Recommended way of setting exposure

[Benny]

I've recently upgraded to 3ds Max 2016 with the built-in physical camera and have some questions.

1) Do I still use the CoronaCameraMod or is that redundant now?

2) Where should I actually control the exposure, in the render setup, coronacameramod or the physical camera? None of the others seems to update if I modify one of them, not even the VFB, at least not if I go below 0.0 EV.

[Benny]

Actually, it does seem as if the render setup settings have no effect. If I change the EV in that dbx it changes back to what I have in the physical camera after a while. (I'm unfortunately working on a very heavy scene so a bit of a delay in everything).

So never use the render setup dbx, always set exposure in phys camera from now on?

[PROH]

This has been discussed recently, but I can't find it ATM. IIRC Ondra explained it this way: Camera overrides Corona VFB/render settings, and Cam mod overrides Camera. Using Cam/Cam mod EV will make it possible to use different exposure setting for each camera, but will not work interactive in IR or render.

There has also been a few discussions about using 3dsMax's exposure control (environment panel) in combination with or in stead of Coronas exposure control. Here the common advise would be to only use Coronas exposure or Cam/Cam mod.

Hope it helps

[Benny]

Thanks PROH, that helps a lot, I just need to digest it a bit I think.

I guess it makes sense as long as one knows this order, but it would seem to me that Corona is making it unnecessarily complicated for itself by having this in the render settings as well. Why not just have the physical camera so there is no debate (and CoronaCameraMod for versions earlier than 2016), and then adjust non camera views in the exposure control? Or am I just to used to Vray?

Since it is typically critical (at least for me) to adjust exposure per camera view it would seem there is little need for a general exposure setting on top of Max exposure control.

Otherwise I do love Corona and I feel they are really trying to make the whole render experience much more enjoyable and clear cut.

[PROH]

Well, I guess we all have different workflows. I almost always uses EV from VFB/render settings. Maybe because I'm coming from mental ray and not Vray :)

[Benny]

I do not understand why this ended up in the 'I need help' section as I was looking for more of a workflow discussion. But I guess I need help understanding how it is meant to work.  :)

So Proh, how do you handle it if you have more than one camera and they need different settings? Change it back and forth between views? Perhaps most people focus on one camera setup so it wont matter.

Is there any advantage in using the CoronaCameraMod on top of the new Max physical camera?

[Frood]

Is there any advantage in using the CoronaCameraMod on top of the new Max physical camera?

Not regarding general cam settings imho. But it´s the only option to glue tone mapping settins to cameras (or animate them if using a single animated cam for different shots as I do in most projects). And there are of course still projection type and VR settings. For this reason I often use both: physical cam + cCameraMod.

And btw: there is still one remaining reason not to use a physical cam but a standard cam +/- cCameraMod together with Corona: If you need to separate between Cam motion blur and Object MB for some reason. Physical cam does not distiguish between those two (one of the very rare situations where Corona offers some "fake" option).

Good Luck

[Benny]

The VR settings are no doubt a very strong reason, didn't think of that.

So in summary, if I use CoronaCameraMod the underlying Physical camera's setting will be ignored regardless of setting. And the ones in the render setup.

[Frood]

Yes

CameraMod > Physical Camera > Render Settings.

Good Luck

[Benny]

I must be doing something wrong. I'm playing with CoronaCameraMod but none of my changes affect the Interactive view unless I click Exposure? Why won't a change in for example shutter speed change the exposure?

[Benny]

I obviously don't understand this as when my EV is unchecked I can't modify the camera's ISO settings? Does it only work in conjunction with setting an EV? If so, why are they differentiated by sections in the dialog?

[Frood]

Basically you at first have to decide if you want to use A) simple exposure (EV-Values) or B) photographic exposure (f-stop/shutter/ISO).

When there is no effect in interactive when changing the shutter speed in CameraMod, you have A) activated in Render Setup -> Scene -> Camera/Exposure/Tone Mapping rollout.

That EV-checkbox in CameraMod only effectuates if it should override the render settings if A) is used or not. It does not activate simple exposure by itself.

And yes, it seems to be a bit complicated but you are able to handle all combinations of cameras, exposure and tone mapping stuff this way.

Summary:

1. Decide EV vs. photographic in render setup and then
2. CameraMod > Physical Camera > Render settings


Good Luck

[Ondra]

easiest way to put it is: do not use CameraMod unless you have to ;)

[Benny]

Unfortunately I will be rendering more and more in VR, and CameraMod is the only way I assume.

Besides, it sounds as if the above applies to the regular physical camera as well, no?

[Ondra]

well it is not "unfortunate", the Camera Mod works fine. What I want to say is that you will not get "better" renders just by using it - it has no mythical power, although some users still think that ;)