You better post a render... Orestes star dome HDRIs with 16K resolution are not bad. Some recommended settings as below:

- Pixel Filter: mitchell
- Pixel Radius: 0.65 - 0.75
- Dome Mode: Finite Box (You may have more Dome related parameters to tweak)
- Environment Lighting Resolution: > 4096
- No Environment Lighting Blur !
- No Bloom Filter !
- No Post Denoiser !
- Add some Environment Tint..
- Finetune DOF

* Example1: Focal Distance - 800, F/Stop - 50
* Example2: Focal Distance - 550, F/Stop - 40
The dome are not that blurry... (Product: Orestes Iray HDRI Skydomes - A Night in August)

PS: These HDRIs cannot be comparable to those HD photos with 200Mil+ pixels even if you render a 16K image...

I've got a bunch of Orestes star domes and am having a ton of trouble trying to get the stars to be bright little in-focus points of light instead of being blurry blobs of light. I'm using depth of field and it really plays havoc when I try to get everything in focus. Am having the same trouble without using depth of field. I've also adjusted the domes sizes and rotations done quite a bit actually and am still having problems, anybody got a suggestion for what I'm doing wrong?

The scarf should be an obvious clue, but the DAZ web site's search function no longer seems to read product descriptions.

https://www.daz3d.com/orestes-iray-hdri-environments--winter-bluffs

OK. I figured it out. I opened an empty scene and picked one of the Orestes HDRIs. All I saw was an empty sky in iRay. But at the bottom of the view port, I saw the universal selection tool...even though I had added nothing else to the scene. By it's position and angle, I rotated the view port down which turned the universe and brought the sky down and put the heavens into view. Thanks again.

When I use HDRI, it's helpful to go to Render Settings, Environment, Dome Rotation and adjust the rotation until you get the elements in the scene you need.

I don't own the product you mentioned, but I do own the quite a few of the Orestes Skydomes. 

This one is Oblivion. 

When loaded you see the first image, but then rotate the dome to the 0 setting and the planet is viewable. 

KevinH said:

Yes. Thank you for trying to help. I found the product under the light presets folder and there are only icons for loading the render settings. (Icons are marked RENDER.) I also found the product under the Product Folder in the Content library and the only icons that show are for loading the render settings. I also looked up the product to see if there was pdf or anything, but there was not.

I have several product by Orestes and everyone I've loaded has just given a gradient colored back ground. It's more random than that, but are no objects or images in the sky.

I also own several HDRI products by Orestes, and none of them result in a "gradient coloured background".  Are you using depth of field to blur the background?  Please post a screenshot of your Environment and Camera settings. 

I don't have that one, but several others from Orestes Graphics. Those render settings load an environment dome for Iray, no need for other products for the celestial bits. Be sure you are in Dome and Scene for Environment mode. Even if you are not, when you load another one, it will set it up that way. Check to see if the Environment map is what you are expecting.

Yes. Thank you for trying to help. I found the product under the light presets folder and there are only icons for loading the render settings. (Icons are marked RENDER.) I also found the product under the Product Folder in the Content library and the only icons that show are for loading the render settings. I also looked up the product to see if there was pdf or anything, but there was not.

I have several product by Orestes and everyone I've loaded has just given a gradient colored back ground. It's more random than that, but are no objects or images in the sky.

Did you check under Light Presets:Orestes Iray HDRI Skies ? I don't have the product to check. I'm just going by the readme.

How do you use Orestes Iray HDRI Skydomes - Erupiter or other products by Orestes. All I find are files to load render settings. When I do a iRay preview all I see is a fuzzy varible colored sky. I don't see any planets or moons like what shows on the product page. Do you need to buy other products to get those celestial things? Do you need to load a skydome or something? And where would you find that? Thanks.

FeralFey and Orestes Graphics, thank you so much for this christmas freebie! I'm sure I'm not the only one who will find a use for it!

Oooohhhh . . . and wearable preset expressions and poses for G9 Base & Michael & Victoria 9 core characters.

The 2022 Christmas Holiday Sale

A huge thank you to all of the PA's, for their generous gifts.

Also a big thank you to Barbult who faithfully, each year, renders appreciation art for those PA gifts. 

November 30 2022: Renfaire Tiaras by AprilYSH

December 01 2022: Santa's Normal Maker by Code66

December 02 2022: Digital Xmas Viewer by Silent Winter

December 03 2022: Antique Locket for Genesis 8 and 8.1 Females and Genesis 9 by Hypertaf 

December 04 2022: Sexy Skinz Xmas Freebie for Genesis 9 2022 by Vyktohria

December 05 2022: Small Earrings for Genesis 8 Female and Genesis 9 by Esha

December 06 2022: My Christmas Tree by Muscleman

December 07 2022: Mushroom Hat for Genesis 9 by Amaranth

December 08 2022: Christmas Garland by David Brinnen and ForbiddenWhispers

December 09 2022: MMX Sporty Sunglasses by Mattymanx

December 10 2022: PreT Holiday Wreath by Elleque 

December 11 2022: ZK Bear Vase by ZKuro

December 12 2022: Festive Snow Globe by Wicked Creations

December 13 2022: Bennu the Asteroid by Alvin Bemar

December 14 2022: NG Not Your Mother's Pear Earrings for Genesis 8 and 8.1 Female and Genesis 9 by NewGuy 

December 15 2022: dForce Leggings for Genesis 9 by Karth

December 16 2022: LIE Knuckle Tattoos for Genesis 8 and Genesis 9 by Ensary Esid FenixPhoenix

