X5 high quality ray tracing

[dgavin]

Has anyone done any high quality or even std ray tracing and let it tun for hours and noticed much difference from 5-10 passes?

Right now I am not seeing any better looking results after 30 passes vs 2 or 3. I am trying quic, std and high. I want to know if I should let current one cook for a while.

[HumbleChief]

Dennis,

I haven't tried any high quality yet and by that I assume Photons on etc.? I think I'll try one now and see what I get. For me 6 passes and it seems good to go but again with pretty basic settings.

[HumbleChief]

Here's 3 RT's

6 passes no photons 3 mins 25 sec



6 passes with photons 8 mins 1 sec



49 passes - don't know how long because I've lost my Stop RayTrace button - estimate 50 minutes - 1 hour - still cooking.



The biggest differences I can see are the shadows at the end of the couch. At the short RT times they look like black dots and the 42 passes have blended those shadows more. I don't at which pass that became better.

Also the reflection off the floor seems more complex and realistic - or at least more complex. Haven't posted this yet and will see if those difference can be seen with this post.

Here's where I see a difference

[WendyWelton]

I think you'll see the biggest differences with photons. Without them, I think there's a limit to just how much more betterer it can make it - once it's crisp, well, not so much left for it to do! With photons, lots more reflected reflections of reflected reflections - just to reflect upon the problem....

I've let one run overnight - and not seen a heck of a lot of difference between 1 hour and 8 hours.

[HumbleChief]

I'll take the time one day to see at what 'time' or passes those shadows improve and probably not go much further than that - if I ever even get that far as my crappy RayTrace guy status might get blown.

[HumbleChief]

I have to say that the new X5 RT is really pretty good - if even the dullest of us crappy RT guys (CRTG?) can get it to look OK. And of course in this case all credit really goes to X5 and Jintu the Chiefer who built this model.

[HumbleChief]

69 passes 1 H 30 Min 5 sec. As good as it's going to get? I dunno but I can't see any changes.

[WendyWelton]

Larry

I think you might be over-lit. If your light levels are too high, there just isn't so much variation for it to chew on.

Remember that Tone Mapping also kinda evens things out. I turn it off on my exteriors. I do find Tone Mapping useful on interiors, but only if I don't wash out my scene with too much light.

Basically Tone Mapping does some compensation. So if you're already compensating for "indoor" shots with extra lighting, you're compensating twice. If you're not sure if you used Tone Mapping, you did - it's the default.

For folks who don't know what I mean or where that setting is - after you start a raytrace, hit the little Adjust Image icon in the upper left, and see what happens when you check and uncheck that. You'll see the difference immediately, and can safely change it during a raytrace or after it finishes.

What do you have for light sources? Raytrace settings?

[dgavin]

"there's a limit to just how much more betterer it can make it "

Thanks guys (and girl) for the feedback. That is what I kind of thought.
I am looking to try and compete with the crisp clean image I got from Pat who did in in Thea but can;t seem to get it. I know she can let a good one cook for a day but it seems it doesn't make sense to do that in CHief. I'll either have to get better at Thea or Chief.

[WendyWelton]

Pat's clean crisp images from Thea aren't because of edge cleanness, like you might get from raytracing forever in Chief. They're from lighting and material choices, material editing and photon mapping.

If you want to try and get closer, definately use the Advanced settings and let it cook for a good long while.

I'll also say you won't match the Thea result in Chief time.

Thea vs Chief speed is like a 1200 watt Microwave vs. an Easy Bake Oven - just not even close. I use them both for different needs. Thea may be a higher quality result for the time available, but when I need that quality, I also really need to spend a lot more time staging my interiors, selecting accessories, lighting, and materials, etc. So I'm either all-in for a staged scene in Thea, or I'm doing a pretty darned good quick one in Chief, using our lovely catalog of dreadfully dated furniture. Different tools - different needs.

Now I'll also admit I do very few interior raytraces. Maybe Christina will weigh in. She's given Chief's raytracer a a much better workout on interiors than I have.

[Chiefer]

69 passes 1 H 30 Min 5 sec. As good as it's going to get? I dunno but I can't see any changes.

Larry,

Bring down your AO to 1 if your are using photons, you will see the difference. Photons will emanate secondary bounces (indirect illumination) from a light source making rooms brighter from the materials being hit.

Also, save renderings in BMP, it is more crisp...

[Dave Pitman]

Also, save renderings in BMP, it is more crisp...

Actually, if you want to save in a loss-less format, tiff is probably better.

[Chiefer]

Actually, if you want to save in a loss-less format, tiff is probably better.

You may try the 2. see the difference.

[HumbleChief]

Thanks for all the tips. Ill try them in the morning when back at my work computer.

[Dave Pitman]

You may try the 2. see the difference.

Hi Jintu,

If files saved as .bmp look best to you, then by all means use them.

Usually, .tiff files are superior when an image will be printed. If you only need an image to be viewed online, then .png files should give you as good an image as .bmp files, but at a much lower file size. Very important if you are using on a website.

tiff-vs-bmp
bmp-vs-png