Linear Workflow switch

[govindk]

Okay I read this on the web (http://xuanprada.com/category/linear-workflow/), if you scroll down it was written this...

"- The linear workflow option is something created for Chaos Group to fix old VRay scenes which don’t use lwf. You shouldn't use this at all."

Is it? I mean people like Robert Nederhorst uses it in his Archetype tutorial, which uses Maya 2012 and V-ray 1.5sp 1 (if i am not wrong).

Well, I am getting washed out results though from Vray, I mean the contrast is gone like crazy. I set up a test scene for learning the render settings properly.
Am I doing something wrong? I have Linear Workflow switch enabled.

Here is my image and settings:-
http://imageshack.us/a/img545/5387/capturebgi.jpg

[Morne]

gamma setup is different in Maya compared to Max
if you want to use the switch in max, you have to also switch OFF Max gamma

[Dariusz Makowski (Dadal)]

If you are using maya output window gamma color manager at 2.2 and send image from VFB then u will have double gamma. U should click on SRGB on VFB and that is match.

The Linear workflow is made for DMC sampler as far as I remember. It adjust it so that noise levels and tresholds are matching your new gamma. Since 2.2 is a lot brighter they are pushed around to tweak the noise so it matches better ur settings.

Or am I wrong? That guys gamma explanation is even weirder than I thought...

As to his settings. You should not type gamma 2.2 in Vray settings. The gama 2.2 is displayed using Maya color manager - linear option for Maya frame buffer, for Vray frame buffer u use SRGB.

And the output file is getting gamma corrected to 2.2 using EXR format by default. However if u dont use EXR then u have to set vray to 2.2 and set ur maya frame buffer back to srgb and vray frame buffer back to non srgb mode... hope that explains anything...

[govindk]

MY god..!! this is getting more complicated...!!

So basically whatever settings I am using in this image - http://imageshack.us/a/img545/5387/capturebgi.jpg
is wrong?

I have to keep GAMMA at 1.0 if I am using EXR, is it? I am using EXR, however I am not encoding the gamma into the image, I am just using gamma 2.2 to view the image.

I tried switching off and on, the LINEAR workflow button and got these result http://imageshack.us/a/img594/769/newde.jpg

[govindk]

And the "affect swatches" switch, seems to add 2.2 to the shader if checked on and keeps in LINEAR if un-checked...!! I can be wrong but here is an image,
just to be more clear to what I mean http://imageshack.us/a/img594/7205/neweq.jpg

[snivlem]

MY god..!! this is getting more complicated...!!

So basically whatever settings I am using in this image - http://imageshack.us/a/img545/5387/capturebgi.jpg
is wrong?

I have to keep GAMMA at 1.0 if I am using EXR, is it? I am using EXR, however I am not encoding the gamma into the image, I am just using gamma 2.2 to view the image.

I tried switching off and on, the LINEAR workflow button and got these result http://imageshack.us/a/img594/769/newde.jpg

Those are the settings I use, somethings won't be automatically corrected though (car paint material for example - I THINK), so that's why Chaos must insist this is only a quick solution. It might also double up on gamma in some cases but I think those settings are fine - it's really obvious when something isn't gamma corrected anyway.

One thing I'd love to know though, is what am I supposed to do with reflection/bump/spec/gloss etc maps with Linear Workflow on???

[joconnell]

Yep - I don't think the linear switch in max works on non vray materials either so you'll have to put a colour correct on your max materials diffuse colours.

[snivlem]

That's interesting, in Maya I swear it does Blinn, Lambert and Phongs.

[joconnell]

Yep, it's different in maya, but for max it doesn't work on a lot of the standard shaders.

[govindk]

About swatches, when we turn on Linear Work flow switch it does seem to affect the diffuse, but nothing else (that's what I presume). The diffuse darkens a lot, so that means its getting affected.

Had a few discussion on CG-Talk and this is what most of us concluded on:-


(1) Setting Gamma to 2.2, with do not affect color turned on (for easier sampling), LINEAR WORKFLOW button turned off
(2) Adding a texture and selecting the bit map input gamma under V-Ray extra node for 8-bit files & adding .454 gamma node to color swatches
(3)sRGB button for V-Ray Frame Buffer to view my images properly
(4)Rendering in 16 bit or 32 bit exr or similar linear supported format for composting on Linear Image in Post

However there is a little contrast issue but, I think that can easily be dealt with in post and its better to have that deal in dark areas rather than not having them completely.
http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthre...=1#post7428402 (the CgTalk Thread in anyone wants to go there)