.
In summary, Sapphire 2021 delivers enhanced creative options with S_UltraGlow and S_UltraZap, combined with major performance gains via Metal GPU-acceleration that support demanding modern VFX workflows. With its ultra speeds, ultra creativity, and ultra power, Sapphire 2021 is a must-have for any visual effects artist or editor.
[1] Sapphire 2021 Press Release [2] Sapphire 2021 Overview Video
Technology and gadgets play a significant role in the latest version of Sapphire, as evidenced by the new S_UltraGlow and S_UltraZap effects. These advanced features offer stunning visuals and dynamic energy-based effects, optimized for Apple's Metal graphics framework (technology) to ensure faster rendering and smoother real-time previews on supported Macs (gadgets).
