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I posted this to a thread where someone asked about getting correct light source location without a ton of trial and error.

I myself find it almost impossible to corectly locate the light source from a HDRI with testing, testing, testing!

I really don't feel any application has yet got this issue sussed out at all and yet it could be SO DARN SIMPLE!

I see it like this. When we load an image in the illumination channel we have the option to set the point of the main light source - a panel pops up with a low res largish thumbnail version of the linked HDRI we then locate cross hairs over the mainlight source which gives the application coordinates of that point relative to the image.

Then an option to set this point relative to the model could either launch a globe like the MR one now for positioning this relative to the model, or a wire sphere appear in the viewport window around the origin / model. An indicator on the sphere clearly defining where the light source is located and the user can rotate this to set it where they like or the option selected to match this to the current sun angle - this way you could set the sun angle in your export app and have it be replaced by the HDRI source!! So darn simple as I said!

It's a good idea.

Bubbaloo wrote:It's a good idea.

Thanks mate! After reading through (I think it was Ron's) HDRI tool kit info I realise just how hard correct location is to everyone - there has to be an easier way!

I know I tried Whaat's plugin for positioning EXR background for indigo and the slider option for positioning is SO MUCH easier than the numerical input required for MR, just if this could be expanded and simplified the world would be such an easier place - well at least getting the sun where you want it would be!

Hopefully this is something NL could consider for V2

shouldn't the HDR "reader" be able to determine the "main light" automatically by reading the lighting values in the file and give you a bunch of highlighted choices to choose from???

then I bet you could do something similar to camera mapping in order to orient the HDRI correctly (if, say you're using an HDR taken from a physical set/location)

this would be extremely handy

+1

can't you just open the scene in maxwell studio, adjust hdr placement there, then transfer the coordinates to native 3d app? all you really need to do is export your scene to mxs with the camera you are using and a few dummy objects instead of the whole scene.......

figures…

what I suggested above already exists: http://www.hdrlabs.com/lightbitch/index.html

wonder if there's a way to tweak this in order to get it to work with Maxwell???

rusteberg wrote:can't you just open the scene in maxwell studio, adjust hdr placement there, then transfer the coordinates to native 3d app? all you really need to do is export your scene to mxs with the camera you are using and a few dummy objects instead of the whole scene.......

Problem there lies in that it is still trial and error and I've found lots of it! The viewport also doesn't support HDRI so one has to run a test, readjust then test, readjust then test etc etc etc etc! Everytime I've tried I just ended chucking in the towel and just settled for exporting a phys sky and second skydone render to later blend in PS to fake the lighting from HDRI.

I guess now it's ok if using modo as in has great HDRI illumination preview however if using studio you don't even get shadow casts so the end result is pure luck, lots of testing or the experience from at least once being successful!

lebbeus wrote:shouldn't the HDR "reader" be able to determine the "main light" automatically by reading the lighting values in the file and give you a bunch of highlighted choices to choose from???

then I bet you could do something similar to camera mapping in order to orient the HDRI correctly (if, say you're using an HDR taken from a physical set/location)

this would be extremely handy

+1

Yes mate that would be even better! Though if more than one equal light source is present I guess it could be an issue!