December 17 2022: M3D Christmas Fireplace by Matari3D

December 18 2022: MD Nodes Notes by MikeD

December 19 2022: The Vintage Sleigh by Daz Originals

December 19 2022: Vintage Sleigh Iray Textures Addons by 3djoji

December 20 2022: 2022 Xmas Freebie by Wee Dangerous John

December 21 2022: ND dForce Mushroom Hood for Genesis 9 by Nathy Design

December 22 2022: Closet for Your Gifts by Sylvan

December 22 2022: Up 2 No Good Prop and Poses for Genesis 9 by FeralFey & Orestes Graphics

December 23 2022: M3D Semibald Hair for Genesis 9 by Martari3D

December 25 2022: dForce Unionsuit for Genesis 8 Male by Destiny's Designs & Lyrra Madril

Ive been trying to get Orestes Iray HDRI Environments - Autumn Hills to work but all I am getting is a blur (see attached pic) stating with a new scene clicking on autumn farm 01 and the camera 01 thats all I can getting no settings i can change make it any better  though its quite easy to make it even worse I think I must be doing something wrong but no idea what that might be  any help would be much appreciated

Gogger said:

Just mucking about with the new ecosystems. This is a bit more post-processed than I normally would like, but somehow it just worked for me.
This was rendered for my INSANELY Ultra wide (5120x1440) 49" curved screen! (Yes, I love it! I thought it was ABSURD at first, then I got it home.)
UltraScenery Britain
UltraScenery - Stone Features
And an Orestes lighting and backdrop (you may have noticed the 'filled in' background).  Unfortunately I don't recall which one I used after trying SO MANY.

That is just Greeeeeeeeeeeat Gogger ... Who doesn't need a 49" curved screen?  lol  Bet it's great for gaming... Like you are really there without the 3d glasses... lol

Gogger said:

Just mucking about with the new ecosystems. This is a bit more post-processed than I normally would like, but somehow it just worked for me.
This was rendered for my INSANELY Ultra wide (5120x1440) 49" curved screen! (Yes, I love it! I thought it was ABSURD at first, then I got it home.)
UltraScenery Britain
UltraScenery - Stone Features
And an Orestes lighting and backdrop (you may have noticed the 'filled in' background).  Unfortunately I don't recall which one I used after trying SO MANY.

 

Wow, that must be some monitor! Does it take up the whole room LOL? That render looks lovely. I'm rendering with stones and Britain right now, too, but mine are more test renders and not nearly that scenic.

Just mucking about with the new ecosystems. This is a bit more post-processed than I normally would like, but somehow it just worked for me.
This was rendered for my INSANELY Ultra wide (5120x1440) 49" curved screen! (Yes, I love it! I thought it was ABSURD at first, then I got it home.)
UltraScenery Britain
UltraScenery - Stone Features
And an Orestes lighting and backdrop (you may have noticed the 'filled in' background).  Unfortunately I don't recall which one I used after trying SO MANY.

 

I don’t have many ‘Halloween’ specific items, but in the spirit of scrambling to put something together without spending money for the kids to go out trick or treating I have some ideas:
 

This is no longer in the store, but if you have it from Emma and Jordi, it has a great brown paper shopping bag with a handle, that has materials, a unparented and poses for character’s hand.

dForce Personal Shopper Outfit, Accessories and Poses for Genesis 8 Female(s)

It seems that every surface can be changed with shaders.

Check your runtime for baskets or large bowls you can use shaders on, these are a few I have:
https://www.daz3d.com/the-alchemist-workshop-props--barrels-and-baskets

https://www.daz3d.com/potters-workshop

There is a caldron and a two tiered bowl that might work as a candy bowl?

https://www.daz3d.com/halloween-whimsey-props

Not sure if you saw these but they are just fun:

https://www.daz3d.com/morphing-jack-o-lanterns

https://www.daz3d.com/orestes-epic-pumpkins-bundle

https://www.daz3d.com/the-halloween-candle-pack

Here are a few, there are more
https://www.daz3d.com/lightning-bolts-vol-1
https://www.daz3d.com/lightning-maker
https://www.daz3d.com/rl-bring-the-storm
https://www.daz3d.com/orestes-electromancy-for-iray
https://www.daz3d.com/orestes-electromancy

Just started noticing this recently and it only seems to be happening on one machine, my newest and most capable.

using some of the Orestes Burnt Lands and Forset Grove HDRIs, and a G8 figure, there are lines/bands that appear across the character, and they seem to move with the camera. Doesn't matter if it's the Perspective view, or other cameras I create. I've added a full render, not viewport. The band in this one is across the upper arms and chest. At other angles and with other figures they can appear across the hip or legs. 

Anyone have any ideas?

I'm running DS4.15.03 on the machine in question, 4.15.02 on the machine that doesn't have the problem. And no, I'm not going to upgrade to 4.20, I;'ve tried that and it's got too many bugs.

So I was working on this Orcish character, and as I was tweaking the iRay shader (iRay Uber MDL) I noticed I liked how the Filament preview looked more than the iRay render. I am only using this for a light source https://www.daz3d.com/orestes-iray-hdri-environments--cave-shelter.

Not being familiar enough with iRay, I was wondering if you could help me make the iRay shader (left image), look closer to Filament (right image). I tried playing with Transluncency color and values and SSS, but I'm having a particular hard time making the muscles "pop" more, look at the middle of the chest, there is some shading going on which in iRay looks more "flat" (to my eyes). I tried adding a separate ambient oclussion pass and it helps, but it is not quite there.

I am not looking for the more "real", this is an artistic choice of what looks "better" for my purposes, it is a look I am after.

Thank you.