Starting from scratch with hard/software
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Oh wise and learned folk of the forum, I seek thy counsel:
I've reached the point where my 6GB Dell laptop running SU8 Pro, SU Podium, Podium Walker & Photoshop Elements 9 just isn't really performing adequately. I am willing to invest £2-3k in something that I hope to get 3years minimum out of, but I'm terrified of throwing my money at the wrong thing. I work from home and site so I need to have a device that can go with me and my models are always commercial building interiors and exteriors, so a good library of textures/models is always good. SU Podium served its purpose in the past, but I think it's rather dated now, plus I would like to use render software that previews renders rather than wait half an hour for a render that has failed for some reason or other. Anyway, if you would be so kind as to advise on the criteria below, I would be overjoyed.
Best Mobile Workstation (small details will mean a lot to me here as I've no clue which graphics card etc to get)-
Best Render Engine (must include ability to make video) -
Best post processing software -I'm posting it in the Sketchup forum as everything hinges on it. Without Sketchup then the other software is useless. I'm also acutely aware of various threads in a similar vein to this, but I'm a new one man business and I am really hoping for some customised advice as I don't know where else to turn to.
Thank you.
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Pretty generic questions here...
Best render engine - Thea! But for what quality? maybe something like Lumion suits you well it's faster to get some nice videos, but it costs as much as your new rig and it won't achieve absolute photorealism. Have you considered Blender?
Post processing for still images - might be Photoshop... just not Elements, then you could try Gimp that it's free and, in many aspects much better than that or even on some functional aspects it's even better than Photoshop (though PS is king!)
Post pro for video - Da Vinci Resolve? Fusion? Both from black magic... Hitfilm?
Workstation - My advice? The best CPU available, the most memory, The best Nvidia GPU with the most memory... That should be it.
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I use Photoline as a photoshop alternative, really fast and a nice set of features.
http://www.pl32.com/ -
Thanks for the reply. I've commented below.
@jql said:
Pretty generic questions here...
Best render engine - Thea! But for what quality? maybe something like Lumion suits you well it's faster to get some nice videos, but it costs as much as your new rig and it won't achieve absolute photorealism. Have you considered Blender? - Luckily I don't have to worry about photorealism too much, that's why a "one click" render engine like Podium has been ok so far. Also, my work tends to be more focussed on getting a lot done rather than perfecting one image - RenderIn has caught my eye in this regard.
Post processing for still images - might be Photoshop... just not Elements, then you could try Gimp that it's free and, in many aspects much better than that or even on some functional aspects it's even better than Photoshop (though PS is king!) - Gimp is definitely where I will be heading for PP. PSE just came pre-loaded on my current laptop
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@grizzler said:
Gimp is definitely where I will be heading for PP.
if you are evaluating software by feature lists than go for Gimp (= steep learning curve), if usability or a further use of existing PS knowledge or compatiblity with the pros does play any role for you, stay with PS.
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You can also consider Krita. It seems it's just for matte painting but I've been trying it and in a lot of aspects it surpasses PS and Gimp together. It has 16/32 bit depth color channels and the layer filters alone will make anyone fall in love with it.
Basically with it you can use layers for non destructive image editing for things like:
- Blur;
- Deformations;
- Levels and Curves;
- Transparency Masks;
- A lot more stuff that I've hadn't yet time to scratch...
It doesn't have the perspective clone, nor some clone/auto heal tools. But it's great for tonemapping and a lot of deformations.
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I don't know about custom builders in England but in today's market I think you're looking for these specs, generally -
Intel Core i7 4790 4Ghz
Nvidia GTX 970 4gb
RAM: 16GB 1600MHzIn the US, a 15.6" rig from digitalstormonline with those components would be approx $2500 USD:
https://www.digitalstormonline.com/configurator.asp?id=1139209
As far as post work I'd consider a monthly Photoshop subscription - not too costly.
Then I would I would add a couple hundred to what you have left over and go with V-Ray. Somewhat of a steep learning curve but once you get there, there's nothing you can't do with it.
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I'm afraid that anything with a "steep learning curve" will be avoided as I'm just too busy to give them the time they deserve to get the best out of them. Often while I'm creating one model I have the next two or three jobs waiting for me already, so I seek efficiency rather than perfection when it comes to rendering and post processing - automated settings corrections are my best friend
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@sketch3d.de said:
search no further, for easy peasy rendering click here.
This is both good and bad. Good in as I was about to buy it and now it's free but bad in them no longer developing it.
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@glenn at home said:
...now it's free but bad in them no longer developing it.
alternatively check the more capable but also easy useable Twilight Render with a free 'Hobby' version avail too.
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if free is what you're into, then try Kerkythea too...
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I'd say Twilight is closer to the OP's needs than Kerky or visualizer (I just DL'd Vis again but last time I tried it, it just wasn't good enough for more than enjoying a quick impression--great UI concepts though).
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@sketch3d.de said:
@glenn at home said:
...now it's free but bad in them no longer developing it.
alternatively check the more capable but also easy useable Twilight Render with a free 'Hobby' version avail too.
Thanks but I also have the full fersion of Maxwell.
It is full to play with the different engines. -
@unknownuser said:
Best Render Engine (must include ability to make video) -
Lumion is a hands-down choice if you are very busy modeling and need video and stills. It may be expensive but I don't know anyone with a copy that isn't booked solid. If you don't like it (can't find work) you can sell it back. It retains it's price. Pretty hard to loose. My copy of Lumion runs all day everyday and is capable of superior video and stills right out of the box. I nearly choked over the price but the selfish side of me says that a high entry fee amounts to less competition.
note: Lumion uses procedural texturing. They have a juicy library of stock substances and you can use free Algorythmic tools to build your own. If your models need rich custom textures then Lumion is a texture factory and procedural texturing is mind boggling.
Try the demo....fall in love....
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The more funny without any regulates an real time and free and inside Sketchup (more said in the same time of Su) is now
Visulizer 1.3!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL_S7pNknwM
and no so bad in Still images!
By Chippwalters (make the zoom )
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Try also this free one : a Sketchup on stéroïds!
The best CAd ergonomy existing: Direct modeling inpired by SU of course!
DesignSpark (it has a SKetchup export skp!
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