VRayHDRI Bitmap color space sRGB

[FlynnAD]

In the VRayHDRI node, when loading a bitmap - NON-hdr, just a normal 8-bit texture, if you select the Color Space as Inverse Gamma, a 2.2 gamma texture will look correct if you enter .4545; I understand that.

If I choose sRGB instead of Inverse Gamma, the bitmap thumbnail likewise changes color to look correct (the same as it does with .4545 inverse gamma). However, the Inverse Gamma numeric enter box does not have any effect; perhaps it should not.

Is there any way to "mess up" a sRGB texture if I choose the VRayHDRI color space as sRGB? Say if a file does not use gamma correction at all, or if the bitmap was not saved as sRGB or something?

Just trying to fool proof my workflow and I don't know enough about color space and gamma to know all the pitfalls.

Thanks,
Matt

[Svetlozar Draganov]

Hello,

The default settings of V-Ray and 3dsMax are by default set to recognize textures and apply to proper color profiles to them for Linear Workflow setup.
Inverse gamma option allows you to specify a value to change the curve - this is possible because the equation is approximation and could be easily calculated via formula.
The true sRGB color correction is not an approximation and there is no formula where you can enter and input value and change the curve, thus inverse gamma value is not taken into account for sRGB.

The best option is to rely on V-Ray and 3dsMax automatic gamma settings and not mess up with those settings manually unless it is needed.