Resurrect Vray Physical Camera

[LudvikKoutny]

It's been a while since the Autodesk's Physical camera has been introduced and to this day, it is still broken, and it doesn't look like there's any improvement on the horizon.

I therefore wish for resurrection of VrayPhysicalCamera. It may be also chance to clean the UI up a bit, make it future proof, maybe also a chance to introduce a few new nice things, that would make our lives easier, such as presets of most commonly used cameras, be it Canon, Blackmagic or ARRI.

Seeing that Autodesk is going with Arnold, and the way they are going about its implementation, I don't think they can be trusted with providing capable, renderer-agnostic camera.

[^Lele^]

typing

apropos "vray*cam"

in the listener shows the command
"vrayCreateVRayPhysicalCamera()"

typing

show (vrayCreateVRayPhysicalCamera())

returns this (it mentions also the camera i created at the origin with the plain command):

vrayCreateVRayPhysicalCamera (const Primitive): $VRayPhysicalCamera:VRayCam001 @ [0.000000,0.000000,0.000000]
  .targeted : boolean
  .film_width : worldUnits
  .focal_length : worldUnits
  .specify_fov : boolean
  .fov : float
  .zoom_factor : float
  .horizontal_shift : float
  .vertical_shift : float
  .distortion : float
  .distortion_type : integer
  .lens_file : filename
  .distortion_map : texturemap
  .f_number : float
  .target_distance : worldUnits
  .lens_tilt : float
  .lens_tilt_auto : boolean
  .lens_horTilt : float
  .specify_focus : boolean
  .focus_distance : worldUnits
  .dof_display_thresh : float
  .exposure : boolean
  .vignetting : boolean
  .vignetting_amount : float
  .type : integer
  .shutter_speed : float
  .shutter_angle : float
  .shutter_offset : float
  .latency : float
  .ISO : float
  .systemLightingUnits : boolean
  .whiteBalance : RGB color
  .whiteBalance_preset : integer
  .temperature : float
  .use_blades : boolean
  .blades_number : integer
  .blades_rotation : float
  .center_bias : float
  .anisotropy : float
  .optical_vignetting : float
  .bitmap_aperture_on : boolean
  .bitmap_aperture_affectExposure : boolean
  .bitmap_aperture_res : integer
  .bitmap_aperture_texmap : texturemap
  .use_dof : boolean
  .use_moblur : boolean
  .subdivs : integer
  .clip_on : boolean
  .clip_near : worldUnits
  .clip_far : worldUnits
  .environment_near : worldUnits
  .environment_far : worldUnits
  .horizon_on : boolean
  .legacy_ISO : boolean
  .show_camera_cone : integer
  .horizontal_offset (alias for horizontal_shift)
  .lens_horShift (alias for lens_horTilt)
  .lens_shift (alias for lens_tilt)
  .lens_shift_auto (alias for lens_tilt_auto)
  .vertical_offset (alias for vertical_shift)

So, it's there, and any script which would convert max cameras to v-ray ones would still work (f.e. my one still works on max standard cameras, minus ofc the newly added parameters to the physcam in the twelve years since the script release.).

[LudvikKoutny]

I know it's there.

My request was not to just put it back the way it was (despite even that being lot better than what Autodesk has thrown at us), but taking the old VrayPhysicalCamera that has somewhat messy UI and is outdated in some ways, and creating new, modern, future-proof V-Ray camera

[^Lele^]

I did read your post, you shouldn't assume my disregarding parts of it equated to either not seeing, or to not understanding: my pointing you at what you called "broken" and telling you it's perfectly functional to this day wasn't accidental.

Do you get much blending of CG done with ALEXA-shot material? Or with Blackmagic stuff?
I'm asking, because of those which do, and are our clients, no one ever asked for such a thing.
In fact, i do not understand what kind of presets you'd want for those cameras.
The camera doesn't do any form of color mapping besides linear exposure and white balance, as that is either relegated to the render settings panel, or the VFB, so that can't be what you are asking.
Film back size and other model-specific details are all on the max render settings, included render resolution, so that can't be in the physcam preset either.
Anything pertaining to defocusing or motion blur isn't camera, but lens and settings specific, so it can't be that either.

What, exactly, would a preset for (insert here your favourite brand) cameras should the physical camera have, pray tell?

[LudvikKoutny]

I don't understand what color mapping has to do with that. It's indeed not what I was asking at all.

