GPU rendering

[brit_b]

I currently use Corona, which is great but too slow for animations. I am looking for a GPU renderer that can convert my Corona and Vray models (made using CPU) without too much hassle to a GPU renderer for speed-making animations (render farms are too expensive). And I’ll need tutorials (online or that I can purchase.)

I buy many models for animations originally made using Corona and Vray CPU materials, sometimes hundreds. Most have been impossible to convert into my trial copies of Redshift, Octane, and Max’s Arnold. Vray makes sense (and the license includes Chaos assets and Phoenix, which I use), but nearly all tutorials just use CPU. But switching to the GPU produces terrible renders.

I also use Blender. Switching from CPU to GPU makes no difference in the final project (but it’s over ten times faster than CPU, but not amazing quality like Corona). Not so with Vray. Are there any tutorials that focus on GPU Vray rendering that I’m missing?
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[CAMedeck]

Check out Chaos Vantage.  We've done several animation renderings using Vantage after creating stills with V-Ray CPU rendering.  There are a few limitations, like opacity maps must be black and white (no greys).  But it renders very quickly and doesn't require any massive conversions if you're already set up for V-Ray.

[brit_b]

Thanks. I'm a bit confused. The documentation says, "We recommend using V-Ray 5 and above or Corona 12 and above". Is Vantage a separate rendering software or an additional one ..on top of Corona and Vray? It is quite expensive on its own for a single artist (who does not work commercially and makes mostly unsellable fine art animations and stills).

But if it is some sort of add-on, it is prohibitive. Additionally, Vray and Corona come with Phoenix, which for me, justifies their high price. On the other hand, Arnold, which is free with Max Indie, has a GPU option that works well (albeit like Vray...limited). One wonders why Blender Cycles renders with exactly the same quality and sample settings with GPU as CPU, but is 10-20 times faster with GPU than CPU, but other renderers can't match GPU to CPU rendering quality and settings?)

[CAMedeck]

Chaos Vantage is a separate product and would require purchasing another license.  

I haven't really used the GPU renderer in V-Ray, so I'm not familiar with how it may render differently than the CPU renderings.  But I've seen people rendering the same scene with both, and the differences are fairly limited.  I'm curious how your GPU renders are differing from CPU.

[brit_b]

I have given up on Vray for now. Using the Vray hair styler has proven too tricky for me, and as an independent artist who doesn't use 3D software commercially, Arnold, which is free with Max, appears to be the best bet now - as opposed to the (expensive) Vray. It renders reasonably quickly with the GPU's, though the sample setting has to be cranked up quite a bit.  

The only roadblock I have now is converting my many Corona scenes to Arnold. The default scene converter doesn't work with Corona. I've seen the "V-RayMax Converter PRO", a bit pricy - but it maybe is worth it? It will convert Corona to Vray supposedly without too much drama. Vray usually converts nicely to Arold using the default converter.