Yet Another Confused Max2025, VRAY6 ACES/OCIO User.

[joelly3d]

I have reviewed this: https://docs.chaos.com/display/VMAX/...Workflow+Setup

I have a simple request, and i understand the solution is more complicated to explain. I am trying to go simple here.

Scenario Setup.... I render, I send stuff to clients. They tweak. We don't need advanced color control outside of Max, so I literally just want to save what i see.

I want to render something in VRay, and save the image from the VRFB out to an 8bit PNG or JPG. The PNG should look the same as the VRFB, but does not.

Previously i have just used linear color and managed blowouts with Reinhard, but ACES is obviously better... but I can't get my result out to Photoshop or AE.

If I don't need advanced color deformations, why can i not just have an option to save what i see and an image and have that image look the same when opened?

I have tried every configuration of color management and nothing seems to affect the save because I know is it s a visual transform.

I even thought about screen grabbing my result, but that seems so absolutely stupid to have to do.

According to this, https://community.adobe.com/t5/photo.../td-p/14767506 Photoshop now fully supports ACES and 32-bit images... but the beta or new feature are both nowhere to be found in v25.12! Anyone got any insight on this?

Questions:

1. My request is simply... " How do you setup Max and Vray so that the VRFB is WYSIWYG when you saving flattened (final transform result) images?"
2. ACES is clearly better for blowouts and I want that output. Why can I not just "save the compiled vrfb RGB result as ..." or "Bake Transform As..."?
3. Is there a New tutorial anywhere for using the native ACES in the newest Photoshop 25.11+ with images from VRay?

Hopefully some of these can be answered simply, just looking for clarity as I don't need to go down this rabbit hole. Less is more, I just want to save what I see, and open it in photoshop or after effects and have it look the same.

Sorry is i am being dense. I know I have been doing 3D for too long, probably longer than whoever helps me has been alive. haha.
Insights and help appreciated.
-Joel

[hermit.crab]

Do you save the OCIO display correction in the image (there's a tickbox in the VFB, below the view transform)?

[joelly3d]

Yep, and it still comes out wrong.
It appears to save correctly ONLY if I choose:
1: OCIO/Rec709/Un-tone-mapped and don't check Save In Image.
2: Gamma 2.2

The "Save in image" option seems to double transform it and make it too bright. I would like to be able to choose OCIO/Rec709/ACES and save a 24bit PNG, but it appears the image will never open the same as it appears in the VRFB.

I mean whatever, this is silly waste of time at this point. I guess I will continue to use Gamma 2.2 and ignore the OCIO transform until a workflow that doesn't require post processing exists. I have huge print renders and 10,000 frame animations ....and EXR renders are very impractical storage wise considering the only gain i would have is a bit of color difference. 1/10th the storage size for PNG and no post needed is just more practical for this.

I can get it to be right if i post process it in photoshop with the ACES color lookup, but I was trying to avoid the step.

If Chaos wanted to do a screen share session with me, that'd be fine, just email me let me know. I'd be happy to do so.

Thanks for responding!

[hermit.crab]

Make sure that in the 3ds Max's color management settings you set the Render Output Defaults Conversion to No Conversion, to avoid doubling. Step by step:
1. Switch to OCIO 3ds Max default (or whatever you wish)
2. Disable Conversion
3. Enable Save in Image for the OCIO transform in VFB
4. Render

Thing is that the 3ds Max native conversion options are meant to be used for the 3ds Max output (saving from the default settings). However, to get identical results (Output and VFB) in V-Ray it must be disabled.