Albedo vs render time

[maru]

Ok, so how do it rightly?

Do what?

set 255 on color and 0.7 on level? ore simply 179 on color?
should i reduce maps, reflection level?

For a pure white surface setting diffuse colour to 255 255 255 and diffuse level to 0,7 will be the same as setting colour to 179 179 179 and diffuse level to 1,0.

It is also not recommended to use 100% reflections and refractions.

[VadoZe]

Do what?

Properly/easier setting materials!
So should I reduce diffuse maps Level too?

[maru]

You should never use 255 255 255 colour value for any materials, be it maps or colours. That's all.

If you are using a diffuse map with a dark bitmap loaded, then there is no need to reduce diffuse level.

[Ondra]

You should never use 255 255 255 colour value for any materials, be it maps or colours. That's all.

If you are using a diffuse map with a dark bitmap loaded, then there is no need to reduce diffuse level.

No, I would say you should never use it for diffuse/translucency combined with level set 1.0. But using it for refraction/reflection is OK, if you want to create glass/water/mirrors

[VadoZe]

You should never use...

No, I would say...

That's why I'm asking for normal info/FAQ/documentation with reliable data, not everyone's guesses!)

[first]

Good 

[rsi]

Hello, I'm new with Corona, we are testing it at the studio, and I really like it.
I am an old Vray user, I would like to understand something related to this level value in the diffuse in Corona.
I'm use to work since a long time in Vray in linear, I never used Reinhardt. Following this tread in the chaosgroup forum from Lele, (http://forums.chaosgroup.com/showthread.php?36359-VRay-Sun-Sky-and-Physical-Camera-video-tut-Bonus-Script!/page31&highlight=lele+converter) from 2006. I work with a diffuse at 128 for the white and I put the rgb output at 0,5 for the texture in general (between 0,4 and 0,6)
; don't know if it's wrong. I was thinking that it could be because those texture are taken from real life, so they are already under light conditions.
from what I understand, in Corona, the default level for white is 150, does it mean that I need to lower also the value of the level for the texture.
Is there a script that manage this level value, when I'm using some asset model with tons of materials?
Thanks

[snakebox]

Super useful debate guys, thanks.

It all makes a lot of sense, but all renders seems to be more or less sensitive to these ideas so it's very nice to get a reasonable starting point to work from with corona.

[lextorlex]

Well, In may daily work I use colors at 255,255,255 for diffuse. It is more obvious for me to see white color as white when setting shaders up. So I usually set up my scene, merge some models, convert materials to Corona, create my materials, and when I finish I just use a script to change diffuse level globally for all materials. In my daily work I use 0,7-0,8 (this is albedo for white plaster - one of the most white diffuse surface I can find). So I consider that white plaster is the whitest diffuse surface in my archtectural scenes so other materials which have bitmaps or colors for diffuse will have a lower values for albedo on exit. This is my way to avoid colors at brightest level and I think this approach is much faster then tweaking each materials.

[maru]

If this also affects materials with textures and with other colours then I'm not sure if this is a good idea.

[lextorlex]

I'm not sure if this is a good idea.

Why? I see no problems with this workflow. Yes, this script affect materials with colors and bitmaps in diffuse slot. This way, so to say, I just say to render that pure white(255.255.255) color could not be brighter than 0.7 resulting in grayish color (178.178.178) for pure white. But this darkening can be easilly compensated by exposure.

[maru]

If you have a dark texture (for example wood) then your script will make it even darker which usually isn't needed.