What settings do I need for a mirror?

Sertorial

I have created a plane primitive and set reflection strength to 100% and lighting model to metallic. But it still doesn't look like a mirror.

What should my settings be?

mjc1016

What program are you doing this in?

Sertorial

mjc1016 said:

What program are you doing this in?

DAZ Studio 4.5

mjc1016

You need to set the Diffuse color to white and 0 strength...then reflection color to white, strength to 100, Ambient, black and off, specular grey and it can be any (100 works well) strength. Glossiness at maybe 50%. Reflection color should be white and strength at 100%. The lighting model doesn't matter very much, unless you are shining a light directly on to the mirror, as that deals with the items specular response. (you don't want to use skin, either as that adds a pink tone to things), you could set it to matte and still get mirror like reflections.

Then you need something to reflect and light. The subject, especially the side facing the mirror/part you want reflected needs to be lit.

A closed environment helps as does environmental lighting.

This is just Genesis standing in front of a plane, with an environment light (no, it's not UberEnvironment, though that could be used) and the settings above....nothing else, so pardon the lack of interesting background/other items.

Richard Haseltine

For a realistic mirror I'd make the reflection strength weaker than 100% or the colour a light grey - mirrors are always less than perfectly reflective.

mjc1016

The color to change would be the reflection color. Grey or pale blue/cyan would work.

Here's a second render, with a sphere with an image mapped to it, acting to 'enclose' the space.

vwrangler

Maclean has a brief tutorial on the old forum about how to set up mirrors in Studio.

Sertorial

mjc1016 said:

You need to set the Diffuse color to white and 0 strength...then reflection color to white, strength to 100, Ambient, black and off, specular grey and it can be any (100 works well) strength. Glossiness at maybe 50%. Reflection color should be white and strength at 100%. The lighting model doesn't matter very much, unless you are shining a light directly on to the mirror, as that deals with the items specular response. (you don't want to use skin, either as that adds a pink tone to things), you could set it to matte and still get mirror like reflections.

Then you need something to reflect and light. The subject, especially the side facing the mirror/part you want reflected needs to be lit.

A closed environment helps as does environmental lighting.

This is just Genesis standing in front of a plane, with an environment light (no, it's not UberEnvironment, though that could be used) and the settings above....nothing else, so pardon the lack of interesting background/other items.

Ok, I tried all those settings, so why does it look kike this?

Jaderail

Because the Refection will only show in a FULL render and not in the Viewport. You need to RENDER with 3DeLight to see what it really looks like.

Sertorial

Jaderail said:

Because the Refection will only show in a FULL render and not in the Viewport. You need to RENDER with 3DeLight to see what it really looks like.

the render is above the screenshot. I only included the screen shot to show you my settings

Lindsey

I created a plane and only made two changes to the default plane surface to get a reflection.

1. Diffuse Color = Black
2. Reflection Strength = 100%

I think you need to move the camera angle so it's pointed at a more perpendicular angle to the plane similar to this sample.

Also, point lights don't throw much light. Try a distant light(s) or a light preset you may have in your content library.

Sertorial

Lindsey said:

I created a plane and only made two changes to the default plane surface to get a reflection.

1. Diffuse Color = Black
2. Reflection Strength = 100%

I think you need to move the camera angle so it's pointed at a more perpendicular angle to the plane similar to this sample.

wow! you did that with only two settings! Impressed

I can't get it to reflect, no matter what I do :(

Jaderail

What are your Render settings? the Max Raytrace Depth must be your problem.

Sertorial

Lindsey said:

I created a plane and only made two changes to the default plane surface to get a reflection.

1. Diffuse Color = Black
2. Reflection Strength = 100%

I think you need to move the camera angle so it's pointed at a more perpendicular angle to the plane similar to this sample.

Also, point lights don't throw much light. Try a distant light(s) or a light preset you may have in your content library.

YAY!! Thank you Lindsey.

Looks like you were right about the diffuse colour. I set it to black, instead of white and it worked.

Lindsey

That's great news! Way to go!