Backburner / batch /gamma problem

V-Ray V-Ray for 3ds Max Issues
1

Hello people,

I have this asked before but there was no sollution thus i’m trying again.
We are now using 3dsmax 2008

all pc’s are set to 2.2 gamma, in the 3dsmax preference and i checked the 3dsmax.ini file
all is set to 2.2

now the problem.
Batch rendering on a machine goes well and the images are saved with 2.2 gamma.
Now when i submit a batch render > net render the images are saved with 1.0 gamma.

i have tried searching everywhere but i cannot find a settings that will solve this. even setting the 2.2 gamma in the save file dialog to 2.2 does not work (still saved with 1.0 gamma)
So i hope any1 has a sollution for this :slight_smile:

Cheers.

2

Gamma settings on your nodes are irrelavant. They should always use the settings of the host file. I’ve never had a problem with a node rendering at the wrong gamma, and I have never changed the gamma settings on a node or workstation for DR or BB.

Are you saving as EXR? When EXR’s are opened in Photoshop, the sRGB profile is automatically applied so that the image appears the same as the MFB. If you open the EXR in Bridge, it will appear without the sRGB profile and look too dark.

It doesn’t matter really because you can always correct the gamma in photoshop because its full-float. If it comes in too dark, just increase the gamma, or if double corrected for some reason, then .4545.

With 8 or 16 bit formats, use the override of 2.2 when saving, like you mentioned. It should appear as in the MFB, or as in the VFB with sRGB checked. In this case its not relative, because the gamma is burned in, and you can’t correctly fix it by adjusting the gamma in photoshop. If it appears wrong, then it is wrong.

3

Well, the frame buffer displays correct. the only thats that i going wrong that the image is saved in 1.0 gamma. (saving a jpg thus 8-bit)

i know saving in a 32bit format would “solve” the problem because you can adjust the gamma afterwards.

But well it’s just quicker if i could save a jpg image directly. so i’m guessing i have to use color mapping to burn in the gamma?
But like i said this is not the most logical way max should be doing things hehehe
and the most weird part is it only happens when batch rendering a net render (backburner).
Using normal render>net render goes well :slight_smile: to weird.

i have tried rendering with the normal frame buffer and the vray frame buffer, same result (1.0 gamma saved images). if i set override 2.2 gamma the images are still saved in 1.0 gamma…

4

You don’t need to use color mapping to burn the gamma into the jpeg. Just saving with an override of 2.2 does that.

5

:slight_smile: well problem is with batch net render the override does not seem to work. always saved 1.0 gamma

6

I don’t know then, it works for me. In fact, all my animations in the last 2 years have been saved as TGA files with override of 2.2.

If you send to a commericial render farm, make sure they don’t revert it back to default…

7

are you sure it works when using batch render? then it’s getting more weird. we have tested multiple pc’s with different managers. all same result.

8

Batch net render? Do you mean backburner? I always use backburner and its fine. I even use DR via BB now, which is awesome…

9

you save scene with gamma 2.2

reopen max and chance settings to 1.8

reopen max and load scene
gamma is 1.8 and not 2.2 - this settings are not updated !!!
if u render now the gamma is 1.8

close max without save (scene is still 2.2)

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batchrender on the PC with 1.8 the 2.2 scene
all is rendering correct !
the max.ini with the gamma settings is ignored during batch render (and backburner)

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if you disable gammacorrection in the config (or other values are set) and render via batch or BB the
frame buffer maybe shows wrong gamma (display gamma) but save image correctly with 2.2

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batch render command “-gammavalueout:2.2” and “-gammavaluein:2.2” do not work
you can activate and deactivate the gammacorrection via “-gammacorrection:1” and “..:0”
thats all - no value chance possible via cmd - Bug Bug

that should clear all issues concerning gamma stuff

grz from the farmer

10

1.8 gamma? WTF? Maybe if you’re working with mac print graphics. Which we’re not!

Sorry, don’t mean to be rude QuakeMarine1, but that is all completely wrong.

11

the 1.8 was just an example to show you what happen if you touch the gamme values

one of the points I mention should help you batchrendering with the correct gamma

12

Oh, I see. Sorry, I was a bit drunk when I read that. I see your point now. Yes, when you change the gamma settings in a file, you need to save, close, and re-open. Not sure why that is.

But if you are starting all you new models with LWF, you never need to switch…

13

QuakeMarine Thanks you very much, i’ll try this out!!
for now all camera view are single submitted to the backburner, man this takes some time :slight_smile:

Hope your sollution works!!

14

Well i’m giving up, i aint getting it to work.

i have tried:
- removing all gamma settings from the ini file
- setting preference in 3dsmax>gamma all off
- setting different values such as 1.2

tried the save, restart, change thing you said

all images that i rendered were not saved in 2.2

boehoe. well hope autodesk will try to fix this

15

Can you post the file or something? I could take a look.

16

I think im experiancing the same problem here,

I have 2 machines, 1 which ive set my gamma to lwf. so gamma set to 2.2 affect material editor and affect color swatch. and input gamma set to 2.2 on bitmaps.

now the other machine is a fresh standard install of max.

im using linear color mode, with the gamma set to 2.2, so that it burns the gamma into the image. so really it shouldnt matter on how the image is saved as long as it comes out as default image gamma as not to double expose the image.

now what seems to happen is that the image isnt saved as it looks like in the vray frame buffer, and looks like an image with gamma of 1.8.

Its strange that it happens sometimes and not other times.

IS having load gamma state with scene file enable a work around or is that ignored when network rendering.

17

Load gamma state only needs to be enabled when you are moving between files with different gamma settings. If you don’t have it on, Max will set the file to the gamma settings of the previous file you worked on.

When I first switched to LWF a couple years ago, I had to have it enable to go between slightly older files. Now that all recent work is LWF its not necessary.

It should not affect gamma settings on node renderings, but I don’t burn my gamma in. I save everything as 32-bit EXR (well, all still images anyway).

18

so what are you saving out when doing animations, do you still come out to 32bit float, i find file sizes get alittle out of control.

19

I have used uncompressedTGA files for animations in the past with override of 2.2 to burn in the gamma, but EXR’s with Zip (16 scanline block) lossless compression, are only slightly larger than an uncompressed TGA file.