Particle Illusion 2027 adds camera blurs and simulation speed control

Boris FX has released Particle Illusion 2027. The particle generator gains new camera blur effects, pixel array stylization, reworked connecting lines and a simulation speed control that the company calls long awaited. The emitter libraries have been updated, and real-time playback, according to Boris FX, has become smoother. The company published the release and an overview video on October 29, 2026.

What has changed in working with particles

The list of new features in Particle Illusion 2027 according to Boris FX materials:

• New camera blur effects. In the Continuum announcement they are called "cinematic focus tools." The company does not provide details on how they are built or how they relate to depth of field.
• Simulation speed control.
• Pixel array stylization.
• Reworked connecting lines between particles.
• Updated emitter libraries. The company calls them smarter but does not specify what exactly has changed.
• Import of models in STL format.
• Smoother real-time playback.

Dense emitters usually put the heaviest load on real-time preview, so smoother playback will probably make it easier to judge timing, density and how particles overlay the background without intermediate renders. The camera blurs, judging by the description, are aimed at cases where particles sit on top of shot footage: if the background was filmed with shallow depth of field, overly sharp particles give the compositing away. Being able to dial in the blur inside the generator itself may remove the need for a separate effect in the editing application.

Where to get it and how much it costs

Particle Illusion 2027 is distributed in two forms: as a standalone application and as part of the Continuum package. Continuum 2027 works as a plugin in the following applications:

• Adobe After Effects and Premiere Pro;
• Avid Media Composer;
• DaVinci Resolve and Fusion;
• FCP/Motion;
• Foundry Nuke;
• VEGAS Pro.

Continuum costs from $325 per year or $48 per month. Owners of an active Continuum subscription or an upgrade and support plan get version 2027 for free. It is also included in Boris FX Suite and Vegas Pro Ultimate. The installer is downloaded through the Boris FX Hub.

There is also an option without a host application. Particle Illusion Pro appeared in February 2024 and costs $195 per year or $25 per month. It allows loading a video background straight into the generator and picking one of thousands of presets over the real frame. In addition, Particle Illusion has a free standalone version: in 2021 it gained a node interface, 3D emitters, 3D forces and deflectors, 3D cameras and 55 new presets.

Who will find this useful

The biggest winners, apparently, are editors and motion designers who already pay for Continuum: they get the update for free and work with particles inside their editing package or Nuke. For those who need only particles, Pro comes cheaper than Continuum: $195 versus $325 per year. But Pro works as a separate application, so the result will probably have to be transferred into the edit.

Some questions remain open for now. Boris FX does not explain how the simulation speed control relates to the previous ways of slowing particles down and how the new blurs interact with scene depth. How noticeably playback has sped up on heavy emitters will become clear from users' experience in production.

Which new Particle Illusion 2027 feature will you try first?

• Camera blurs
• Simulation speed