Open EXR Render Elements and Z-Depth Advice

[Anonymous]

Can anyone explain to me the difference between the standard 'Save to file' process vs using 'V-Ray Raw'?

I'm trying to save an EXR with various render elements including Z-depth and have so far observed the following:

1 - When using the standard 'Save to file' dialog and selecting EXR I can then specify multiple render elements and Z-depth as a buffer. This however only seems to create an EXR with the RGB, Alpha and Z-depth when extracting the channels in post, none of the other elements (specular, lighting, reflections) appear to be present as channels.

2 - When using the 'V-Ray RAW' save method I can choose all of my render elements and these are all then present when I extract them from the EXR in post (AE using ProEXR) but I can't see the Z-depth buffer anymore.

Thanks for your help

I'm using Max 2019 and V-Ray Next

[Anonymous]

Can anyone explain to me the difference between the standard 'Save to file' process vs using 'V-Ray Raw'?

I'm trying to save an EXR with various render elements including Z-depth and have so far observed the following:

1 - When using the standard 'Save to file' dialog and selecting EXR I can then specify multiple render elements and Z-depth as a buffer. This however only seems to create an EXR with the RGB, Alpha and Z-depth when extracting the channels in post, none of the other elements (specular, lighting, reflections) appear to be present as channels.

2 - When using the 'V-Ray RAW' save method I can choose all of my render elements and these are all then present when I extract them from the EXR in post (AE using ProEXR) but I can't see the Z-depth buffer anymore.

Thanks for your help

I'm using Max 2019 and V-Ray Next

[Francisco_Penaloza]

I would recommend using the V-Ray raw to EXR output, this will warranty all compatibility with V-Ray elements.

All the channels will be saved in to a single EXR file, then you can use https://www.exr-io.com/ to open all passes in Photoshop. Other software such as Fusion or Nuke will nativelly read all these passes.

If you rather save each element in a separate file you can use the separate render channel option, also in the V-Ray window.

If you use 3D Max save as then things may get confusing, also 3D MAax implementation of multi-passes into a single EXR (inside the default save as file for 3D Max) is not fully compatible with V-Ray elements.

[Francisco_Penaloza]

I would recommend using the V-Ray raw to EXR output, this will warranty all compatibility with V-Ray elements.

All the channels will be saved in to a single EXR file, then you can use https://www.exr-io.com/ to open all passes in Photoshop. Other software such as Fusion or Nuke will nativelly read all these passes.

If you rather save each element in a separate file you can use the separate render channel option, also in the V-Ray window.

If you use 3D Max save as then things may get confusing, also 3D MAax implementation of multi-passes into a single EXR (inside the default save as file for 3D Max) is not fully compatible with V-Ray elements.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Francisco,

It would seem V-Raw Raw is the way to go then. Keeping all render elements in a single EXR is exactly what I was looking for. The only issue I appear to have with this method is that when I have fog/atmosphere in the scene there doesnt appear to be a way to exclude it from the z-depth, which causes issues with my DOF in post.

I thought I had found a way around this by using a 'deep' exr but the z-depth renders a little strange with this method.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Francisco,

It would seem V-Raw Raw is the way to go then. Keeping all render elements in a single EXR is exactly what I was looking for. The only issue I appear to have with this method is that when I have fog/atmosphere in the scene there doesnt appear to be a way to exclude it from the z-depth, which causes issues with my DOF in post.

I thought I had found a way around this by using a 'deep' exr but the z-depth renders a little strange with this method.