Generate Free Depth Maps With A Simple ComfyUI Setup
A practical guide to generate depth maps locally with a simple ComfyUI setup. Zero cost, tiny node graph, and a quick depth workflow for After Effects and VFX workflow. Motion designers often hear that ComfyUI is powerful yet complex. The goal here is to prove the opposite with a tiny, repeatable graph that simplifies this process. Think of it as a friendly entry point that gets you to usable depth quickly, so you can focus on design and not on tooling.
Nov 14, 2025
AI
3 min
A depth map is a single channel image where bright pixels are near and dark pixels are far. Once you have it, a flat frame starts behaving like layered space. You can push a scan line through a skyline, wrap noise around a face, or create parallax without modeling. If you have ever faked depth with masks, you already know the creative payoff this unlocks.
Install the tools
Use Stability Matrix to install ComfyUI. Open ComfyUI Extensions and add three pieces:
ComfyUI Manager itself for one click installs
ComfyUI Video Helper Suite for loading and combining video
ComfyUI ControlNet Auxiliary Preprocessors for depth utility nodes
Restart ComfyUI. That is it for the base.
Model choice: Depth Anything V2. Pick
vitlfor maximum detail orvitsfor speed. Place the checkpoint where ComfyUI can find it.
Use four nodes left to right: Load Video → Depth Anything V2 Relative → Video Info → Video Combine. Load Video feeds frames and video_info, the depth node makes a grayscale depth map, Video Info keeps timing, and Video Combine outputs MP4 or a PNG sequence. Set force_rate, keep the depth resolution near your source height, match frame_rate in Video Combine, use MP4 for previews and PNG for quality. Four nodes, no clutter.
When quality is not there yet
If the depth looks flat, noise or flickering, quick solution is raise the input resolution or switch the model to depth anything v2 vitl or vitg. If you see steps or banding, export PNG instead of MP4 and keep your comp in 32 bit. If timing drifts, make sure video_info from the loader is connected into Video Info and then into Video Combine.
Frequently asked
Is ComfyUI only for AI art?
No. It is a node environment that happens to be perfect for utility passes. Depth, edges, mattes, and normalization are all practical building blocks for motion design.
Can I run on CPU?
Yes, but it will be slow. Any modern GPU improves the experience.
Which model is best?
Depth Anything V2 vitl for quality, vits when you need faster previews. and Depth Anything V3 will be expected with major updates and precise detailing.
