Is this LWF or just a strange setting?

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

Guys,

Last days, a friend told me about a “tip” to get more lighter shadows, because the renderings I´ve been making were done using “Linear multiply” color mapping mode, and the shadows were too dark.

he told me about this steps:

A. Switch from “Linear multiply” to “Reinhard” color mapping mode, using this values:
               - Multiplier: 1.0
               - Burn value: 0.8
               - Gamma: 1.0

B. On “Customize > Preferences > Gamma and LUT” Check “Enable Gamma / Lut Correction”, “affect Color Selectors”, “Affect Material Editor” and set “Gamma”, “Input Gamma” and “Output Gamma” to 2.2

C. After this, reduce the reflection amount to all the materials, because they will reflect a lot more now.

D. Use “linked” VraySun and VraySky, with 1 as multiplier value.

E. Use VrayPhysicalCamera with:
               - f-number: 8
        - Shutter speed: 125
    - Film speed (ISO): 100

The results, honestly, were better; but I have this little doubt: Is this a particular way to set Linear Worflow? Because as far as I know, LWF works only with “Linear Multiply” color mapping mode.

Thanks for your time, and thanks in advance for your answers. Any help will be appreciated. :wink:

Lmerlos.

2

yes I believe this is fine. I personally set my colormapping gamma to the 2.2 that Ive set my max preferences to though.

3

remembering from the help file, reinhard color mapping is a sort of average between linear and exponential where a burn value of

1=linear
0=exponential

so a value of 0.8 means “quite linear”

4

no its not LWF because:

“Switch from “Linear multiply” to “Reinhard””

if its better :slight_smile:
i might have to try it out.

perhaps you can post an example?

5

Sounds to me like maxwell settings.

6

come again?

7

Didn’t maxwell use to have gamma and burn parameters since day one? We started using those in vray when the entire LWF ide came along, and now we have burn with reinhard. Both these settings remind me of maxwell, and i’m sure that when i started using a gamma of 2.2, my vray renderings looked kinda like the stuff maxwell would produce. Maybe the burn parameter was what i was missing to completly match the maxwell look.

8

best to put the vray color mapping gamma to 2.2 that way it wil sample better. AFAIK.
And turn max’s output gamma to 1.0
I think thats the best way to do things.

Also Reinhard with burn of 1.0 IS linear 100% burn of 0.0 isnt exactly exponential its close but not exact..

9

@DaForce:

So instead of setting gamma 2.2 in the max preferences, do you set it only in the vray colour mapping?

10

Personally I set both.

11

Really…?

So Max gamma 2.2, output at 1.0 (2.2 for previous vray versions), and gamma 2.2 in vray colour mapping?

12

I have always had output at 1.0.
Input is always at 2.2

And then just gamma 2.2 in the color mapping. that will bake the gamma into the final render.
If you tick “affect colors only” it takes the post gamma sampling but applys it to a pre gamma image.. or something like that. so you can do your gamma changes in post.. AFAIK.
(Was in cpnichols gnomonology video, only watched it once so far so cant recalled exactly)

13

Why does it matter what arbitrary ‘method’ it is?

If it looks good, use it.

14

Well thats exactly right. People try too hard to confirm to a standard method.. heck if it works and looks good stick with it :slight_smile:

People should remember that AMAZING renders were being produced well before LWF was common.

Would wonder if movies such as LOTR, Transformers, and the pixar movies used LWF… :slight_smile:

15

Very true, was just wondering if another method was worth investigating. If the gamma is baked inth the image this way then perhaps (will test soon) I don’t have to remember to save the image with a 2.2 gamma override every time.

16

The color mapping method you use does not make it LWF or not.

To setup LWF:
Customize->Preferences->Gamma and LUT

Enable Gamma and LUT Correction
Enable radio button Gamma, set the spinner to 2.2

Optionally set the Input Bitmap Gamma to 2.2, output to 1.0

in your color mapping rendering settings to 2.2

17

Guys, thank you for all the answers.

But with your answers, new questions came to my mind…

I see that there are many ways to work in LWF mode… even using Reinhard color mapping mode…
But where are all those steps (like calibrating the monitor, adjusting the Photoshop´s gamma, etc) that many people talk about?
If I don´t do this steps above, Am I working in LWF, or just in a weird-semi-LWF mode?

I ask this because many people set about one or jost two things, but other people set about twenty things, and that confuses me. :?

Thanks to all for the answers!!!

Lmerlos.