Since some users were wondering what is the use of the Dome light, here are some images rendered with a HDR-mapped dome light:
Here is the result of one-bounce QMC GI with the same number of subdivs:
Since the Dome light knows in advance what is the .hdr map, it can optimize the samples so that more rays are traced in the bright parts of the .hdr map, which greatly reduces the noise (and render times too).
These are some of the most difficult .hdr environments I’ve seen, since they contain small bright spots. Obviously, this is not a problem for the Dome light. However, using GI only would require lots and lots of time to get rid of the noise.
Actually what would be even better then Paul’s HDRI’s are the one that are done by the Sphereon Camera. I have gotten the “high res” skys and they are so high-res, it is crazy. 6k images with the HDRIs effectively at around 22 stops. When I measured the sun in HDR shop, its brightness is near 35,000. Now that is bright!
Either way, I think you have made your point about Dome lights. Well done.
i personal don’t understand the hype about hires hdri’s, but i would be interrested in how the resolution of the hdri interact with the rendertime.. when using hdri’s in the BG override channel the rendertime is hdri sizedependent.
I know, but you would run out of ram if it was that big.
Yeap… I would say that the Dynamic Range of the HDR is important in the diffuse lighting, and the resolution (and dynamic range) is important in the specular (reflection).[/quote]
The hype is about hdri files, and they are used for much more then just lighting, But for sure they don’t have to be very large if you only use them for lighting.
Hold on… Lighting is represented in Diffuse and Specular. Specular lighting is critical otherwise you get nothing but a boaring flat matte world that you see so often in newbie GI lighting.
