Daz 3D is part of 
Connect
DAZ Productions, Inc.
7533 S Center View Ct #4664
West Jordan, UT 84084
Licensing Agreement | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | EULA
© 2025 Daz Productions Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Comments
Wonderful image Tarina!
.
Oh!!! I missed the notice that there were new posts here.
Thanks for posting your renders every one. That is a gorgeous image Tarina!
.
DIM is showing two items:
Atmospheric Effects Cameras DS
Atmospheric Effects Cameras for DS3-4
Are tehy supposed to be the same? What is the difference? One is for DS 3 & 4, adn the other is for DS versions under 3?
The first is for DS4.5 and up, the second for 3 and 4.0
I've seen this topic mentioned but haven't been able to locate the discussions, or call to mind the remedy:
Using AoA's amazing EZ Volume feature of the Atmospheric Camera, so far I'm getting mind-blowing results in all but in one case,
a torch with transparency flames. I keep getting weird, dark rectangular artifacts showing up on the flame; not always in the same location,
but always multiple darker rectangles superimposed over the flame prop, which also has a point light positioned in it. The localized fog
effect around the light/flame is amazingly realistic and perfect for the mood of the scene, but the dark rectangles are trashing the effect.
When using transparency props with Atmospheric Camera EZ Volume (or Volume), what settings can be tweaked to minimize these
artifacts?
Studio 4.6. whatever is the latest version. 64 bit.
...not sure about the camera, however if you are using any of AoA's advanced lights, make sure that they are set to Shader Hitmode instead of Primitive Hitmode. Render times will a bit longer but you will avoid the unwanted dark areas caused by the tranparency maps
I used the EZ Volume camera recently on a scene with a bunch of plants in it which have transparency maps and they rendered fine.
Thanks, Kyoto Kid,
I tried a lot of tweaks to see if I could fix it, including switching hitmodes, but, as sometimes happens, I changed so many things, so many times, I can't remember exactly what I did do. I'll check the hitmode, as you say.
One thing I'm wondering about, though, is that my transparency flame prop also has a light in it, to source the fog effect, so it's not a plain transparency-type prop, like plants and hair. Those I'm getting without trouble.
The artifacts only happen when I have transparency prop/scene light/Volume cam all interacting together.
There are other transparency props in this scene, but they don't interact with the volume cam, and don't have any artifacts.
Sure hope I can get this one figured, because the EZ Volume is a snap to use, and the localized volumetric effect is very powerful in a scene. It is bound to be tied to a transparency-based light-type prop though, at least as I intend to use it.
...have you tried the Uber Area Lights? With them you can create mesh lights, basically turning the flame prop into a light emitter.
To do this go to the Uber Area Light in your content tab. Select the flame prop Hold down the "Cntrl" key and double click on the icon for the basic Uber Area Light (don't use the other shapes). A dialog will pop up about "replacing" the item, just click "OK" on that. To make adjustments in intensity, colour, samples, falloff, etc, you will need to go to the surfaces tab and select the flame prop. You will have to scroll down on the surfaces tab to will find the light setting parameters.
For intensity you may need to experiment a bit to get the effect you want. You can adjust the intensity well above 100%
Area effect/falloff is again up to what you feel looks good
Minimum sample rate should be 64 (I usually use 96).
Also make sure "Ambient" is turned on, set to a strength of 100%, and you match the ambient colour to that of the flame.
I use this a lot when I have scenes with light fixtures, candles, or fireplaces as well as for windows in exterior night scenes which I want to have lit.
If you are using the EZ Volume Camera, make sure to flag it to the intensity of the Mesh light (don't have the workstation fired up right now so not sure how high the setting goes although you can change the parameters of any slider by clicking on the little gear in the upper right hand corner).
Excellent, Kyoto Kid, thank you.
I will give that a go.
Sorry for the slow reply. My internet was down for a few days.
That sounds like an issue that popped up when using various strengths from one light and volume together. To better explain, it seem to only occur when a light has different strengths on different objects. For example having a light that is flagged not to illuminate select objects or one that is illuminating based on ambient strength.
I have wracked my brain trying to figure out what might cause it and the only thing I can come too is that maybe 3delight is using some sort of volume speed boost which stores light strength values on a per bucket basis. That may not be the case... just my current guess and, unfortunately, I have not found a solution yet, other than turning off the Light_Strength_by_Ambient_Strength or Do-Not_Illuminate settings (when using volumes).
Is there anything in your scene which is flagged to use a different illumination strength? If so does disabling it cause the artifacts to go away?
