Messages

1

[Max] Corona Goodies - User Contributions / Re: AgX in Corona

« on: Yesterday at 11:24:12 »

More of AgX by Troy Sobotka - this time his Resolve version of it (quite different) married with a film look from Arri:
https://forum.corona-renderer.com/index.php?topic=41947.msg223544#msg223544

note: it does require a string option to turn off VFB's sRGB view lut so might be a bit more cumbersome to use.

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[Max] General Discussion / Re: Roughness implementation correct?

« on: Yesterday at 10:40:34 »

The thing I find different about CoronaPhysicalMtl and energy conservation is actually too much energy reflected at low Base Color values like 0.02-0.04.

I'm talking nonsense - CoronaPhysicalMtl is actually a bit darker than StandardSurface.

What is odd though is that CoronaPhysicalMtl returns at F0 (furnace test, GeoSphere mesh, Base Color 0.18, full roughness, ior 1.5) less than 0.18 float.

Compared with VRayMtl here:

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Gallery / Re: Bokeh is your Friend

« on: Yesterday at 08:47:28 »

I think under and over compensated bokeh is like axial chromatic aberration - it is reversed behind and in front of the focal plane: if it’s over compensated behind then it’s under compensated closer to the lens.

https://blenderartists.org/t/advanced-optical-experiments/695835
this is what I was playing with few years ago. might still be the best 3D implementation of lens aberrations.

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[Max] General Discussion / Re: Roughness implementation correct?

« on: 2024-04-17, 15:28:56 »

The thing I find different about CoronaPhysicalMtl and energy conservation is actually too much energy reflected at low Base Color values like 0.02-0.04.

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[Max] General Discussion / Re: 3DSMax 2025 ACES and Corona Render

« on: 2024-04-17, 10:23:12 »

Thank you.

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[Max] General Discussion / Re: 3DSMax 2025 ACES and Corona Render

« on: 2024-04-17, 08:44:13 »

Please note that the below is not yet fully decided, so I cannot provide you with very specific details:
We will soon release a Corona 11 Hotfix 2 which will support 3ds Max 2025 and will assume the ACES/OCIO workflow as the new default with some kind of automated or semi-automated way of correctly displaying the image in the VFB. We are not sure how exactly this will be done, but we will do it in the usual Corona style so that you don't have to worry about it. :)

the changelog of hotfix 2 is a bit vague about it - does display transform from 3ds' ocio setup works with Corona or not yet?

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[Max] Feature Requests / Re: Improved support of max colour management

« on: 2024-04-09, 12:02:53 »

Sorry for the slow reply piotrus3333!

I must admit I'm not very knowledgeable on the process of creating LUTs from resolve.
Would it be a case of using Resolve's CST's to go from linear to AgX and exporting that as a LUT?

I'd definitely like to explore this more - we've been using your AgX LUT pack for a while now and have been getting some great results.

Try the DCTL version of AgX first (link above). I consider it much better but this is all quite subjective. Note: DCTLs only work with Resolve Studio.

This particular DCTL only accepts Arri Wide Gamut 3 with LogC3 encoding as input - there is full drop down menu with other inputs but only this one combination works.
So your raw render from Corona would need CST from srgb linear to awg3 logC3 + AgX DCTL.
AgX DCTL will take you much farther than AgX Base (from my luts) to final look but you should still grade to taste (in LogC3, before DCTL).

Use LUT Cube Analyzer node in Fusion for lut creation.

I'm attaching a crude example (works through CineonLog - Logarythmic in Corona LUT layer so clips the highlight at 13.52 float, should be ok for typical archviz scene)
(lut needs string option, essential for Corona to turn off all the gamma shenanigans in frame buffer: float colormap.additionalGamma = -1.2)

edit: this lut takes raw render from Corona, transforms it through AgX Resolve picture formation as the author calls it to display it on srgb display adding one of Arri's looks.

I hope this is somewhat helpful.

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[Max] Corona Goodies - User Contributions / Re: AgX in Corona

« on: 2024-03-26, 18:51:14 »

Thank you for your answers! Is it useful to add ocio Vray renderer to environment variables?

VRAY_VFB_OCIO - no.
OCIO - yes, if you are using only/mostly one ocio config.

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[Max] Corona Goodies - User Contributions / Re: AgX in Corona

« on: 2024-03-26, 15:37:08 »

Hello, do you need to add OCIO configuration environment variables in the corona renderer?

no, just luts.
created with legacy gamma setup in 3dsMax 2024 in mind.

