Rendering in 3ds Max

The modern software market offers many plugins for rendering in 3ds Max. Amongst them, V-Ray and Corona Renderer are the most common CG tools. Surely, they differ in price and both have their pros and cons. But what all furniture manufacturers are interested in is how much they differ in quality. That is why when ordering product renderings from a 3D rendering company, they want to know what software a studio works in.

To compare several versions of Corona and V-Ray in terms of quality/time ratio and determine the winner, we decided to conduct research. To maintain the experimental integrity, our CG team took one lifestyle scene and rendered it using different plugins and settings in a few versions of 3ds Max.

We ran this experiment in a few stages — first, creating a roomset without materials, then applying materials and textures to 3D models, setting lighting and cameras, and finally rendering in 3ds Max and post-production. At each step, we measured the time and compared the indices. To be honest, we were amazed at the results and believe you’ll be too!

#1. Measuring the Rendering Time of Corona and V-Ray in Autodesk 3ds Max 2020

For starters, we used different versions of plugins with the same version of 3ds Max for rendering the same interior scene. In particular, we tried Corona 4, 5, 6, and V-Ray 3.7, 4.3 and 5 in 3ds Max 2020.

Time indicators showed that all versions of Corona Renderer did the work within about 6 hours with the same resolution and settings. V-Ray required from 6 to 7 hours for the same result.

As you can see, Corona 6 had the shortest turnaround time. Thus, if you need rendering within a tight deadline in 3ds Max 2020, better ask for this tool for a faster and smoother workflow.

#2. Testing the Rendering Settings of Corona and V-Ray in FullHD and 8K

Next, we decided to learn how V-Ray and Corona affect the rendering process in 3ds Max when moving from FullHD to 8K. Our 3D experts took the same scenes and set the render resolution to 7680 x 4800 px. Surely, when working with high-resolution rendering in 3ds Max, the render time will change for any plugin.

So, we went through the rendering process in a few settings, measured the time, and calculated the efficiency using the formula K = H/h, where “K” is the efficiency coefficient, “H” is the render time for 7680 x 4800 px and “h” is the render time of 1920 x 1200 px. In the end, we got the following results proving that V-ray 4.3 is the most effective tool for HR rendering. Here are all the numbers:

#3. Comparing Corona Renderer and V-Ray in 3ds Max 18 and 3ds Max 21.

And lastly, we decided to test how these two plugins work in different versions of 3ds Max — after all, not all 3D contractors use the same software versions. So, we picked 3ds Max 18 and 3ds Max 21 as some of the most popular versions of the program and rendered the original scene.

Consequently, we found out that the 3ds Max version doesn’t have much of an impact on rendering time. The results for both plugins vary within a small margin of error, so there is no actual winner.

Examine case-studies of CGI projects to see real examples of using 3D technology for marketing purposes.

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Of course, both 3ds Max plugins are constantly being updated and improved by their developers. Also, each has its own pros and cons. But the results of our research show that both plugins cope with basic tasks equally well, and only experienced 3D specialists can spot those tiny differences in 3D rendering images.

Besides, our CG artists note that V-ray 5 has caught up with the Corona Renderer 6 in all technical and visual aspects and now is as effective. As you can see, there is not much difference in which plugin to use. What matters is the CG specialist’s level of professionalism and dedication. 

If you need first-class rendering in 3ds Max, consider contacting us for 3D rendering services. Our experienced 3D artists can create equally stunning photorealistic renders using any of the common plugins!

Irene Lewis

Content Writer

Irene is a content writer. She previously worked for interior and chess magazines. When not writing articles, Irene finds great pleasure in collecting Star Trek memorabilia, reading Medieval poetry and playing banjo.