Proper Gamma

[pluMmet]

This article Shows how to set up proper Gamma within the workflow in 3ds Max.

Can anyone show how to do this correctly in si?

[Maximus]

There are countless of discussion about this on xsibase, area and even here.
I'll try to sum it up, but it really depends what you want to do, so i hope i make myself clear enough.

You have 2 options usually, Render in linear and comp in nuke/fusion/whatever software you use, or render in 2.2 because you dont need that much compositing in this case you would do the most inside Softimage.

First case. Render out in linear gamma 1.0, recommended exr 32bit float file, to preserve maximum color/light data and for compositing later in other softwares.

go to File>Preferences>Display>color management, and set those check in Shader Balls and UI Widgets.



Now go to Rendering>Images and set color profile to Automatic and Gamma 2.2



Now you are ready to render, be sure to select exr for your output image format and render.



Your image will be rendered in linear, when you will open it in Photoshop or nuke or whatever other software you use they will read it and show you the correct gamma, so your render will look correct.
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Case 2. You know what you doing, you dont need heavy compositing, so you just want to bake the correct gamma in one shot and render it in png tiff or whatever other format.

Keep the above settings for everything except the .exr output file, change it to tiff or png and use this option to render out in gamma 2.2



This will render out an already gamma corrected image (of course you can still play with it in post for minor adjustments, but you wont have the same flexibility and correct data as the other method).
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There is another method wich is used by a lot of people (me included) when you know what you doing and you dont need that much compositing, but you still can change look and lighting inside Softimage, this is made by using the mia_photographic_exposure lens shader. That acts, as the name says, as a lens shader, correcting your render look.

same as before, use every step from before regarding preferences, important: Dont use the "Apply display gamma correction" option in the render manager tab else you will end up by doubling the gamma. Set your file to tiff or png or anything else you like for the output.

Add the photographic shader and set the gamma 2.2 there, Play with the other options as you like to give your render the look you like. This shader is intended to work like a camera so you'll find familiar parameters.



This will render out a gamma corrected image same as step #2 except you used other things like cm2factor, whitepoint, iso, shutter, vignetting etc, its like post processing inside softimage, so you probably wont need to go elsewhere.

[pluMmet]

Dude, you are awesome. Thanks!

An a related note:

You have 2 options usually, Render in linear and comp in nuke/fusion/whatever software you use, or render in 2.2 because you dont need that much compositing in this case you would do the most inside Softimage.

By inside Softimage I don't think you mean Toxic. It does no seem that I see much talk about it. I know Nuke is the bees knees but I was soooo happy switching over to si and Toxic was icing on the cake. I know Toxic is different but it's pretty cool! (of course I've use combustion a little so...)

[Rork]

You can comp inside Softimage, have a look at the docs for the FXTree.
There's some other neat stuff you can do as well, like bringing back the endresult from your comp back into Softimage.

rob

P.S. Toxic should be publically burned and the ashes shot into space......

[Hirazi Blue]

You can comp inside Softimage, have a look at the docs for the FXTree.

It also goes by the name Softimage Illusion, but you'll find it in the User's Guide under "Compositing and Effects" ;)

P.S. Toxic should be publically burned and the ashes shot into space......

To add to the already vast amount of debris already in Low Earth Orbit? Shame on you!

IMHO, both the FXTree and Toxik (especially used together/in complement) have one great advantage: if you can't afford any more serious, more expensive compositing software, you can still more or less get the job done ("beggars can't be choosers"). And Toxik adds a few things that can't really be done in the FXTree, so I mainly use it as an extension to the FXTree, an external branch, so to speak...
;)

[Rork]

To add to the already vast amount of debris already in Low Earth Orbit? Shame on you!

Meh.... Keep it low orbit, so it will burn up in the atmosphere.

I agree Toxic can do some things FXTree/Illusion can't, but it should have put out of it's misery right after the terrible beta's. I know, I tested/fiddled with it back than.

Despite the price 'advantage' of a dead piece of software, learn the default software out there, like Nuke, Fusion or alike.
They all have Student and/or free versions, so price shouldn't be a big issue.
And I dount Toxic is being widely used in studios all over the world, as much as AD wants it to be true.

rob

[pluMmet]

I've been going over the Digital Tutors videos on Toxic and for me it's a great advantage

[Rork]

Sure, there's tutorials to be found. Like I said, it's free and comes with all AD 3D apps.

But "out there" it's not used that much. That's why I advice learning Nuke, Fusion etc. if you will do comp stuff for work as well for a living.

So I keep quoting the famous Leonard McCoy: "It's dead, Jim...." ;)

[ActionArt]

One tip to remember when trying to work with a linear workflow, the setting in color managment "render regions and viewports" is misleading. The only viewport mode that will display correctly is the HQV. All other modes are NOT color managed and will appear way too dark. This is confusing to many just starting to work in linear mode (including me when I started).

[pluMmet]

Sure, there's tutorials to be found. Like I said, it's free and comes with all AD 3D apps.

But "out there" it's not used that much. That's why I advice learning Nuke, Fusion etc. if you will do comp stuff for work as well for a living.

So I keep quoting the famous Leonard McCoy: "It's dead, Jim...." ;)

I realize I might sound a little uneducated...asking about how to set up gamma in si and so forth and I am by no means a master of any CG skill but I have been around for a while

I know how amazing Nuke is but maybe I need to elaborate on what I am saying. I use to use Combustion. I know it has a strange workflow for most but remember that it's the same set up as Flame and Lustre with a retail price of 125k USD. It's by no means a toy that has no merit.

Now all I can say is that Toxic is far more then just adequate if all you are composting is pure CG. For (live action) film sure Nuke, Nuke, Nuke all the way.

For anyone who would like to start a CG company that only does pure CG I think that si with Toxic is a bargain

* Oh ya, Thanks ActionArt