Inside of the Reflectance channel you can layer your reflections and even customize them by using Layer Masks. The Reflectance Channel allows for 16 different reflection layers based off of BRDF, or bidirectional reflectance distribution function (Google it). I really think this is the largest change to Cinema 4D R16, which has probably caused some headaches for Cinema 4D veterans, but I think this is a great feature that allows for some really amazing materials.
CINEMA 4D STUDIO TUTORIAL UPDATE
The first update that stood out to me is the introduction of the Reflectance Channel. While I know the real Cinema 4D experts will laugh at the thought that I really love some of the new shiny bells and whistles, like the Advanced Cog Wheel Spline, these “shiny” updates really make Cinema 4D accessible to people like me who don’t necessarily have two months to build a gear-based animation that interlocks correctly, but still need it to look awesome! In this section, I’ll be going over R16 updates such as the Reflectance Channel, built in 3D Motion Tracker, the Polygon Pen tool, and some of the object library updates. The good news is if you do own After Effects CC 2014, you can use Cinema 4D Lite R16 and really see what the differences are. Technically it’s 2.5D (a faked 3D world), which can limit your abilities in certain situations. In the end Element 3D is tied to After Effects, which is traditionally not a true 3D application. If you rarely do any modeling, or never really need truly realistic reflections and raytracing, then Element 3D will do the trick… but, if you want to have the most realistic light reflections possible - the ones that make your main title project stand out - then you want Cinema 4D. However, in the grand scheme of things it’s not an equal comparison.Ĭinema 4D is a true 3D stand-alone application that will give you the most realistic reflections and raytracing you have seen. Even if you are using Cinema 4D Lite R16 that is bundled with Adobe After Effects CC 2014, you can harness the power and depth that this package has to offer.įirst off let me address something that many of my Twitter followers and readers will ask: Why in the heck would I purchase Cinema 4D Studio Release 16 at a cost of $3,695 when Video CoPilot’s Element 3D v2 can do everything I need it to for $199.95? Element 3D is great, especially with its v2 release, and I will cover that in a later review. I’ve grown up with Cinema 4D, so I may be a little partial to it, but luckily for me the great developers at Maxon have never let me down. Now we are seeing the evolution from not just a standard 3D app but a motion graphics powerhouse that can be used to craft a powerful set of opening credits or seamlessly composite a beautiful flower vase using the new motion tracker all inside of Cinema 4D Studio R16. I previously reviewed Cinema 4D Studio R15, and that is when I began to fall in love with just how easy it was becoming to build raytraced titles or grow grass with the click of my Wacom stylus.
CINEMA 4D STUDIO TUTORIAL FULL
The Cinema 4D Studio R16 release is chock full of features aimed at people like me who want to get in and get out of their 3D app without pulling out all of their hair. It’s not every day that I need a full-fledged 3D application when editing in reality television, but when I do I call on Maxon’s Cinema 4D.