Physical Camera - Remember/Overide Output Size Individually

I have a scene where there are many Physical Cameras. Depending on the view, the output/dimensions will change.

Each time I have to change dimensions on the different angles I often forget (bad memory) to set it or set it incorrectly.

Is it possible to incorporate output size per individual camera independently of the Common Render tab?

Yeah, great request. Even if it just controlled the VRay Frame Buffer that would be a definite timesaver.

It’d be nice, but I think it would have to be a separate plugin since Max doesn’t support it internally. It should be doable through maxscript.

It is already doable through batch render, from max 7.5 onward.

Lele

But that only works if you batch render. If you’re switching back and forth between cameras and rendering manually, it won’t work.

I run into this a lot too, remembering that one camera is for landscape print, another is at 16x9 for NTSC DVDs, another is for portrait print, etc…

I usually try to save the resolutions for my different cameras in the File->Summary Info panel… but I frequently forget to reference it when I should.

Ideally I think this could be controlled through a presets panel… something that was a mashup of the lightlister and lele’s physcam presets.

I think I know how to go about building it, but I don’t have time at the moment. If any of the rest of you scripters are interested in tackling it, let me know and I’ll outline how I think it could work.

If you constantly render different cams, just have the batch render panel open (it can be minimised, and it’s non modal) , and untick all batch jobs but the one you’re interested in.

Pressing render from within the batch render panel is exactly as doing it through the teapot icon or the render button of the render panel.
With the added bonus of being able to load a different render preset and/or scene state (lights, materials, whatever) for each camera, hence change any parameter in the vray render panel, not only the output size.

I honestly think it is the best way to go.

Lele

Lele - yes there are shortcuts and workarounds. I’m tired of having to do other things to do other things as you suggest. I’d like to see this built-in.

I don’t see why there can be an override on the physical camera modifier rollout. If it’s only a few hours of coding, I would say go for it - it would make Vray that much more user-friendly.

Well, i do appreciate the laziness, but with 1.5 still having some semi-serious issues here and there, those presumed few hours of coding i’d WISH to be seen put where they belong: in fixing issues and making a final release available.
Particularly when the wish is proven doable in a VERY SIMPLE way.
I don’t understand what’s the difference between setting the output in the batch render dialog, or in the physcam, or in a custom script, to be perfectly honest.
It can’t be the one or two more clicks making the difference, as if it is, there some other problem further upward to be sorted.

This said, Vlado will prioritise whatever he sees fit.
I sure ain’t throwing hours to create a custom physical camera plugin to do it.

Lele

Or even just keep an excel/text file open with the resolutions per camera in, which is what I do.

I always write the intended output size in the name of the camera (i.e., “Courtyard View (3200x1800)”) -- this really helps when other people are working on something for the scene and they merge in my cameras from another file, or like the original problem they’re switching from view to view.

It would be nice to have this feature in max, but when I need to set up a scene with multiple different camera angles I always use RPManager. Since different angles will also sometimes call for a change of sun angle, different background image, people/entourage re-arranged, it’s so much easier to manage that way. And then submit them all to render at once when you’re done.

Shaun

Well, i do appreciate the laziness Excuse me? I average 12+ hour days 7 days a week for months on-end straight of working. I haven’t had a vacation in 8 years. There are breaks in work here and there - sure. However, I wouldn’t consider this laziness.

From a different perspective, my ‘wish’ could be taken for efficiency. I wouldn’t say it’s a complete waste of time (nor is there any harm) in making a useful/helpful suggestion. Obviously, other people here would find this simple request useful. You have your way of working - I have mine. I don’t always agree with you and that ‘should’ be respected.

those presumed few hours of coding i’d WISH to be seen put where they belong: in fixing issues and making a final release available.
I also wouldn’t assume that this is ‘too much trouble’ or put words in Chaos’s mouths by essentially saying ‘they’ve got better things to do with their time.’ I wouldn’t think that a simple suggestion puts a dent into their schedule - and frankly, their official release date is nobody’s concern. I feel Chaos delivered me 1.5 two years ago.

