More gamma stuff and linear workflows

[MoonDoggie]

Yes, this is still valid and pertinent information. Max hasn't changed the way you setup LWF in the preferences and VRay (even 2.0) still has the exact same settings referred to above. Thanks for checking!

-Colin

[gunny263]

still seems to be confusion across various industries using the software but perhaps it's simply due to differences in the way people work as opposed to a 'gold standard'. With Vray being so strong in architecture, I would have guessed there would be a more iron-clad recipe (architects/engineers love their numbers).
for example, GiacomoGreenspace's posted settings are what I've been using for a long time and seem to mirror ruff's screenshots:
http://www.ruffstuffcg.com/journal/l...in-3dsmax.html

the response was to NOT use 2.2 as the bitmap import due to HDRI file. I, however, use an HDRi once every 10 months so it makes more sense to leave that at 2.2 and simply overide the HDRI, normal maps and 16/32 bit displacement maps to 1.0 once every 10 months instead of having to overide every jpg texture to 2.2 on a daily basis. At a new studio, they seem to favor 2.2/2.2/2.2 max config with vray gamma set to 1.0 which seems to be more of how mental ray should be configured to me.

anyway, doesn't matter to me much either way since I only do about 75% in Max and finish the last 25% in photoshop anyway and paint the crap outta it but was wondering if a defacto config has settled over the years (seems it has not).

[YoyoBoy]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this but: if you want to color-compensate your procedurals while LWF-ing: enable the color map and give it a Bezier curve point at 0.5 x 0.219.

[vjaramillo]

I was reading this tread the other day and some others on the forum re: LWF. I ran some tests with the MAX gama set to 2.2 2.2 1.0 (output) and and the following Vray CM settings:

Linear 1.0, 1.0 2.2 with DAC checked - looked fine in FB but dark in Photoshop. Save file as a .tif
Linear 1.0, 1.0, 2.2 with DAC unchecked - Colors washed out in FB but image was correct in PS
Linear 1.0, 1.0, 1.0 with DAC unchecked - Looked fine in FB but dark in PS

Then I changed my MAX settings to 2.2, 2.2, 2.2 (output)

Set my Vray CM to Exponential 1.0, 1.0, 1.0 looked good in FB and looked good in PS

So I'm a bit confused.

[ruffstuff]

I posted some of the common issues people run into with Linear Workflow. Please hit me up on my forum if you have any specific issues.
http://www.ruffstuffcg.com/journal/p...-workflow.html

[judderman]

What about when you're simply using the colour picker in a vray material? It looks weird...like this.

The colour I've selected in photoshop doesn't match the same RGB values I've inserted in 3ds max. Can someone explain?

Cheers,

[YoyoBoy]

You can turn off the "Affect Color Selectors" switch in the Gamma and LUT preferences. This will make make things appear correctly in the color selector. But, whether its a bug or AutoDesk has some twisted logic that I don't understand, your material will not show up this way when rendered. So the best way to do it is to:
• Turn off the "Affect Color Selectors" switch
• Put an Output Map in the diffuse slot
• Give it a Bezier point located at 0.5, 0.218
• Place a VRayColor Map in there to set your color.

[YoyoBoy]

Oh, and this is for gamma of 2.2 only. Others will be different.

Also, I think I heard that in VRay v2 the VRayColor's gamma value setting works, so the Output Map wouldn't be necessary if that is the case.

[judderman]

Thanks Geoff,

I've done this, but I'm still a little unclear. Here are a few grabs showing what I've done.









My brain is melting a bit :s

[YoyoBoy]

That's correct, except that you want your Input Gamma (to correct the incoming bitmaps) and Output Gamma (so your renders will save properly) to also be 2.2.

[judderman]

Ah cheers.

I left my input gamma (in the preferences) at 1.0 and when I bring a bitmap in I would specify it was 2.2. - Also when saving out an image, I was going to save it as an exr and work in After Effects in 1.0 space - does that make sense or am I talking nonsense?

I might get there eventually!

[YoyoBoy]

I don't have the EXR thing figured out yet. ~P

I recently had a project where I had them saving just fine on my end, but the renderfarm I was using was saving them double gamma'd. Instead of fighting with it I just threw an exposure compensation on it in AE (0.455). They were floating point so there was no info lost.

[Guest]

Its the output gamma that confuses me. With it on or off it still produces the same result. Does Vray override this in some way? I don't do any composting in my workflow, we tend to burn the gamma correction into JPG's as we have a fast turn around for projects.

*edit" Never mind I managed to figure it out I think..........

[super gnu]

im not sure if that was a typo, or deliberate.. but i like it. composting

[Guest]

Its the new term because compositing has been used way to much