Lights and Rendering issues

meassem

Hi all,
I'm pretty new to DAZ and still learning.
A week ago I downloaded the 4.9 version and for some reason I'm having issues with my lightings/render setting. Hopefully you guys can help me out.
I bought the "Core Light" Pack01 (http://www.daz3d.com/core-lighting-1), but after rendering I dont' see any changes in my scene! (attachment)
I'm using the NVIDIA IRay renderer.
What am I doing wrong?
Thank you in advance.

DAZ 4.9
Windows 7 64X
GeForce GTX 770

mjc1016

That set was made for 3Delight...but if it uses 'normal' (spots, point, distant) lights, then the proper Iray light settings would be available on them when in Iray mode.   But...the default Iray environment is set up to include and HDRi on the 'virtual' skydome and have it 'on'.  This will basically overpower 'scene' lights (yeah , you can crank them up to insane levels to make them brighter than the dome).

To get 'scene' lights, you need to go into the render settings and switch to from 'scene and dome' to 'scene only', then go to each light and adjust the lumious flux (intensity in Iray is pretty much meaningless).  And this would have to be done to any lights that don't come as an Iray set that will turn off the dome...if you were to add a light from the menu, for example.

meassem

Thanks you for your fast respond.
I changed my render settings to 'Scene Only' as you mentioned, but my scene is now completly black!
This is I guess the issue with the intensity (as you also mentioned), but changing the 'Intensity' doesn't seem to work!
Nothing changes after that.
Am I forgetting something?
Thanks again.
 

mjc1016

Use the Lumious flux on the lights, not intensity.  And you may need to adjust the tonemapping (exposure) settings, as by default, they are for a good exposure for a bright, sunny, outdoors shot.

colinmac2

So what settings would you recommend for an interior shot?  

mjc1016

f-stop: 4.0 to 5.6

ISO: 400

Shutter: around 1/2 to 1 second.

 

hphoenix

mjc1016 said:

f-stop: 4.0 to 5.6

ISO: 400

Shutter: around 1/2 to 1 second.

 

That sounds like an awfully slow shutter speed.  Normal indoor photography calls for 1/15th to 1/60th of a second or higher (depending on if things are moving much.)  If 1/60th is still too dim with ISO 400 film, you may need to adjust your lighting.  Also make sure there aren't any environment spheres/domes from 3DL sets blocking the scene and lights from the camera....this is pretty common in a lot of older (pre-iray) scenes.

(ETA:  Sure, you can increase the shutter time like that in DS, since Iray isn't quite 'real' and the scene isn't actually moving....especially since Iray motion blur isn't available in DS yet.  When it is, and if you are doing animation in DS, it's much more important to add light, than to just leave the camera aperture open longer.)

 

mjc1016

hphoenix said:

mjc1016 said:

f-stop: 4.0 to 5.6

ISO: 400

Shutter: around 1/2 to 1 second.

 

That sounds like an awfully slow shutter speed.  Normal indoor photography calls for 1/15th to 1/60th of a second or higher (depending on if things are moving much.)  If 1/60th is still too dim with ISO 400 film, you may need to adjust your lighting.  Also make sure there aren't any environment spheres/domes from 3DL sets blocking the scene and lights from the camera....this is pretty common in a lot of older (pre-iray) scenes.

(ETA:  Sure, you can increase the shutter time like that in DS, since Iray isn't quite 'real' and the scene isn't actually moving....especially since Iray motion blur isn't available in DS yet.  When it is, and if you are doing animation in DS, it's much more important to add light, than to just leave the camera aperture open longer.)

 

I like going with a slow shutter...because you don't have to worry about movement.  I find it gives you more room to 'play' with lights for effect.  So, no not quite photographic settings.  And yes, strictly photo settings the shutter should be faster.

Tobor

I think it's much better to leave tone mapping at its default, and if the scene is too dark, increase the LIGHT intensity. The way Iray works, adjusting tone mapping does not introduce more "photons" into the scene, and that's what you want for a good, fast render. It's the photons that make the samples that produce the pixels. The more photons, the more samples, and the more samples, the faster pixel convergence will occur.

Even in Hollywood movie making, most scenes shot on a set are lit to a specific intensity, so that the camera shutter and f/stop are left at values the cinematographer and camera operator prefer to work with. As long as low light levels pose such a severe efficiency penalty in Iray, it's better to work with the process, than against it, even if it means venturing outside "realistic" photography settings.

So, simply because you can, adjust the lighting levels first, and then fine-tune with tone mapping. Keep in mind that in the current versions of D|S, film ISO, shutter speed, and f/stop have no physical effects. While Iray supports camera blur, D|S doesn't, and depth-of-field is handled in the D|S camera, not in Iray.

meassem

I wish there was a good tuttorial (video's) based on these settings. I Spend a lot of money/time on these "non-friendly" IRay packs.
Do you guys know where to look?
Thanks.