what is the best lighting 2 show off a model?

[ThirdEye]

3 point lighting should do the job

[addicted2_3D]

it was more like an array of lights in a dome like config than 3pt

[Kotayus]

perhaps but 3 point is very effective, i would reserve dome lighting for radiosity renders. Go to maxons site, they have a 3 point light model (just drop it in your library so its always there) it works very nicely


EDIT: You can get that 3 point model HERE (http://plugincafe.com/cafedownloads/3pointlighting.c4d)

EDIT 2: Here is a example of 3 point
http://www.metafex.net/imagehost/3point.jpg

and an example of dome:
http://www.metafex.net/imagehost/dome.jpg

[Kirl]

Sadly Cinema doesn't feature true 'global ilumination', I think that's what you mean with a bunch of lights...

Though I once read a tut to fake global illumination with 100 lights, each with a brightness of 1, placed in a dome over the object.

Too labour intensive for me though... :hmm:

[sputnikinspace]

wasn't there a plugin called 50 grey or something???

Maybe that'll do the job...

[sputnikinspace]

would love to know hoe to make somwthing like this...

http://www.prayorpanic.com/__v3/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5

( the untextured one)

/sput

[ThirdEye]

Originally posted by Kirl
Sadly Cinema doesn't feature true 'global ilumination', I think that's what you mean with a bunch of lights...

Though I once read a tut to fake global illumination with 100 lights, each with a brightness of 1, placed in a dome over the object.

Too labour intensive for me though... :hmm:


C4D doesn't support true GI? Is it a joke or what? :surprised

[mt_sabao]

You can try a ZeroRoom. I am no expert, but its something like creating a sky and ground objects, then creating a material like this:

Color 100% white
Reflection 10%
Specular:
-width 50%
-height 700%
-falloff -44%
-Inner width 0%

Aply this material to the sky and ground. Turn the radiosity on, and experiment with the settings.
Render. (dont forget to turn the auto light in the render settings options)

[knight42]

DiTools DiCloner is good for arranging lots of lights, using part of a Poylgon sphere.

Using the 3-point light setup, it helps to put a *very* slight SLA Noise function into the Illumination channel of a material (make the noise colors white and slightly coloured- or off-white) and put the material onto your key light. It breaks up the light very slightly, and can make things look really good.

I think it's called a Gobo light.

[handige_harrie]

I think what you want is a null room (or zero room as mt_sabao calls it).

Read this thread:
http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=51806

Download the nullroom.c4d file (R8) (http://members.home.nl/hcgl.hermans/nullroom.c4d)

[flingster]

plugin - 50grey....but i think its version 7 only..not for version 8 i think it has issues.(don't quote me though)

http://boriscargo.free.fr/C4D/

Oooh and GI is possible in cinema

also in the sticky LINKS thread in the cinema forum i posted some links on lighting that maybe of use...they are not cinema specific they are just general stuff that may help.

[cookepuss]

Originally posted by Kirl
Sadly Cinema doesn't feature true 'global ilumination', I think that's what you mean with a bunch of lights...

Though I once read a tut to fake global illumination with 100 lights, each with a brightness of 1, placed in a dome over the object.

Too labour intensive for me though... :hmm:

Ummmm.... Then what are all the Global illumination settings for then? :deal:

[LucentDreams]

KOTAYUS, that dome render would be better if the lights had softshadows :)

What version of C4D are you using Kirl, XL 7 and up has the abilitie of Monte Carlo Global illumination which is the standard now. Same as Final Render, Brazil, Arnold, Vray, MAx 5's new Gi renderer. All the same fundamental GI, just slightly different implimentations of the same technologies.

50% grey was one of many plugins that could do it, I personally used an expression that was on the web way back in XL 6 called GI-fake. Nowadays if you prefer a lightdome over a GI render, then Dicloner is probably best, since you can apply a colour image and the lights will grab the colour information, especially useful wiht HDRI since it will actually use the HDRI information too, big bonus there.

But overall GI is overdone, models look plain. its great for quickly showing off detail, thats why they are great for WIP's but for a final render, I wouldn't use GI alone. 3 Poin light is the best method, thats one of the most commonly used lighting setups in real product shots. If its good enough for real life its good enough for 3D. However don't forget you can use three lights ihn s subtle GI scene, even with out the Global illumination but radiosity turned on the three lights will bounce on your model making it a little nicer too.

[AdamT]

Originally posted by Kirl
Sadly Cinema doesn't feature true 'global ilumination'

Sadly you don't know what you're talking about and are spreading misinformation.

[Kirl]

Hmmm... I'm using 7.2 :hmm:

Did I just overlooked the global illumination options all that time? :eek: I was pretty sure such an option was still missing. Where can I find it?

