Rendering: Size vs Quality vs Speed
Background: I'm using Adam's Rendering preset Scripts http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/16085/
Is there some kind of ..formula...way to estimate, speed of renders from one to reducing the size of another at the same quality settings?
Like does a render that's half the size take half the time?
Is there a basic rule of thumb to estimate?
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Speed of render can be determined by whether or not your scene has transmaps in it. If so it will take a while regardless of your settings. Try adjusting your shading rate on you render settings. They should be around .3-.5 for test and prelim renders. Final renders you should lower to .1. Also raytrace bounce can cause it as well. If you don't have any reflective surfaces then have it at 1. If you have some then 2-4
??????
I asked about a rule of thumb regarding same quality changing sizes.
Not about changing quality.
I do appreciate the info, but it's not what I was asking about.
What do you mena by 'double the size'? If doubling dimensions (800x640 to 1600x1280, for example) the it will quadruple the render time, all othe things being equal.
The bigger the render size the more calculates so will take longer. Smaller images always render slower no matter you settings. I can render a promo at 1300x1000 and it take 15hrs. I can do the same image at 650x500 and it take almost 3/4 the time. Like I said in the other post it depends on your settings. Calculating Raytrace at 650x500 takes longer than it does in 1300x1000, the same goes for your shading rate. But, no there is no formula. If your looking for fast large renders in the time of a small render then you have to reduce settings, but sorry there is no formula that I'm aware of. If there is I'd like to see it cause I'm wasting 15-30hrs on renders for promos. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
I didn't say Double the size. I said half the size, but thank, that's the kind of info I was looking for.
I was merely looking for a general rule of thumb to budget time. "I would like to see a test at Quality x to compare. I will be away from my computer for y time. Size Z took W amount of time. What size should I set at so while I'm gone for y time, it can render."
I didn't say Double the size. I said half the size, but thank, that's the kind of info I was looking for.
I was merely looking for a general rule of thumb to budget time. "I would like to see a test at Quality x to compare. I will be away from my computer for y time. Size Z took W amount of time. What size should I set at so while I'm gone for y time, it can render."
If you halve the size (1600x1280 to 800x640) you will/should quarter the render time. There may be soem fixed overheads that will stop that, but it should be in that order - compare the areas to be rendered and that ratio will be a good approximation of how the render time will be affected.
The basic rule of thumb when it comes to rendering is: The faster and more powerful your computer is the faster it will render. This does not include additional drain on computer resources causes by other programs running in the background.
As quality and image size increases so will the render time, because it's doing that much more.
There is no way to realistically determine with a formula because the number of 3d models in a scene will also have an effect on your render time. Even the 3D model type can increase or decrease your render time.
If you want a general rule on how long it will take then you'll have to base it on how fast your computer is rendering now and try to average that. Maybe you can base it on the number of 3d models that are in the scene and get an average time that it takes to render those. If you always render at a specific size and quality then you may be able to get an estimated time.
Apparently you teach Poser. I might recommend that you should learn to understand the questions asked if that's your goal.
In a question about rendering speeds on a particular machine, how does "a faster and more power computer" factor into it?
As explained above, I was wanting to work out a basic rule to use to make test renders during time away from the computer.
Do you think suggesting getting a super computer to do test renders while I run to the grocery store was in any way the answer I was looking for?
Please keep the conversation civil and remember to address the subject or topic at hand rather than an individual.
The only rule of thumb that is constant is the one fightingtiger gave. There are to many variables in any given render to say halving the size will half the render time. For instance AoA's SSS shaders perform a pre-calculation on the different Group ID surfaces before it starts to render them. The length of these pre-calculations appear to be dependent on the number of light sources and whether they have shadows set, the size of the render seems to make no difference. There may be any number of other shaders that have similar calculations that are independent of the size of the render making render time predictions nearly impossible.
Apparently you teach Poser. I might recommend that you should learn to understand the questions asked if that's your goal.
In a question about rendering speeds on a particular machine, how does "a faster and more power computer" factor into it?
As explained above, I was wanting to work out a basic rule to use to make test renders during time away from the computer.
Do you think suggesting getting a super computer to do test renders while I run to the grocery store was in any way the answer I was looking for?
I understand your question which is why I gave the answer I gave you. I'll clear it up for you.
The rule of thumb that you are searching for doesn't exist. Rendering isn't like estimating the time for a download to finish.
Scavenger
This was pulled from my first statement that you complained about.
"There is no way to realistically determine with a formula"
"If you want a general rule on how long it will take then you’ll have to base it on how fast your computer is rendering now and try to average that. Maybe you can base it on the number of 3d models that are in the scene and get an average time that it takes to render those. If you always render at a specific size and quality then you may be able to get an estimated time."
The second statement "How fast your computer is rendering now" addresses your concern for being on a specific computer.
1. You can't determine render time with a formula. It doesn't exist
2. The best that you can do is identify how long it won't take. Such as know for a fact that x number of models at x quality is going to take longer than 2 minutes. How much longer is unknown, but at a minimum you would know that it would take longer than 2 min.
If you still insist on a formula. Then load just the base character and record the time that it takes to render that. Now you have your formula. Everything that you render is going to take longer than it took for you to render that base character.
Unless you know how long it is going to take to render a scene with one set of "size and quality", there will be no basis of comparison to determine how long it will take to render the same scene at different settings. Are you saying that you want to render the scene you are working on at low quality and size, then use that by applying a formula to determine how long it will take to render the scene at the higher size and quality that you actually want? If so, then I'd suggest that you try it several times with different scenes and record the results. I expect, that as others have said, there are too many variables involved to derive a simple, standardized relationship.
Of course, if you should discover otherwise, you can come back and we'll all eat crow, and you can share your information with others for their benefit.