Need help on rendering settings using lights

[buzzkill]

This was my first attempt at a whole interior scene with lights and such. I was wondering if there was any easy setting fix that could help clear up the excessive noise that I am seeing. Rendering time was 17.5 hours, spp was 3000. I realize that the render time is still pretty low to achieve a clear render, but I am just guessing at this current rate, it's going to be about a week before I see an image that has little noise.



Settings I am using:
Reinhard tonemapping
Bidirectional PT

I am using a preset light material (34w fluorescent) with the power turned up to 73

[Headroom]

If you have not already done so reduce the white tones (ceiling, door, trim, etc.) in your scene from pure white (RGB 256, 256, 256) to around RGB 208, 208, 208.

That way light does not bounce around unnaturally often resulting in reduced render times.

[buzzkill]

If you have not already done so reduce the white tones (ceiling, door, trim, etc.) in your scene from pure white (RGB 256, 256, 256) to around RGB 208, 208, 208.

That way light does not bounce around unnaturally often resulting in reduced render times.

Thanks for the tip. I will definitely try that. Makes alot of sense. Especially since the whole ceiling is white, baseboards, and doors.

[buzzkill]

Hey headroom,

should I be using reinhard or camera for tonemapping? Or does that not matter much in my case?

Thanks!

[StompinTom]

That's not gonna matter too much with noise, unless you use a high contrast film response, which will exaggerate any noise in the scene. Either way should be fine.

[buzzkill]

That's not gonna matter too much with noise, unless you use a high contrast film response, which will exaggerate any noise in the scene. Either way should be fine.

Thanks Tom. Much appreciated.

By the way, I set my whites to 208 and was achieving much better results only a few minutes into the render where it took me about 6 hours in to look similar when set to 240+

[CTZn]

Awesome

Let's not belittle the linear tonemapping, all-round method: it is best for neutral tones, precisely when it comes to evaluate saturation of textures and all sort of calibration tweaks (lights etc). I remove Reinhard's as soon as I'm done with the modeling stage, for say. Camera tonemapping adds a twist.

In fact the answer is: experiment with each method, but Reinhard may be an handicap when learning about lights power because it will fit any values the same.

[StompinTom]

Awesome

Let's not belittle the linear tonemapping, all-round method: it is best for neutral tones, precisely when it comes to evaluate saturation of textures and all sort of calibration tweaks (lights etc). I remove Reinhard's as soon as I'm done with the modeling stage, for say. Camera tonemapping adds a twist.

In fact the answer is: experiment with each method, but Reinhard may be an handicap when learning about lights power because it will fit any values the same.

You're right, but I've never had any real love for Linear :/ There are only a couple of Camera profiles I use, ones that aren't too overtly colored or contrasted. They still respond differently than Linear but are more natural-looking than Reinhard.

[CTZn]

point made

[StompinTom]

point made

Who needs neutrality! Pick a side!

[CTZn]

and make a slide ?

New point made ;P

okay to play the game, I am focusing more on materials so I use linear much more I recon.

[buzzkill]

Thanks for all of the help. It really is nice to have a community of people on here that actively post and get people through their issues in order to learn and become much better artists.

After some tinkering (and seriously messing up the settings in skindigo for about 2 hours ) I think I have it figured out for the most part. This render is only 15hrs. but still looks badass. I'm just going to let it run through the 3 day weekend.

[Pibuz]

It's not so badass from where I stand!
..Only thing, remember that the not-too-high-rgb-values rule applies to everything, not only blacks and whites: seems like you have very strong gree leaves and very hot red folder