I never once seen something even remotly like it in Cinema. Please point it out to me...

Thanks... :rolleyes:

BTW, I'm aware Cinema automatically illuminates your scene when there are no lights, but you can hardly call that global illumination.

And why does everybody (some exceptions) go all screwy when I make a mistake in helping someone out? :annoyed:

[Kotayus]

3 point with Dicloner, and a reflective gorund plane, i think it looks pretty good...well, im happy with it.

http://www.metafex.net/imagehost/3point2.jpg

[LucentDreams]

Kotayus, very nice render indeed, though something seems weird with the perspective especially on the back cone :/

Kirl, we meant no offense, just correcting informatin thats not accurate, we aren't saying "Don't listen to this guy ever" just pointing out something more accurate thats all.

As for that light when there are no lights, thats not GI your right, thats the dumb Autolight mentioned before, and probably GI's worst enemy, because when using GI you have to make sure to turn that light off.

For GI, make a sky object, or a super large sphere, then turn onradiosity and there you go. turning on stochastic modes works just like the arnold render.. Want to control the colours of the illumination simply apply whatever texture you want to the sky. In the 8.1 demo you can also apply and HDRI image and get HDRI illumination in your GI render. All GI is, is Radiosity using a Global object to illuminate the entires scene giving an ambient illumination.

[NWoolridge]

Originally posted by Kirl
Hmmm... I'm using 7.2 :hmm:

Did I just overlooked the global illumination options all that time? :eek: I was pretty sure such an option was still missing. Where can I find it?

Look in the render settings dialog under radiosity. There are standard sample-based and also stochastic radiosity settings there. Getting the right settings is the art, though...

People jumped on you because you made a seemingly categorical statement that was demonstrably untrue... And they are used to responding to trolls and C4D denigrators who occasionally pass through fora like these, so the antennae are a little twitchy. Its nothing personal.

Nick

[AdamT]

Yep, what Nick said. Sorry if I was abrupt. BTW, why haven't you downloaded the free 7.3 update?? The addition of SLA with 7.3 was enourmous!

[Kirl]

Right, I checked the manual and it indeed says something about global illumination, mainly called radiosity BTW wich may explain my confusion (I thought GI was just light from all sides). I never actually used radiosity yet because it's quite render expensive and all...

I remember a tut in C4d handbook by Adam Watkins wich fakes GI by making a dome of lights with 1 brightness each. The book was written for 6.0 and 7.0 so I guess he never took the trouble of updating that particular one in newer prints.

I'll check the update, I was planning on working with R8 (wich I lend) but it didn't seem very stable (that may just be my stuffed comp though). And (long story) an anim I was working on at the time didn't rendered out as well in 8.0.

To be precise the dispersion for my glass material (on wich I spend days tweaking) seemed to be ignored by 8.0 renders. So I removed it again. But I'm getting tottaly off track...

So, update yes, GI no.. Errr yes, yes... :hmm:

[prayas]

he sputnik check your PM for the lighting on my jetbike you took as your example.

P..:

[handige_harrie]

Originally posted by prayas
he sputnik check your PM for the lighting on my jetbike you took as your example.

P..:

Why did you PM him :shrug: there are probably more people (I'm one of them) that would like to know your settings on that render.

So please share your knowledge here with us :bounce:

[cookepuss]

I second that. :)

[Kotayus]

Originally posted by Kaiskai
Kotayus, very nice render indeed, though something seems weird with the perspective especially on the back cone :/


Thanks Kai, and yes i did notice it as well, (only afer you pointing it out.) I think its because its still in perspective mode, i didnt use a in scene camera...that could perhaps be why?

[Kirl]

Originally posted by Kotayus
Thanks Kai, and yes i did notice it as well, (only afer you pointing it out.) I think its because its still in perspective mode, i didnt use a in scene camera...that could perhaps be why?
I think it's the camera lens. I often get such things after moving in/out along with zooming in/out without really thinking about which I used.

I think selcting Edit > frame default, may fix it... :shrug:

[prayas]

@handige_harrie sorry for doing this! Don't think that this setup is fine for everybody! Made this with little knowledge of how this radiosity thing is working! prepared a little setup how these images where made. If you like to see it click this link.

The orange tone is caused by the probe i used inside this setup. Don't have have the probe i used for the jetbike anymore because this model was made nearly a year ago.

I'm more the modeling guy right now and want to get my hands on animating character.

Anyway here ist the link for ya!

post of my basic render/radiosity setup (http://www.prayorpanic.com/__v3/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=638)

P..:

[CGTalk Moderation]

This thread has been automatically closed as it remained inactive for 12 months. If you wish to continue the discussion, please create a new thread in the appropriate forum.