Hi, AoA,
-- I have one Advanced Ambient, Intensity around 25%, set for Diffuse 99% Primitive Hitmode with Alt Samples for the main scene elements, which include the flame props on back and side walls, and Shader default settings only affecting the foreground figure. Shader Rate is default 16.
-- 2 DZ Default Point lights, Intensity 50%, positioned inside the transparency flame props set to interact with EZ Volume, flagged for 50%, for fog effects close to the flame/lgihts. That works well. I get volumetric fog around the lights and a bit between them, but only in the background of the scene. Generates that sense of space and smokey mood as a backdrop, exactly what I want.
-- Then one Advanced Distant, set to Do not Illuminate Diffuse 99%, Shadow Strength zero, so it only lights the foreground figure. .
-- Then one DZ Default spotlight overhead, narrow spread, to highlight the figure from above, and create a ground shadow.
I get rectangular dark spots on both flame props. Everything else looks just as I want it to. I did try Kyoto Kid's initial suggestion:
and saw that the dark areas were not as dark, but still present. What the "dark" looks like is that there's no Volumetric effect on those pixels.
Overall, I remain amazed at what I can now achieve with your light and cam products. Much, much closer to the art I envisioned when I got started with Studio. If it takes a bit to sort out this one, that is what it is.
Primitive hit mode takes the shape of the geometry and ignores any opacity maps - that's why it's faster. If the light is getting the shadow information for the environment from the flame planes (as I would imagine it is) then it will work with the planes that make the geometry, and ignore the map that hides the non-flame parts - which would hive you square tunnels of shadow.
Thanks, Richard,
This is good to know, though way over my head in terms of process. I render Primitive hit mode for transparency hair props a lot. I do it to save time, as AoA's lights are intended to do. And it works well, the hair prop doesn't show any problems, just not as sharp as they would look in a more lengthy Shader hit mode render.
Is the complication happening, the tunnels, because I'm using a volumetric camera, then? Or because I'm using a transparency prop, a light with shadow within that prop, and a volume camera all at once, and rendering in Primitive hit mode? As I say, Shader hit mode reduces the problem but doesn't eliminate it.
I have rendered EZ Volume cam images of transparency trees and plants, as mentioned by Kyoto Kid, in Primitive hit mode without any apparent problems. Pretty fast renders. Okay for backdrops. I haven't tried it with EZ Volume, yet, though.
It gets complex, and I'll keep working at it, with a reduced-complexity scene, and try some things.
this light may be the problem.
This is good to know, though way over my head in terms of process. I render Primitive hit mode for transparency hair props a lot. I do it to save time, as AoA's lights are intended to do. And it works well, the hair prop doesn't show any problems, just not as sharp as they would look in a more lengthy Shader hit mode render.
Is the complication happening, the tunnels, because I'm using a volumetric camera, then? Or because I'm using a transparency prop, a light with shadow within that prop, and a volume camera all at once, and rendering in Primitive hit mode? As I say, Shader hit mode reduces the problem but doesn't eliminate it.
I have rendered EZ Volume cam images of transparency trees and plants, as mentioned by Kyoto Kid, in Primitive hit mode without any apparent problems. Pretty fast renders. Okay for backdrops. I haven't tried it with EZ Volume, yet, though.
It gets complex, and I'll keep working at it, with a reduced-complexity scene, and try some things.
Try changing the flames to use Shader Hit mode, although I'm not certain it's their setting that is crucial - but I'm not sure what the code is referencing when it calculates the shadowing through the volume.
First a couple of notes: Nowefg mentioned seeing posts about an issue with transparency in the past. I'm pretty sure you are referencing comments about transparent areas of transmapped surfaces appearing slightly brighter when using the old Volume Camera. This is actually not a bug but just a matter of the quality setting. Higher quality settings cause this effect to fade. The effect could also be more apparent when using further volume start distances.
The depth mask camera does not read transparency but all others do.
There was a bug in all the original cameras where artifacts would appear when adjusting the contrast setting. That has been fixed and should not be an issue any more... Knock on wood :)
Just thought I should mention those so you didn't think I was ignoring you about seeing previous posts.
Now about the artifacts you are seeing in the Easy Volume Camera when using the Advanced Lights. I had noticed the issue in the past but it appeared so intermittently that I could not track down the cause. Yesterday I stumbled onto something though... It appears to be tied to Sub D also which would explain why I wasn't seeing a pattern.
I think I need to run this by the DAZ or 3delight developers because the issue is so strange. If any one else has a theory I would love to hear.
