C4D 2026

[frv]

Can I install the daily build of CR to use with the very recent C4D 2026 version. Probably not. To be expected soon ?

[TomG]

Until you see a preview build that says "Compatibility with Cinema 4D 2026" in its list of features, then things are not compatible with Cinema 4D 2026 :) It always takes a week or two to prepare everything and get a preview out. (Just a reminder to avoid confusion with me calling it a preview, we're not calling them dailies any more since they weren't remotely daily lol, and now the cycle will be Preview Build -> Release Candidate -> Final Release).

[frv]

Thanks Tom,
a few weeks should be fine.

Honestly, the days when C4D or Vectorworks released new versions that really made a difference (for me or anyone else) are long gone.

Corona Renderer is the exception — every new version is packed with features I actually want and use. That’s why I’m always interested in the previews/builds.

C4D €860, CR €450, and VW €2,100 = €3,410 ex. tax each year for me… It’s really getting out of hand for small studios, especially considering that the free/low-cost apps aren’t that far behind anymore.

[d4l1]

Yeah, guess we can skip the update to 2026 for now. :)

[johnnyswedish]

Hi frv,

I TOTALLY AGREE!!! I am a freelance 3D designer & visualiser, work is so sperodic at the moment and being HAMMERED with licences left right and center. I really wish Maxon could do a stripped down version without friggin RS and do it for less, shame on them, they are choking the creative industry.

[burnin]

Nah, no one is chocking no one - it's still a free choice. Just 'the gap keeps getting wider'.
And know, this C4D 'streamlining' has been in works for over a decade now (from abandonment of modules, via transitory packages into "Maxon One" 'singularity'). Also, Maxon would probably be dismantled, if there weren't for the "Nemetschek group". Landscape changed, and every 'dinosaur' still consumes a whole lot, but must also evolve, ever since the 'global "http" impact'... and lately with all the little ai, ai, ai... :)

"Saturation makes people oblivious."
- J.G. Ballard
PS
Corona should really consider making 'standalone'. Tho, 'papa' is long gone now... rip.

[frv]

Hi Johnny,
I think it’s really important to broaden your skills towards more affordable apps.

Times have changed, and many of the tools we grew used to are now priced and designed mainly for large firms with daily, intensive use.

The good news is that the lower-cost—or even free—apps are often better suited for small projects and have become more widely used. Nearly every student today knows their way around SketchUp, Rhino, Blender, or Twinmotion, but hardly anyone is trained in Cinema4D or Corona anymore.

Of course, I’m speaking from an architectural perspective—other fields may have different experiences. I also share the frustration that comes with seeing one’s skills risk becoming obsolete, especially as work is less at certain periods in time. At some point, it’s just impossible to keep justifying those enormous yearly costs.

Francois