Can you even survive doing architectural visualization without V-Ray?

[ChrisLSimpson]

I am about to graduate from college in May, and I want to be able to get a job somewhere doing architectural visualization. I have only used mental ray, but it seems that everyone everywhere is using V-Ray. I looked in the WIP thread and went though 6 random pages. Every single project on every page used V-Ray.

 

I have finished a test render of a building I have been working on and compared to even the most basic V-Ray renders of people that say its the very first thing they ever did, it doesn't look as nice. Ive been working on 3d rendering for 3 years using just mental ray and have seen images here of people that just started 3dsmax/V-Ray create better looking images in one weekend using V-Ray than I have created in a month using Mental Ray.

 

That being said, without using V-Ray do I even stand a competitive chance of getting a job anywhere without using V-Ray? It seems that using V-Ray makes any image look better regardless of how little time is spent on it. I want to be able to get a job when I graduate, so should i switch over to V-Ray even though my computer would barley be capable of running it?

Edited March 16, 2013 by ChrisLSimpson

[Krisztian Gulyas]

You can create just as good (or even better) images with mental ray as you can with VRay. Some pros are still using mental ray because it "feels" better to them. There are techniques you have to master with both and the post production is really important. I'm pretty sure nobody sends the images to the client without correcting it in photoshop or any other software.

 

Mental ray and Vray are similar. People say Vray is the easy way of creating beautiful images. Well I dont think so, there are so many things you can change that it needs practice to get used to it and to create really nice pictures (same with mental ray though).

 

I think you should try Vray and see it for yourself. Vray is better because you can find way more tutorials on the internet than you can for mental ray and some people say it's faster. Well, I didn't notice any big change in render time. If you use Vray, there's the frame buffer which is good because you can render and compare two images (you can do that in mental ray too, but that's better in Vray)

 

If you think mental suits better for you, use that. Autodesk wants to create the best softwares so they will develop mental ray (and iRay too).

 

I like Vray, but actually I don't know why. I just like it more than mental ray.

Edited March 16, 2013 by krisztiangulyas

[Crazy Homeless Guy]

Learn Vray. It is fast and efficient. That is why people use it.

[rafaellopez]

Hello Chris

 

I might have a different look on it. I work with both MentalRay and Vray. Without a doubt I work more with Vray, fast and efficient. But recently I have started to render some of my work with Mentalray, and yes it is challenging to understand both render systems. What i did was to replicate render with Vray, in Mentalray. Reason for doing that most will have the ability to upgrade every year. I have fallen behind, and cannot upgrade to a newer version of Vray and 3dsmax. Hope it answers some of your questions. Learn Vray it is a great render engine, additional you will have additional knowledge on another rendering system. Most firm will have Vray as their rendering engine.

[John Dollus]

I am about to graduate from college in May, and I want to be able to get a job somewhere doing architectural visualization..... do I even stand a competitive chance of getting a job anywhere without using V-Ray? It seems that using V-Ray makes any image look better regardless of how little time is spent on it. I want to be able to get a job when I graduate, so should i switch over to V-Ray even though my computer would barley be capable of running it?

 

A. When reviewing portfolios, I don't care what renderer they use as long as the fundamental concepts are evident.

B. There's also a good amount of really poor work being produced with Vray as well.

C. If anything, a good command of Photoshop can make any image look better, not Vray.

[Nic H]

you wont be very attractive to employ unless you can use vray - OR - if you havereally bloody good image then it doesn't matter so much as you will be able to pick vray up qucikly. the principles are basically the same.

 

vray wont take any more resources on your computer than MR.

there are loads of tutorials and chaosgroup are extermely helpful and responsive to problems - unlike autodesk who haven't updated MR in 15 years,....

[John Dollus]

- unlike autodesk who haven't updated MR in 15 years,....

 

I appreciate your snark but this isn't even remotely accurate.

[heni30]

If 95% of the market you going to be seeking employment in is using Vray, then it's really a no-brainer.

[hockley91]

I used Vray since it's first release and in the last few years I've switched over to Mental Ray. Sometimes I go back and forth. Without a doubt V-Ray is easier to set up and the Irradiance Map utility is great for combining previous passes for animations. Having said that, I really like the control of Mental Ray and how the imagery turns out in the end. There are definitelly pro's and con's for each though.

 

In the end, it would be in your best interest to learn both of them.

[Justin Hunt]

Pretty much all my freelance work is mentalray and has never been an issue. At the office we are vray. I am in the process of switching to vray for my freelance stuff. Old projects are going to remain mental. The process of translating my assets to vray is happening on a "as needed" basis, which is tedious.

 

Why the switch? Purely to make myself attractive to future employers. If you can , learn to use both.

[dhammikaherath]

Both are very powerful render engines. I’m not saying Mental Ray is slower. It depends on the user. I’m using both with 3Ds Max. For me Vray can make beautiful images but Mental Ray physically more accurate than Vray. And you can push easily higher render quality and details than Vray. BRDF tuning also plus point in Mental Ray. This is just my idea.

 

Then again depend on the user... That’s what makes us different. Not the tool. As all said and I also agree without Vray you can survive but Without Photoshop you can’t;).

 

Most of people still think Vray is the only render engine which can make realistic renders. That is why all are asking “We are looking for a 3D Visualiser, excellent in 3Ds Max and Vray”. I see no point in that.

[Devin Johnston]

Your more likely to get a job working for a company that's using Vray in which case you'll have to learn it anyway. However everyone else that's telling you it's the artist not the tool is correct, you can make beautiful renderings with any engine if you have the knowledge and skill.

[John Dollus]

From which college are you graduating and what will be your degree?

[Scott Schroeder]

As others have said, when I review portfolios I keep an eye out for Vray knowledge but if you have drop dead sexy images I really don't care if you used Brazil or Scanline or whatever. If you know how to texture and light, that will transfer to any engine. You just have to learn the little differences between the two. Understanding of lighting, color balancing, material setup are more heavily weighed in my mind than specific engine knowledge.

 

That being said Vray will give you a leg up, again as others have noted, in that most of the industry uses it.

[Chris MacDonald]

I'd agree with most of the sentiments here. Mental Ray is, as far as rendering goes just as capable as VRay.

 

I learnt to render in freeware first (Kerkythea), then moved to Mental Ray and then made the switch to VRay. Most of the skills that I had picked up from the previous render engines were transferrable. As a few others have said; it's not the tools, it's how you use it.

 

Just take a look on this site for example, at the majority of the VRay users coming from India and the east; most (not all) seem to be producing some absolutely shockingly bad images using top-end render packages, which for me is proof that you need to learn your trade far more than your render engine. Master both however and you're onto a winner.

[ChrisLSimpson]

I have been spending alot of time with mental ray since i made my first post, and now I think i am much better at it. After my next paycheck i should have enough saved up to be able to get the student version of VRay so next week, i will be starting on it as well. I do agree with Photoshop work though, and I have found that using it can make either render engine look like the best. I will have to start learning VRay though because every archviz firm ive looked at applying to mentions it as a requirement. (One company was so concerned about Vray,they listed it first before even mentioning 3dsMax)

[Nic H]

it is a requirement where i work unless you want to be doing modelling only, spending your days re-doing models from architecture studios!