'Let there be Light! ColorMapping render

[Mike Abbott]

Just thought you folks might be interested in a render that I've just posted in the long running Unchallenge > ' Let there be Light! ' thread, using the new ColourMapping plugin.

 

CM's no magic bullet, but it's certainly a help in getting a workable interior GI render IMO.

 

Mike Abbott

http://www.vgd.co.uk

[Jorbu]

I just recently began testing a scene using this plugin and I really like the results. I still have a lot more testing to do to figure out how the settings work and figure out how they relate to the radiosity settings. But so far it looks very promising.

 

Attached are a couple of early renderings.(straight out of C4D) The first is done without use of the pluging and the second has it applied. Both rendered in less than 6 min. I'd like to give a try to the 'Let there be Light!' scene, but the link doesn't work anymore. (Hence why I'm posting these images on this thread)

 

The latest version of the plugin fixed the jaggies on the reflections. (I did this test with an earlier version of the plugin so they are present)

[Mike Abbott]

....I still have a lot more testing to do to figure out how the settings work and figure out how they relate to the radiosity settings...

 

Same here...

 

Looking at your images I guess you're finding the same benefit I am - it really helps to deal with the problem of blown highlights. Until now it seemed almost impossible to render a reasonably lit GI interior without a blown highlight.

Now we can

 

Mike A.

[STRAT]

what is this plugin?

[Mike Abbott]

what is this plugin?

 

 

It's introduced by 'MasterOfLight' in this (massive) thread. This link should take you right to the page where he introduces it (page 20 I think):

 

http://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php?t=154629&page=20&pp=15

 

There are URL's for download later in that thread. Sorry I down't have those handy. I think the latest version is '3'

 

There are then a few other threads on CGTalk with titles like 'vray like renders' and 'fun with colormapping plug' etc where there are images using it.

 

The plug is accessed as a post effect in the render settings dialog. Try it on 'Exponential' or 'HSV Exponential' for architectural interiors.

 

Mike A.

[Mike Abbott]

A follow on....

 

This link shows the effect in Vray - ColorMapping does the same in Cinema:

 

http://www.spot3d.com/vray/help/VRayHelp150beta/examples_gbuffer.htm

 

Mike A.

[STRAT]

great. i see these marathon threads in cgtalk and usually dont participate in them. but then i miss snippets like this.

 

here's quoting 'MasterOfLight' -

 

the plugin will do the same like the color-mapping in finalRender/VRay.

I wrote the plugin, because I found the color-mapping feature in finalRender very useful,

especially in interiors.

 

Linear - this mode will simply multiply the final image colors based on their brightness are. Color components that are too bright (above 1.0) will be clipped. This can result in burnt out spots near bright light sources.

 

Exponential - this mode will saturate the colors based on their brightness. This can be useful to prevent burn-outs in very bright areas (for example around light sources etc). This mode will not clip bright colors, but will instead saturate them.

 

HSV exponential - this mode is very similar to the Exponential mode, but it will preserve the color hue and saturation, instead of washing out the color towards white.

 

Dark multiplier - this is the multiplier for dark colors.

 

Bright multiplier - this is the multiplier for bright colors. In Exponential mode it controls the contrast between dark and bright colors.

 

...hope it can be useful !

.michael

 

ftp://lightline.homeunix.com/ColorMapping.zip

 

 

sounds interesting. typically overhyped by cgtalk as the results certainly look far from jaw dropping (1 reason i dont linger too much there) but interesting all the same. and as you mentioned, it's certainly not a magic button must see what it can do.

[Gerri4D]

ftp://lightline.homeunix.com/ColorMapping.zip

 

is the oldest realese.

 

ftp://lightline.homeunix.com/ColorMapping_03.zip

 

is the bugs fixed realese.

 

Gerri

[Frosty]

Thanks for bringing this info here. I got the plug last night and tried to test it out, but couldnt figure out how to use it - no documentation. What versions does it work with?

[Jorbu]

It works fine on 8.5 and it should work on 9 as well. (I'm not sure about earlier versions)

[Mike Abbott]

Thanks for bringing this info here. I got the plug last night and tried to test it out, but couldnt figure out how to use it - no documentation. What versions does it work with?

 

 

Working fine with 8.5 and 9 (demo) on my W2k.

 

My basic workflow:

Setup your render with Recompute = Always and Save solution checked (ticked) in the Radiosity page of the Render settings.

In the Effects page have Enable Post Effects checked (ticked) and have ColorMapping included in the list of effects. Set to Exponential / 1 / 1 to start.

 

Render. After the pre-pass and the normal render, you'll see the Render change after CM re-calculates it.

 

Now set Recompute = Never.

 

You can now re-render (quickly), trying different CM settings but re-using the radiosity solution.

 

It's great at pulling back over exposed areas of the image as it manipulates the internal render data, so you can manipulate the render with CM and still save out a top quality 16bit image for further Photoshop tweaking if required.

 

Try it out on a very simple 'ball in a box' type scene first. If you set up the radiosity solution to so it's a bit too hot and it burns out the lighter parts of the image, you'll clearly see CM do its stuff.

 

HTH,

 

Mike A.

[Frosty]

Well, I guess that clears it up

I'm on 8.2 - and it doesnt work. Guess I have to wait for the 9 upgrade.