3D Software
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- Paps
What's the best software to use for 3d on film?
I'm doing a simple rotating body/ muscles for a health video. And having some text animation
- emptyempty0
cinema 4D, it's easy to use once you get around to it
- willhaven0
3d max also has a huge resource of free tutorials available and has a decent ease of use time
- orkman0
Cheaper good programs (less than 1K):
Cinema 4D or LightwaveMore expensive (2K+):
Maya, 3DS MAX, Softimage
- Paps0
Thanks
- welded0
Blender is free, but I've never used it.
- monNom0
Actually, softimage starts @ $495 for an /almost/ fully featured package. No hair or rigid body dynamics, but just about everything else.
- cacoe0
I have to agree with softimage, you get amazing value for money and although the UI is quirky, it's fairly easy to get to grips with.
- ********0
I found Cinema4d has a very quick learning curve, you can get great rewards from the modelling, animation and materials in like a day or so, good integration with After Effects, too..
- cacoe0
Ah, but you get MentalRay with Softimage... and it's super easy render tree...
- mbr0
I'd stay away from MR. It is much better in the current form, but still not up to speed compared to VRay and Final Render (which will be coming out with completely new versions very soon and should further distance themselves from MR).
If you are writing custom shaders, then it gets more powerful, but I 'll guess you aren't if you are asking for advice which program to get ;-)
3D Studio, Maya and SM come with MR. But since it's 'free', you could learn to use it and get great results, just not as quickly as with the others.
I'd suggest you look into what kind of resources you'll need. I use Max because there are a 1000 to 1 models available, compared to Maya or C4D.
If I didn't need those models, like cars, trees, etc., I'd probably go with C4D w/ Final Render.
Max is certainly not a good value, compared to C4D, Maya's $2k version or SM's $500 version.
- cacoe0
You can't really argue that models are more plentiful for 3DsMax because there are great import/export plugins for all the big apps now...
- aktive0
Which of Cinema4D, Maya, Max and Lightwave has the best visual results?
- OeufOeuf0
In the end the programs all can provide the same "visual results". It's up to the user.
- OeufOeuf0
Just to add, each program has their strengths in certain areas, like others have said, figure out what you need to do and choose the best package to suit you.
- aktive0
Fantasy Interactive uses maya I think, and I like their 3d work.
- mbr0
It's all the artist.
It's like asking what is the best pencil to sketch with - in the end it doesn't matter which pencil was used.
If it's good, it's good.
Here's an example:
http://www.rustboy.com/This was rendered with Infini3D, a long discontinued piece of software (many, many years old). But he learned it, knew it inside and out, and completed his film.
Export/Import is ok, but nothing to rely on. It can be a disaster if you have a poor quality model and rendering with GI.
The best advice I'd give is find out what those that you will be working with, or want to work for, use.
I like Max, but I think it's too expensive (assuming you are paying for this). My upgrades cost more than C4D!
Get C4D with Final Render, or Maya with fR or wait for VRay.