Ultra Keyer Node

The Ultra Keyer contains 2 built-in keyers: a pre-matte keyer that acts as a garbage matte, and a color difference keyer that extracts the edge detail and transparency.

The Fusion documentation explicitly recommends trying the Delta Keyer first, then Primatte (Studio only), and finally the Ultra Keyer as a third choice. It can beat the others on particular kinds of footage.

• Effects Library: Tools > Matte > Ultra Keyer
• Quick add: right-click in the Node Editor → Add Tool > Matte > Ultra Keyer

• Input (orange) - required. The green/blue screen plate.
• Garbage Matte (gray) - optional. Areas forced to transparent.
• Solid Matte (white) - optional. Areas forced to opaque.
• Effect Mask (blue) - optional.

MediaIn (plate) → Ultra Keyer → Merge 2D → Saver

Background Color

Picks the screen color (blue or green). An eyedropper to sample it in the viewer.

Color Level Sliders

Adjust the R/G/B channels to improve the subject/background separation. More manual control than the Delta Keyer.

Background Correction

An iterative process that merges the pre-keyed image over a background → improves subtle edges. A feature unique to the Ultra Keyer.

Matte Separation

Pre-processing to separate the FG. Raise it gradually while watching the alpha channel in the viewer.

Pre-Matte Size

Softens the edges and fills holes in the matte. Adjust it to suit the subject.

Lock Color Picking

Prevents an accidental re-selection of the color after the initial setup.

Spill Suppression

Removes the background color from the semi-transparent edges.

Spill Method

Same scale as the other keyers: None, Rare, Medium (green), Well Done (blue), Burnt (problem cases).

Fringe Controls

Gamma, Size, Shape - adjust the halos around the subject.

Color Correction

Cyan/Red, Magenta/Green, Yellow/Blue sliders to color correct the semi-transparent pixels.

Filter

Box (fast/low quality) / Bartlett / Multi-Box (variable passes) / Gaussian (best quality).

Blur

Softens the edges of the matte.

Contract / Expand

Shrinks / grows the semi-transparent areas.

Gamma

Adjusts the gray areas of the matte.

Threshold

Creates binary transitions.

Restore Fringe

Brings back clipped edge detail (especially hair).

Invert Matte

Inverts the transparency.

Solid / Garbage Matte Options

Apply the masks connected to the matching inputs, with an invert option.

Post-Multiply Image

Keeps the premultiplied state for clean compositing.

Order recommended by the Fusion documentation

1. Delta Keyer → 2. Primatte (Studio) → 3. Ultra Keyer. The Ultra Keyer is a third choice, useful when the first two do not give good results on a particular piece of footage.

Delta Keyer

More modern, more tabs, a Clean Plate input. The everyday reference.

Ultra Keyer

Older, with a different workflow. The iterative Background Correction is sometimes better on some footage. Worth trying when the Delta gives dirty edges you cannot clean up.

A pragmatic rule: Delta Keyer first. If the result is not right after a real tuning effort, try the Ultra Keyer on the same images - sometimes it gives a noticeably better result for no obvious reason.

• A shot where the Delta Keyer gets stuck - try the Ultra Keyer on the same images before moving to Primatte or giving up.
• A simpler workflow - fewer tabs and parameters than the Delta Keyer. Can be quicker to set up for simple shots.
• Background Correction for edge detail - the Background Correction feature can give better subtle edges than the Delta on some kinds of footage (hair, motion blur).
• A teaching alternative - if a student is stuck on the Delta Keyer, the Ultra Keyer can be easier to grasp with its more linear workflow.

• A single keyer is rarely perfect - the documentation says so explicitly. Combine it with garbage/solid mattes (polygon or B-spline) for complex cases.
• Lock Color Picking after sampling - avoids accidental re-sampling when clicking in the viewer.
• Alpha channel in the viewer while adjusting - especially for the Matte Separation slider.
• Contract + Blur for halos - the classic combo to remove fringing.
• Not part of your daily flow - for 95% of cases, the Delta Keyer is enough. Only use the Ultra Keyer when the Delta clearly fails.