Mental Ray or Vray?

[David Arbogast]

I am a practicing Interior Architect and I use 3ds Max as a design and presentation tool (which also means I am not a professional illustrator). I have been using Vray as my preferred renderer for the last several years, but have recently started working in a new company, which means I have an opportunity to re-evaluate my tools. My new company is willing to purchase Vray for me, if I ask, but I also want to give strong consideration to simply changing my workflow to use Mental Ray instead of Vray.

 

I've been using Mental Ray on my latest design project and I have mixed feelings about it so far. I am accustomed to getting good-looking renderings easily and quickly in Vray, but the Mental Ray interface is daunting (I understand it's been simplified in Max 2009, and am getting that installed asap) and the results have been very slow rendering times with some blotchiness in places (reminds me of my finalRender days). I imagine I need to up some settings, but that probably means even slower renderings. So, I need you Mental Ray experts to help me make a wise choice...here goes:

 

Are you convinced that Mental Ray can produce interior renderings of similar quality AND rendering times as Vray? I have several reasons that I would love to make Mental Ray my renderer of choice (such as it's integration into Autodesk Revit), so I'm strongly leaning that way, but I'm mainly looking for the comfort of wise counsel from Mental Ray experts - especially if anyone is experienced in Vray as well.

 

Thanks for your help!!!

[AJLynn]

The speed and quality you could get from them is very similar. But since you already are comfortable in Vray, you should probably go with that.

[mattclinch]

i have both, i have used both, and mental ray is my preference. it is, however, a tool, and so the ultimate test of its speed and quality is in the hands of the user. each is capable of the same quality in roughly the same time in the hands of a good user.

 

i would urge you to learn mental ray if it would considerably help your workflow in revit, but suggest you weight up the gain in workflow against the time spent learning a new engine when you are experienced in another.

 

ultimately i would consider mental ray knowledge another feather in your hat and well worth the time invested in learning it, but up to you really.

Edited December 5, 2008 by mattclinch

[Crazy Homeless Guy]

If you are doing interiors then you should stick with Vray. It's diffuse bounces on its lighting calculations lead the market in terms of speed and quality. MR has FG which is really nice for exteriors, but can not compare on interiors. MR does utilize a photon system that will help with interiors, but the technology is out of date, and can not compare to the lighing solutions that Vray has available.

 

However, ....MR does have a new lighting solution that they are incorporating into their package called Importons and Irradiance Particles. It is still hidden away in Max, but can be utilized through the use of 3rd party shaders. It is still a bit cumbersome though, but looks promising. I expect that they will push this feature to the front when Max2010 releases.

[David Arbogast]

Thanks for the helpful feedback - much appreciated! Based on that and my own experience thus far, I'm going to go ahead and get Vray ordered. My feeling is that Mental Ray could soon be my answer....just not quite yet.

[Nic H]

definately vray, unless you can use mental ray well

 

but both basically the same anyway, splittin hairs imo.