HDRI Background Question

OminousAutumn

1. Are there a lack of HDRI background choices in the Daz store that work with Daz 4.9? I would prefer to buy from Daz but I am not seeing very much to choose from. However I am not sure about compatability.

2. Am I correct in assuming that the Bryce packages only work with Bryce?

3. Where is there a large online TRUSTED library of HDRI's to choose from?

4. I am looking for a dense woods/forest on a cloudy/rainy day. 

5. Thank you!

nonesuch00

Well I looked at the ones in the DAZ Store and frankly they looked fabricated from none HDRI materials.

Look at this thread:

http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/57531/list-of-sites-with-free-hdri#latest

In particular these two links have HDRIs in high enough resolution and free that you can turn on 'Draw Dome' and get good lighting from them too:

https://hdrihaven.com/index.php (Look for the set of 5 freebie hi-res HDRIs and the prices on the others are outright bargains compared to the other sites I've seen)

 

And this site has 2 HRDIs that are very good if you just want a couple of these to get off and running.

http://www.dylansisson.com/project/panoramas/

 Ultimately, you'll probably need to get a capable digital camera and make them yourself to get scenes appropriate to what you are working on.

If you want them for lighting only then you should go to the other sites listed in that HDRI thread posted above and download the low-res HDRIs to use with the iRay Renderer 'Draw Dome' feature turned off.

OminousAutumn

nonesuch00 said:

Well I looked at the ones in the DAZ Store and frankly they looked fabricated from none HDRI materials.

Look at this thread:

http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/57531/list-of-sites-with-free-hdri#latest

In particular these two links have HDRIs in high enough resolution and free that you can turn on 'Draw Dome' and get good lighting from them too:

https://hdrihaven.com/index.php (Look for the set of 5 freebie hi-res HDRIs and the prices on the others are outright bargains compared to the other sites I've seen)

 

And this site has 2 HRDIs that are very good if you just want a couple of these to get off and running.

http://www.dylansisson.com/project/panoramas/

 Ultimately, you'll probably need to get a capable digital camera and make them yourself to get scenes appropriate to what you are working on.

If you want them for lighting only then you should go to the other sites listed in that HDRI thread posted above and download the low-res HDRIs to use with the iRay Renderer 'Draw Dome' feature turned off.

Hey great thread, and some good advice, thanks so much!!!

mjc1016

For lighting only you need a high dynamic range image.  The actual resolution/dimensions don't really matter.  This often means a small image with a very wide range will be a small file but give better light than a larger image (resolution) with a smaller range.

For use as a backdrop image, high resolution matters.   The larger the dimensions, the more crisp and clear the background will be.  This also leads to a large file size.  Large/high resolution images with mid to low dynamic range can still be used for lighting, but will require supplimental lighting to adequtely fill the lighting role (often these have poor color resolution and/or muddy, indistinct shadows).

Images used for both purposes simultaneously need to have both a very high range AND a high resolution.  These are the ones that are rare as freebies and can be rather expensive to buy.