Details and Compatibility
This page contains technical information about our High Dynamic Range products. If you are new to all this, first have a look at how we do it.
High Dynamic Range images have a much greater amount of illumination information than can be reproduced with a standard display device or captured using a conventional camera with a single exposure. From the brightest light source to the darkest shadow, their pixel values are directly proportional to the light energy in the scene. From a computer graphics perspective, this means that you can use the HDRI file for image-based lighting.
Image-based lighting works just like real world illumination. The environment provides not just reflections but the full intensity of any natural or artificial light source present. If you are looking for the ultimate in realism, there's no better way to light a 3D model.
HDRI-Studio environment maps are produced in professional photographic studios using special high dynamic range imaging equipment from SpheronVR. With this equipment, we are able to capture the highest quality possible using a single 360° pass with the equivalent of 26 f-stops of bracketing.
The resulting image effectively maintains the entire light energy from the scene. It's there for you to use, adjusting the luminousity as required – your illumination and reflections all taken care of within a single environment.
As the environment is a full 360° sphere, it can be rotated around your model and camera setup providing a huge number of lighting possibilities and moods – every one looking perfectly real and natural.
Of course, in capturing a full spherical studio environment, you sometimes get things that you don't want in the picture. Unlike virtual workspaces, real cameras and lighting equipment cannot be made invisible with a checkbox. That's why each image file is carefully and expertly retouched making it ready for immediate use. What you want is what you get.
Compatibility
HDRI-Studio environment files are high resolution full spherical maps (latitude-longitude) and are supplied in Radiance format (.HDR) for use with leading software packages.Most 3D applications can use this format natively or via third a party plug-in and include...
- 3ds Max®
- 3delight®
- Blender®
- KeyShot™
- Carrara™ 8.5
- Cheetah3D 6
- Cinema 4D (v18)
- EIAS™ 9.1
- finalRender™
- form·Z™
- LightWave 3D (v11.6)
- Maya® (Autodesk®)
- Maxwell Render™
- MentalRay®
- Modo 10.2V1™
- RenderMan for Maya™
- SOFTIMAGE®
- Strata 3D® CX
- V-Ray
- Vue 2016
Resolutions
HDRI-Studio images are available in the following resolutions. Choose the resolution most appropriate to your output requirements.
Low (750 x 375) (1Mb) (zipped file 160Kb)
For fastest rendering of images in situations where reflections are very blurred or nonexistent.
Med (1500 x 750) (3Mb) (zipped file 596Kb)
Suitable for Web and other screen-based images.
High (3000 x 1500) (12Mb) (zipped file 2.2Mb)
For high quality Web and screen images and for output destined for print at smaller sizes.
Max (6000 x 3000) (74Mb) (zipped file 10.5Mb)
For the ultimate quality print usage in brochures and magazines or when you need to focus in on a detail and need the reflection to remain crisp.