Dome/HDRI alpha contribution

[Macker]

I could be very much mistaken in assuming that VRay doesn't do this; but I feel like I've looked everywhere for a setting...

I light my scenes using an HDRI in a VRay Dome Light, much the same as many other people I'm sure. The problem I'm having is that I always end up with a blank alpha channel (pure white) - whereas if I were using a VRay Sky i'd have a nice outline from which I could crop the sky out and replace it.

Could you please add an alpha contribution from the VRay dome light?

[vlado]

Why not simply make the light invisible? You need to render against a black background anyways if you want to do some compositing later on.

Best regards,
Vlado

[cheerioboy]

I agree with Macker,

I've also been ever so slightly bothered by this. Although there are ways around it, it would be nice to just have the HDRI contribute (or not contribute?) to the alpha by default. If it worked exactly how VRay Sky works with the alpha that would be awesome.

[Macker]

Why not simply make the light invisible? You need to render against a black background anyways if you want to do some compositing later on.

Yes, this will work but;

1) It's a work-around
2) I don't always need to comp a different sky in, generally only for high res shots.

It's just something that would make life that little bit easier for everyone if it were there.

[tashko.zashev]

Hi Macker,

An "affect alpha" option for the dome lights is added to our "to do" list.
I hope this will be available soon.

[m_hinks]

+ 1. just needed this option on a job, worked around, but would be nice.

[JeffG2]

Has this been implemented yet?

[Pixelcon]

yeah I'd still like this implemented. I can just have a separate sky for the background, but the exposures change and that starts to affect the scene etc. etc. etc. Would be way easier if this could be implemented.

[tashko.zashev]

Hello,

Unfortunately no news about this.
Will try to keep this thread updated.