V-Ray Frame Buffer causes RAM to max out...

[Streetwise]

I've been rendering large (3277x4096) scenes using the default 3ds Render Window. RAM seems to sit around 8GB out of 16GB available. However, I've been playing around with using the Gamma/LUT control in preferences and rendering to the VFB. But when I do that, the RAM usage climbs all the way up to 14-15GB and my system starts to crawl. Here's what I'm doing:

- Setting default image area to 100x100 and unchecking "get size from 3ds" in the VFB in order to save on RAM.
- Rendering to the VFB at 3277x4096 so I can inspect as it's rendering
- Save resulting image out to an 8-bit TIF file, along with the RenderID file

I have a feeling that using the VFB is killing my memory usage, but I seem to be getting better results using the whole Gamma/LUT and VFB combo.

Any advice to try?

Thanks.

[tecsun]

Why don't you dO those test with smaller resolution? Anyway, perhaps you could set the dynamic memory to 0mb if you haven't. I m not sure whether it really help, but may give it a try.

[Streetwise]

So you're saying to test at a smaller resolution, and then do the final render without having the VFB window open? Not sure how you do that... Is it possible?

[Zdravko]

What is your dynamic memory limit set to? Are you using Light cache and do you have any Proxy, fur or displacement geometry in the scene?
Any large textures?
Sometimes disabling the VFB might save you some memory.

[tecsun]

If you are doing test, a smaller resolution definitely help to save a lot of time. Else you can use Net Render's split render function, to actually split your render into smaller strip to avoid overdraw memory.

If you are saying why the Gamma/LUT + VFB tends to draw so much RAM, could it be you have render elements active?