Comparison between YafaRay, LuxRender, Indigo Renderer and Maxwell Render for architecture
The number of external renders engines compatible with Blender 3D is growing fast, and today we have several options to render projects using advanced global illumination algorithms and methods. A few months ago we only had mostly YafRay and PovRay to create our projects. I know there was other like Sunflow and Kerkythea, but most architectural visualization projects were made on those two renderers, at least the ones I saw at the Blender Gallery and forums. Today we have YafaRay, Indigo Renderer, LuxRender, V-Ray and even Mental Ray compatible with Blender using Python scripts.
Which one of them is the best?
Well, I know an artist that usually says that all renderers can create astonishing images, if you know how to use it. And he is completely right. I see that all the time when I find a 3ds Max user that wants to migrate to V-Ray because he can’t get good renders in Mental Ray. Among 3ds Max artists, Mental Ray is well known by the difficult to master all the features and settings to create realistic images. In the other hand, for users with a good knowledge of V-Ray it will be possible to create images with the same amount of realism achieve only by Unbiased renderers like LuxRender, Indigo and Maxwell Render.
If have doubts about the best renderer to pick for your architectural visualization projects, you are not alone. To help with the decision, I found a few articles that might help you, with comparisons between different renders for Blender 3D.
The first article makes a comparison between Unbiased render engines, to render an interior scene with LuxRender, Indigo Renderer and Maxwell Render. The link will take us to the LuxRender user forums where you can check out the results of the comparison.
Another set of render tests that might be useful involves a comparison between YafaRay, LuxRender and Indigo to create architectural visualization in Blender 3D. The articles are a bit old, but the material is still useful.
- Comparison between YafaRay, LuxRender and Indigo – article 1
- Comparison between YafaRay, LuxRender and Indigo – article 2
For me, I always try to use Unbiased render engines for interior visualization, because of the incredible realism and YafaRay for external views.
Comments
Arkinauta
One big problem I allways see with this comparisions is the knowledge of the author.
Obviusly, it is really dificult for anyone to know in deep three or four renderers (ok, you can, but it isn´t common) so it is dificult to find a exact comparision.
For me, one of the most importants aspects to choose one or another renderer motor is the information avaliable about them: tutorials, example scenes, etc.
I think this is important because despite de difficulty of the renderer, the most information, the more easily will be for you to master the renderer.
In this aspect, Vray wins with difference. In the OpenSource side, the Yafaray team has made a great effort to make a complete and clear documentation. This is the renderer I´m trying to learn right now.
But as your friend says, I also think that all renderers can create astonishing images (we just have to look the galleries of all the ones you have writed about!)
By the way, here you have another good comparision: http://www.blendernation.com/global-illumination-renderers-comparison/
All the best.