In the first line I mentioned that I consider Autodesk's Physical Camera broken, not VrayPhysicalCam. It is still broken in both 3ds Max 2016 and 2017. For example it randomly keys ISO and Shutter values when you have exposure control active. Or it adds random keys when you switch viewport while being in autokey mode. I could go on...

I meant presets mostly just for correct filmback. If I get alexa shots and I need to create matching camera out of the data I got, I often have to go for example here http://vfxcamdb.com/arri-alexa-mini-sensor-areas/ to find what I need. Would be nice to have this built in, but that's just extra stretch goal request. My main request is just to resurrect VrayPhysicalCam, refurbish it with clean new UI, and put it back into UI in Cameras category of Create Panel as a raised middle finger to Autodesk's incompetence.

[^Lele^]

I am confused: each camera should then alter the render output settings of a scene/state (that is, in max, per scene/state, in the general render settings) to match the right ratio?
What would happen with multiple cameras? And what with the number of multiple states created - if that road was chosen - when cameras get removed/altered?

Otherwise, it's seriously just a few lines of simple maxscript to give you a list of presets for a film back on the physcam (i *did* forget it was in it. Likely as i much preferred it where it made sense, by the controls which govern pixel and image ratio.), and a button in the creation panel (you do know you can drag the command i pasted you above from the maxscript listener to a toolbar, and make it a button, yes?).
I could even go to town and change the UI, that too is fairly trivial, if a lot of text, but i'm sure you could do a better job at defining just what you would want the plugin physcam UI to show you: the original one, plus your own rollout(s), or just your streamlined UI.

As for the mention of color mapping, nevermind me.

[vlado]

We'll see about that; there are certainly some issues that I hoped would be fixed for the Physical Camera, but it never happened.

Best regards,
Vlado

[^Lele^]

off i scamper scripting in the sunset...

[Ihno]

1+
Yes please bring it back! I always have to search for that max script snippet. I know I could make my own button, I forgetting it every time

Apart of that:

I'd like to ask for more distorsion algorithms and import of 3DE's and maby other software's lens profiles.
I'm new to this though, maby the distorsion thing is something that makes more sense in post, you'll know what to do .
Just working with 3DE right now, and would be glad to be able to import any information 3DE has about my shot.

[Glm]

Yes, please bring back the old vray cam!

When I run a script, I get a non targeted vray cam pointing downwards.
I'd like to be able to create a cam the old way: click and drag the target in the top view.

Also did some quick tests, vary cam renders quicker than max physcam.
Can anyone confirm, this?

[LudvikKoutny]

I am confused: each camera should then alter the render output settings of a scene/state (that is, in max, per scene/state, in the general render settings) to match the right ratio?
What would happen with multiple cameras? And what with the number of multiple states created - if that road was chosen - when cameras get removed/altered?

If you made a script for that, I would be extremely thankful

What I had in mind is that it would match up under the condition you would manually set up the resolution/aspect ratio correctly. So a model scenario is for example: I get plate that's been shot on Alexa Mini, and I know from exif it's been shot in ProRes 2k, so I would just manually set the resolution to be 1.78:1, and then in first dropdown pick ARRI Alexa Mini, and second dropdown would turn into formats list, where I'd pick ProRes 2k.

But again, this is just far fetched stretch goal, it was just some auxiliary suggestion. My main request was just VrayPhysicalCamera being back in the user interface with cleaned up UI

[^Lele^]

So, short version: copy the attached script into

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2017\scripts\startup

Run Max, go to the creation panel, cameras, V-Ray and find the new button.

Longer version: It's a scripted plugin, but not having it when opening a scene which used it (say, a scene with a physcam created with the plugin button), will have NO IMPACT on the scene's ability to open or render (in fact, it won't even error out if the script isn't there.), so use without a care.

Longest version:Until a little issue is on the physcam side is fixed, i won't be able to add the dropdown list to the UI to be able to pick apertures, but the code's in place and working (and currently also allows for fixed-res presets and crop factors, changing the render dialog settings and showing the change in realtime on the camera view frustum. I am *not* convinced this is wise, so i likely will forego the cropping entirely and keep the four or five sensor sizes.).
For now, this will just re-add the physical camera button to the Max UI.


extendedPhyscam_002.zip

[Vizioen]

Also this needs to be addressed: https://forums.chaosgroup.com/showth...amera+clipping I don't see autodesk doing this.

[vlado]

This is something that we need to fix in the V-Ray code, it's on my "to do" list.

Best regards,
Vlado

[Vizioen]

Ah great, thanks Vlado.