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Cinema 4D continues to shine with R9.5
Geek/Advanced features:
32-Bit and HDR format. You can now import or export HDR Images. With 32-bit calculation, CINEMA 4D renders are now produced with 98-bit per pixel - much higher than you've been rendering with a standard RGB render. What makes this good for me and you? Additional color depth in Photoshop CS2 and BodyPaint 3D, among others.
One nice "tech-geek" feature is the ability to change the output gamma to match to your monitor gamma. This is for those who work with 32-bit images. For us Mac-heads, changing the gamma through the application is much easier than trying to use the System Prefs to change the monitor (especially if you've already change Photoshop to offset your monitor settings). There are gamma controls within active bitmap shaders as well, so if you've changed it in the specific material and saved it off, you are also saving your gamma settings for that particular material.
And the best "cool" new feature comes last, AMBIENT OCCLUSION. Replacing the "Dirt" shader effect has been replaced. Well, not really; there are times when designers may want to use the artistic look that the "Dirt" shader imparted, or you may want to manipulate older projects that included "Dirt". It's still there, but a better tool has been introduced that will change the say you decide to render your scene. If you have the Advanced Render module (highly recommended), you can now use Ambient Occlusion settings to reproduce those same shadow - - actually - - better shadow calculations without resorting to radiosity renders.
Humble appreciation
It's difficult to name which change would be a favorite, because there are so many features that are equally fantastic and liberating, but if I had to pick one (and I've been asked by many people), my favorite workflow change comes in a very simple form; Save Incremental.
Saving files incrementally has been in other software packages, most notably, After Effect 6.5. I don't know whether the After Effects save feature came out of an answer to the problems some experienced in version 6.0, but to be certain it was a welcomed addition.
The same is true with the Save Incremental command in CINEMA 4D R9.5. Especially in the broadcast animation community, where art directors and clients want 3D animations created quickly, with changes made on whims, and changes back to the "last" or "3 versions ago" project happening almost as quickly, This feature is an unsung hero to the production pipeline.
Surely there are other tools that have more muscle, but this tiny little addition will allow you to change, modify, save and continue working effortlessly, without worrying about convoluted versioning schemes.
Ko Maruyama is a freelance animator in Los Angeles. In addition to working on film and broadcast animations, Ko teaches at Pasadena's Art Center College of Design - focusing on motion design. When working, writing or testing software allows, you can find him lending a hand in the After Effects board and lurking among the Cinema4D, Visual Effects and Photoshop posts within the DMNForums.Related Sites: Creative Mac , Digital Producer , Digital Animators , Animation Artist , Siggraph News , Digital Media Designer , Oceania , MacAnimationPro , MacDesignPro , Maxon
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