This is what I can tell so far: I do not believe it has anything to do with transparency or hitmodes. The artifacts only appear when using a volume camera and when a light is set to illuminate different objects at different strengths. Mind you that is not different strengths like aiming the light or falloff. It only happens when using the "Set Light Strength by Surface Ambient Strength", "Don't Illuminate" or "Illuminate Flagged Only" settings. Also, artifacts may be appear when a surface is flagged to use alt samples and alt samples is set to 0... Again only when used in conjunction with a volume camera.
But here is the twist! The artifacts appear and disappear based on the order in which objects are or aren't subdivided. Here are some test renders showing the effect.
Oook!?!?! ;)
I found something that stopped the dark rectangles showing up, which was to switch the point light in the flame from ray traced shadows to shadow map. There is a loss of shadow detail and quality, which is why I was using ray trace in the first place, but the rectangles are gone. The flames are way too static, but, it's a work in progress.
The closeup image shows a good example of the problem as it showed up with ray traced shadows. The full image shows the difference with point light shadows switched from ray trace to shadow map. All advanced lights are set to Shader hit mode, but that, by itself, didn't eliminate the problem.
I did try turning the flame props into mesh lights, per Kyoto Kid's suggestion, but that so far hasn't worked well. Intensity needed to be turned up to 2000 % to get any kind of real scene illumination. That eliminated the option to have other fog sources in the scene.
This is as far as I've gotten on this one. Suggestions would be welcome.
as far as I am aware switching point lights to DSM will effectively turn off shadows totally as I thought Point lights cannot use DSM at all. Please someone correct me if I am wrong.
But it sure does look better. ;)
Somehow, I completely missed this thread. Just to be clear, is this the product that was updated? Does the version for DS3 have the new EZ feature? What was the exact release date? I may have installed the new version in May without knowing it. LOL!
http://www.daz3d.com/atmospheric-effects-cameras-for-daz-studio
Pretty sure you are right on this - point lights (linear or otherwise) do not cast shadows when set to DSM mode.
The EZ camera only works in 4.5+. The update was in March.
Yes, it is the Atmospheric Cameras for DS that were updated.
I believe the update went live on 6 March 2014. The files themselves were last modified between 24 Feb and 3 Mar.
The update, including the Easy Volume Camera, was only for DS4.6 and above. The original DS3 versions are still included but did not need updating.
When I'm doing flames, I usually use two point lights - one on the camera side of the flame and the other on the "dark" side of the flame - so much faster to sort out than trying to work with one light inside the flame mesh.
Are the flames separate props in the scene? If so try setting them to not cast shadows under Parameters - Display. This should speed things up and not have any negative effect since flames don't really cast shadow.
Your using the Advanced Ambient Light correct? If so don't use any flagging for light or shadow strength but rather just for flagging hitmodes if needed. That should make those artifacts go away.
Thanks Szark,
Not sure I can see how that will work out, but, having seen some of your videos on Studio, I'm sure it will be good. I'll give it a whirl.
Thanks, AoA,
Your using the Advanced Ambient Light correct? If so don’t use any flagging for light or shadow strength but rather just for flagging hitmodes if needed. That should make those artifacts go away.
More experimenting. Certainly hadn't thought about turning off cast shadows, but it makes sense. And, the scene is much better with shadows from the torch holders clearly showing.
I like this scene, and it's moved along a little since posting the images. Combining all the knowledge and suggestions I'm getting here, I'm hopeful of getting a lot further. Thank you all very much.
This makes sense. The odd thing that had me cross eyed, trying to imagine a shadow mapped shadow in the render, is that during the render process, I get the "creating shadow map for point light 1" and "point light 2" progress bars. The actual render doesn't begin, per usual, until those maps are made.
Bug, sounds like, if Point lights can't even use DSM, it shouldn't be going through the motions of "creating shadow map" for each point light in the scene at all, right?
I know. why go through the DSM process when there aren't any...that got me some years ago and you just reminded me of that. :)
Unfortunately I can confirm I am seeing this artifact problem in a scene with lights using "Primitive Hitmode and Alt Samples" as well as "Use Alt Samples", I am not using any other flag options. The render in question is using DOF, doesn't have allot of trans maps, the quality is high (on Camera, Lights and Render settings), some surfaces are using Ambient strength in the materials, some surfaces have shadow colour set white (AoA SSS), Various figures/props are using SubD. Only flagged "Foglight" lights are set to contribute to the volume.
Edit : Tried Without DOF, another With most objects SubD off, and another with All Flags off (In my case I was flagging Garibaldi hair to use alt samples) While the DOF switched off seems to have scrambled the artifacts to other positions, the other trials made no difference. Such a very strange bug indeed, if its wholly SubD :S