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[Max] Feature Requests / Re: Improved support of max colour management

« on: 2024-03-22, 13:48:29 »

We're looking forward to seeing this implemented. Recently we have been using piotrus3333's LUTs setup to achieve this and have been getting great results, but it would be nice to have it as a "set and forget" option for the rest of the team.

If you like the feel of AgX please consider checking this:
https://github.com/sobotka/AgX-Resolve
this is THE AgX by Sobotka. ocio version is the simplified one. you should be able to create better luts from this. it's based on arrilogC3 encoding so I guess as a bonus (if porting to Corona) you get an easy access to all the arri's looks library.

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[Max] Feature Requests / Re: View LUT?

« on: 2024-03-22, 12:06:54 »

Corona does have a view transform. you just can not change it or turn it off. 3dsmax gives you the option to apply it, not to apply it or even apply a different one when it asks you what gamma would you like to save your output with.

correction: you can actually turn it off without affecting 3ds Max settings with string option: float colormap.additionalGamma = -1.2

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[Max] Feature Requests / Re: CIE - option to apply LUT without hidden gamma transforms.

« on: 2024-03-18, 16:00:29 »

Hi all, thank you for your feedback. We now have this logged as a feature request.

(Internal ID=1213995718)

Ok. this is sorted now. I guess no need to keep the request opened.
Thanks.

13

[Max] General Discussion / Re: Price Increase

« on: 2024-01-24, 15:01:47 »

If I remember correctly Corona's subscription started from 20/month. I do not recall the version number but I'm sure you wouldn't trade current Corona for the old one to save 10/month. You are getting more than you used to get. You might not like the things you are getting (Cosmos) but the value is there. Check car prices in Europe from the year Corona introduced subscription model to get some ideas about things getting expensive.

Regarding the USP? It is simply not there for you anymore most likely. But also look around and, if possible, show us a better deal from Chaos' competitors.

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[Max] General Discussion / Re: Price Increase

« on: 2024-01-24, 14:30:00 »

With regards the 'Solo' option - this is the whole point, we would then lose render nodes and floating licence, so it becomes much more expensive than Premium if you want those features back ...

A lot of us indie's have more than one PC that we use for DR or with Pulze etc so the render nodes that we got as part of our monthly subs back in the day are essential.  Also, as an indie, by nature you can work from anywhere, it's great having Corona installed on your main PC, but then having a floating licence so you can also pick up your laptop and go work from wherever whenever.  You lose both of these things with Solo.  So you're forced to take the Premium option because it's cheaper than Solo + Render node + Render node etc, but then you're paying for premium and the price of premium includes Cosmos and all that Jazz. 

There's no middle ground.  We need a middle option for Floating Licence plus Render Nodes minus Cosmos, Phoenix etc etc.  Call it Solo Plus or whatever you want.

Floating licence - you are right - nice thing to have, so: you get some, you loose some. I would consider pricing from Chaos being quite reasonable considering its position within the market. Look at Redshift and Octane (bit cheaper) - priced in relation to Corona exactly the same as Corona is to VRay (VRay being 50% more expensive; sure, both are GPU but GPU is just the right choice for small operations for some years now - licences cost vs hardware scaling-up cost)

And be mindful that those legacy deals with 3 render nodes will not last forever. Nothing does. Just business, nothing personal.

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[Max] General Discussion / Re: Price Increase

« on: 2024-01-24, 13:43:00 »

I would suggest to take a step back for a moment (mid 2010's I guess if you value precision).
Archviz crowd fell in love with Corona exactly for the reason of it having less features than VRay. It was way more streamlined, focused on specific needs. Good product, good value.

A decade passed.
Everything has evolved and improved: Vray, Corona. Even 3dsMax. VRay Premium yearly sub with more features is 50% more expensive than Corona's. I would say: a good deal. Quite Fair.
If you do not need all the Premium "gimmicks" but would happily enjoy some of VRay's features: VRay Solo being priced exactly as Corona Premium might be the option for you. Again: fair deal.

Please accept some facts before complaining:
+ VRay is the flagship product and it will always get more attention: you are paying less for less. Fair deal.
+ Corona would have never got to its current state if it stayed independent. It would be a few years behind. Because of the support from Chaos the development progress is still there, it is naturally slower now, as was stated here many times: all the easy features had been already implemented and new stuff takes more and more resources, not less.
+ You are a consumer, last decade spoiled you with so many choices: if you're not content with something - shop around. Vote with your wallet as this is pretty much the only vote you have in the free market.
+ And the most important one: You as a user changed as well. Corona might have been the right choice for you in 2014 but in 2024 your needs are probably much different.