Custom Sphere as Dome Light

[Refracty]

Hi,
the Dome Light gives great results but I would like to setup a custom Geometry that I can stretch or change like I need.
What kind of shader setup do I need for the self illuminated / Surface Shader behaviour?
Are there any disadvantages compared to a Dome Light?
Do I need to setup a standart Maya Spherical Projection?
Thank you

[Svetlozar Draganov]

VrayDomeLight is optimized for Image Based Lighting which means that it will be calculated faster and it will produce better illumination and shadows especially when using HDRI-texture map. Furthermore DomeLight is a direct illumination light unlike Self-Illuminated materials which means that you can use it even without GI and it will still illuminate the scene in a very nice way. Self Illuminated objects require GI in order to illuminate another objects in the scene, there is no way to control the quality of such type of light since it is determined by the GI settings, they don't cast direct shadows.

You can use VrayLightMtl or VrayMeshLight in order to turn any geometry into a light-source. They both have option to emit direct light but these type of lights are not specialized for Image Based Lighting. They could be used as such but our advice is to use VrayDomeLight.

[Refracty]

Thank you Svetlozar,
so the Dome Light is the ideal option.
But how can I change the change of the shape or the projection paramaters (beside rotating the mapping)?
I would like to bring the projection up or down like I want or stretch the sphere to an ellipsoid.

[tashko.zashev]

Thank you Svetlozar,
so the Dome Light is the ideal option.
But how can I change the change of the shape or the projection paramaters (beside rotating the mapping)?
I would like to bring the projection up or down like I want or stretch the sphere to an ellipsoid.

Unfortunately the Dome light shape can not be changed or deformed. To use different shape or geometry as a light source you could use V-Ray mesh light or V-Ray Light Mtl like Svetlozar suggested. Then adjust the bitmap 2d mapping (or unwrap it) according to your needs.