Lighting Analysis (Radiosity)

Command entry:Select an object that has radiosity solution information.

Rendering menu

Advanced Lighting

Lighting Analysis

To query light levels, analyze the data, and produce reports, use the Lighting Analysis dialog. This dialog provides rendering data on material reflectance, transmittance, and luminance.

For example, a lighting engineer might need to know if light fixtures in a scene provide an even level of illumination on the walls of a building. The engineer uses the Lighting Analysis dialog after placing the lights in the ceiling and processing radiosity. The engineer inspects the light levels and material reflectance in the scene and then adjusts the brightness of lights, changes units, or reduces material reflectance.

To use the Lighting Analysis tools, a radiosity solution must be calculated and displayed in the scene. For better feedback, use it in conjunction with the Pseudo Color Exposure Control. This tool maps luminances or illuminances to pseudo colors that show the brightness of the values 3ds Max converts.

TipYou can also export LogLUV TIFF files or PIC files for analysis by other software; do this by using the Lighting Data Exporter Utility.

Interface

Statistics group

Displays the radiosity solution lighting statistics for the object you select.

Quantity

Indicates the desired photometric value:

LuminanceThe amount of energy leaving a surface.
IlluminanceThe amount of energy arriving at a surface.

Point

The luminance or illuminance at the point on the object where you clicked.

Point Reflectance

The reflectance of the surface material at the point on the object where you clicked.

Point Transmittance

The transmittance of the surface material at the point on the object where you clicked.

Object Avg

The amount of light intensity for the object as a whole.

Object Min

The object’s minimum luminance or illuminance value.

Object Max

The object’s maximum luminance or illuminance value.

Scene Max

The scene’s highest luminance or illuminance value.

Selection Information group

Object Name: The name of the selected object.
Object Area: The area size of the selected object.
Point Location: The X,Y,Z coordinate of the point on an object you clicked.