Nuke AI Denoiser

A lightweight Nuke gizmo plus a native C++ binary to denoise noisy renders or plates directly in Nuke. The release package ships with a prebuilt C++ binary and the gizmo, so you can drop them into your setup and start working.

Screenshots will be added later.

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What’s included (Release)

The latest release includes the prebuilt C++ binary and the gizmo, arranged like this:

C:.
├───bin             # Prebuilt C++ binary (required at runtime)
└───gizmos          # Nuke gizmo(s) and assets
    └───imgs        # Icons / images used by the gizmo UI

Important: The C++ build binary is already compiled and included under bin. You do not need to build it yourself.

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Requirements

• Nuke 12.0+ (tested on newer versions as well)
• OS compatible with the provided binary in bin
• Permission to load external binaries on your machine/pipeline

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Installation

Choose one of the following setups.

Option 1 — Quick start from a release (recommended)

1. Download the latest release and extract it somewhere convenient (e.g., C:\tools\Nuke-AI-Denoiser).

2. Make the gizmo discoverable by Nuke:

   • EITHER copy the gizmos/ folder into your Nuke profile directory:
     • Windows: C:\Users\<you>\.nuke\gizmos\
     • macOS: /Users/<you>/.nuke/gizmos/
     • Linux: /home/<you>/.nuke/gizmos/
   • OR keep the repo anywhere and add the path via your ~/.nuke/init.py:

     import nuke, os
     nuke.pluginAddPath('gizmos')  # If the repo lives inside ~/.nuke
     # OR explicitly:
     nuke.pluginAddPath(r'C:\path\to\Nuke-AI-Denoiser\gizmos')

   • You can also use NUKE_PATH to point to the repo root:
     • PowerShell:

       $env:NUKE_PATH = "$env:NUKE_PATH;C:\path\to\Nuke-AI-Denoiser"

     • bash/zsh:

       export NUKE_PATH="$NUKE_PATH:/path/to/Nuke-AI-Denoiser"

3. Restart Nuke.

4. Most important step: set the binary location in the node UI

   • Create/Select the AI Denoiser node.
   • Open the “bin” tab.
   • Set “Bin Path” to the folder that contains the binary from the release, i.e. the bin directory you extracted.
     • Example (Windows):

       C:\path\to\Nuke-AI-Denoiser\bin
       

   • A screenshot of this step will be added later.

Option 2 — Studio/pipeline pathing

If you maintain centralized tool repos:

• Keep the release structure intact on a network path, e.g. //server/tools/Nuke-AI-Denoiser.
• Add .../gizmos to Nuke’s plugin path via your studio’s init.py.
• In the gizmo’s “bin” tab, set “Bin Path” to the shared .../bin directory. Consider locking or templating this knob for artists if desired.

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How it works (Usage)

• Add the node:
  • Press Tab and type “AI Denoiser” (exact name may vary based on your menu setup).
• Connect inputs:
  • Plug your noisy Beauty render or plate into the main input.
  • If the gizmo exposes optional passes (e.g., albedo/normal), connect them for improved detail preservation.
• Point to the binary:
  • In the node’s “bin” tab, set “Bin Path” to the release’s bin folder (see Installation step 4).
• Adjust controls:
  • Start with defaults; then tweak Strength/Mix and any pass toggles.
  • Use the Mix/Blend knob to A/B between original and denoised to avoid over-smoothing.
• Render:
  • Proceed with your usual Write node. On farms, make sure the Bin Path is accessible from render machines.

Tip: For CG, auxiliary AOVs (albedo/normal) can significantly help maintain edges and textures. For live-action plates, subtle denoising blended back often yields the most natural results.

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Troubleshooting

• Node doesn’t appear in the Tab menu:
  • Verify gizmos/ is on Nuke’s plugin path (print from init.py to confirm).
  • Ensure no typos in the path and that you restarted Nuke after changes.
• Binary not found / fails to load:
  • Confirm the “Bin Path” in the “bin” tab points to the correct bin folder from the release.
  • Check OS/architecture compatibility and that you have permission to load external binaries.
  • Ensure antivirus/security tools aren’t blocking the binary.
• Slow performance:
  • Reduce Strength or preview a smaller ROI.
  • Cache heavy upstream nodes or write temp EXRs for iteration.

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Roadmap

• Add screenshots:
  • Setting “Bin Path” in the “bin” tab
  • Node UI overview and before/after comparisons
• Presets / quality profiles

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License

Specify a license here if applicable.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to the Nuke community for best practices around gizmo packaging and distribution.