If it has to wait till the 1.5 final, afterwards, or perhaps even never - so be it. That’s their decision.

It seems to me that if enough people request something in Vray. Vlado and co are more than nice enough to include it. If memory serves me correctly I was one of the first people who asked if a sun / sky system and camera like maxwell could be done…et viola.

Vray in its current state has more than fulfilled it inital promises and I’m very happy with it

Lol juju, i meant laziness about the two or three clicks more to set up the scene, which has to be done just once, and can be controlled a LOT better than if the parameter was on the camera itself (this is a fact, mind you, not an opinion), particularly with many cameras in a scene.
I can’t fathom your personal conscience troubles regarding how you spend your time, but there are definitely issues which i would WISH to be addressed first.
As, i’ll repeat, what you asked IS DOABLE RIGHT NOW, and has nothing to do with VRay, at all.

those presumed few hours of coding i’d WISH to be seen put where they belong: in fixing issues and making a final release available.
I also wouldn’t assume that this is ‘too much trouble’ or put words in Chaos’s mouths by essentially saying ‘they’ve got better things to do with their time.’ I wouldn’t think that a simple suggestion puts a dent into their schedule - and frankly, their official release date is nobody’s concern. I feel Chaos delivered me 1.5 two years ago.

If it has to wait till the 1.5 final, afterwards, or perhaps even never - so be it. That’s their decision.
I didn’t say, or imply, anything you just suggested.
The “presumed” hours were only presumed by you, and that’s what i referred to, with a dose of sarcasm.
As unless you had the SDK, the abilities, and the time to do it yourself, i wouldn’t presume anything at all about a complex piece of coding like VRay is, but that’s of course a personal opinion, and what i said stands, it’s not me that is going to put the effort into making this wish a reality, but Chaos in case.
You expressed your wish, i even explained you how to do it right there, right now, and expressed my own: other things first, please.

As for a release date, some things can be done right now, have been doable for a while and some have even improved over time.
But there’s got to be a reason or two why this is labeled RC, instead of final.
A few lucky ones have little or no issue, someone else does.
If you, I and many others are overworked, i presume Vlado, as the receiver of all of our concerns and troubles, is definitely not sunbathing with a cool beer by himself, in the meantime.

Just a thought, of course.

Lele

Hello guys…

I’m using RPManager to do this…

This a great tool, you can make, in a single scene, as many render parameter as you wanted…

You can setup all renderer’s parameters, add all the resolution you wanted, on each cam… etc etc…

I know… It’s another tool to buy… But it’s very good…

Best regards.

One way to look at this, is that this is the kind of feature that is not render-engine specific. So it doesn’t have to be in VRay, but a third party solution might be better (support for other cameras, besides VRay physical camera).

In comparison, something like the physical camera itself, or the daylight system, can only be handled by the rendering engine. So if you want that feature, it has to be part of VRay.

When I have some time, I’ll look into seeing if I can script up a plugin to do this.

I second RPManager. It can do what you ask and alot more.

3rd on the rpmanager, great plugin for sure, huge time-saver, and the learning curve isn’t bad either.

I can’t fathom your personal conscience troubles regarding how you spend your time, but there are definitely issues which i would WISH to be addressed first.

Sorry to jump down your throat Lele for reading too much into things. I’ve been pretty stressed work-wise although I know it’s no adequate excuse for doing so. Anyone mentioning the word ‘lazy’ is a quick way to draw out my ire.

As for the other comments everyone - thank you. I’ll eventually look into RP Manager.

“A guy walked up to me and said ‘I’m a tepee, I’m a wigwam, I’m a tepee, I’m a wigwam!’ and I said ‘Relax man, you’re too tense!’”

this is already avalible in max. Its called scene states. It takes 2 secs to set up and it has a HUGE range of possibilities