Save

Save Image

Enable the Save Image option if you want the image or animation to be saved automatically when you render to the Picture viewer.

Choose the save path and filename using Path. You can type in the entire path or you can click on Path to open a system dialog for selecting the folder

If you enter a name without a path, the picture or animation will be saved in the active scene’s folder.

Format

CINEMA 4D supports many common file formats. Supported still formats are TIFF, TARGA, BMP, PICT, IFF, JPEG, RLA, RPF and Photoshop PSD. The animation formats available depend on your operating system:

Windows

• AVI Movie Small: the Intel INDEO codec is used.
• AVI Movie Big: the Cinepak codec is used.
• AVI Movie: after selecting this format, click Options. In the dialog that opens, choose the codec for the movie.
  
  

Windows and Macintosh

• QuickTime Movie Small: a variant of the Cinepak codec is used to produce compact movies of reasonable quality. However, you won’t be able to play the movie backwards, nor will you be able to convert the movie to individual pictures (the movie is time-compressed).
• QuickTime Movie Big: a variant of a non-lossy codec is used. This produces high-quality QuickTime movies, although they are comparatively large in file size and require a fast hard drive for playback.
• QuickTime Movie: after selecting this format, click Options. In the dialog that opens, choose the codec for the movie. If the dialog doesn’t open, check that you have the latest version of QuickTime installed (visit www.quicktime.com).
  
  

QuickTime 4 upwards supports the following single picture formats: BMP, Photoshop PSD, SGI, JPEG, PICT, PNG, TIFF and QuickTime Image. It also supports any new codecs you have added to it.

You can create QuickTime VR panorama and object movies under both Windows and Macintosh.

Options

This button is ghosted unless Format is set to AVI Movie (Windows) or QuickTime Movie (Windows and Macintosh).

If you click this button, a dialog opens that gives you access to various codecs and their settings. If the dialog doesn’t open, check that you have the latest version of QuickTime installed (visit www.quicktime.com).

Depth

Defines the bit depth per color channel. Choose either 8 bits per channel (for 24-bit color), 16 bits per channel (for 48-bit color) or 32 bits per channel (96-bit color). File formats that support up to 16 bits per channel are TIFF, PSD, RPF, RLA and B3D.

32-Bit / HDR Formats

The standard version of CINEMA 4D can output, load, and render 32-Bit images (e.g. if you want to use HDRI textures for reflections).

This lets you take full advantage of maximum color and brightness when outputting your CINEMA 4D images. Internally, CINEMA 4D renders with substantially higher color and brightness (98-Bit / pixel) than can be realized on a conventional RGB image.

This limitation does not exist for images rendered to the HDRI format.

The following formats are able to read this color depth:

• Radiance (HDR)
• OpenEXR
• BodyPaint 3D (rendered with 32-Bit/channel)
• TIFF (rendered with 32-Bit/channel)
• PSD (rendered with 32-Bit/channel). These images can only be opened with Photoshop CS2.
  
  

Using applications that can work with these formats will put you at a great advantage.

So, what is all this good for?

Well, there are several uses:

1. HDR formats can be used as photo processing formats when compositing. Ordinary monitors or printers, though, cannot display this depth of color; they use conventional color depth.
   
   One disadvantage of conventional color depths is the limitation in brightness. For example, an RGB value of 255, 255, 255 for the color white is as good as it gets. Let’s say you want to darken an image in post-production that contains a white area, e.g. a surface brightly lit by sunlight through a window. The white area will turn gray, even though the actual color of the surface should start showing through.
   
   

   Above, the original image; center, the original image darkened in Photoshop output as TIFF; below, the original image output in 32-Bit, darkened using the appropriate software.

   
   
   As you can see in the example above, the 32-Bit image can be darkened (e.g. using CINEMA 4D’s Exposure” setting) without having to worry about the white surface turning gray, as is the case with the conventional image formats. The above scene was lit exclusively per GI with a very bright light (400%).
   
   
   The depiction of 32-Bit images is only an interpretation of color data that cannot actually be depicted with conventional technology.
   
   
   When you render an image in 32-Bit in the Picture Viewer or in the editor view, a special HDR anti-aliasing mode will be used. At first glance, the image will look flawed. This is due to the fact that the display of the image must be reduced to the limited color range of your monitor. If rendered using a conventional format, the image will be perfectly anti-aliased since anti-aliasing takes effect when the color depth is reduced to 8-Bit or 16-Bit. 32-Bit anti-aliasing is rendered without color limitations, i.e. a smoothed pixel can have a brightness value greater than 100% and will therefore be depicted as white. Correct 32-Bit anti-aliasing won’t be visible but it’s there, internally.
   
   
2. 32-Bit formats (in particular the HDR formats: HDR (Radiance) and OpenEXR) can be used to render particularly sharp reflections. Simply lay the 32-Bit image in a Sky object’s Luminance” material channel, for example. CINEMA 4D (including the Advanced Render module) will take into account the high level of brightness when rendering.
   
   
3. 32-Bit formats (in particular the HDR formats: HDR (Radiance) and OpenEXR) are good for use as so-called Image Based Lighting, i.e. the lighting of scenes via GI (only with the Advanced Render module), exclusively with textures, without the use of light sources.
   

The classic HDR formats

Both of the classic (whereby the term classic is relative in the fast-moving IT world) HDR formats, Radiance (HDR) and OpenEXR, that are used in numerous rendering pipelines, are now supported by CINEMA 4D.

Radiance HDR is the older of the two formats and will most likely eventually be replaced by OpenEXR. Even though OpenEXR exhibits less dynamic breadth compared to HDR (Radiance) (which is basically irrelevant in everyday use, otherwise OpenEXR wouldn’t be used in so many Hollywood productions), it can be compressed to a much smaller file size.

Radiance (HDR)

HDR lets you save in a special 32-Bit pro pixel mode. Radiance HDR possesses vast dynamic breadth, much greater than in nature. This is why HDR files are often very large. Nevertheless, most HDR texture libraries are available in the Radiance (HDR) format.

OpenEXR

This format was developed by ILM (Industrial Light & Magic) and can be compressed to a high degree, despite its wide dynamic breadth.

Clicking on Options will make the following options available:

With these options, you can select from different types of compression.

In general:

• Piz-based wavelet does the best job of compressing conventional images. We recommend you use this format.
• None means the image will not be compressed – and will be accordingly large. Although the image will not have to be decompressed when loading or saving it, which can save a lot of time but is only relevant for large images or long animations.
• With the exception of Lossy 24-bit float, all other compression types are non-dissipative, i.e. the brightness will not be affected when saving the image(s).
  
  

You can find additional information regarding OpenEXR at www.openexr.com.

Name

Many editing programs accept picture sequences. However, they tend to use different naming conventions.

Some programs expect the filename to end with a number, others an extension. Some programs can cope only with three-digit numbers.

Use this menu to set the sequential numbering and/or lettering style required by your editor. In the example names below, ‘0000’ represents any sequential number, ‘TIF’ represents any three-letter extension.

DPI

Use this setting to choose the DPI (dots per inch) for the following picture formats: BMP, TIF, PICT. The DPI affects a picture’s print size and, in certain applications, its display size. The DPI setting does not affect a picture’s Resolution (Output tab); the picture’s pixel dimensions remain the same, only the calculation regarding how many of those pixels (dots) should be printed or displayed per inch is changed.

Alpha Chanel

If you enable this option, a pre-multiplied alpha channel will be calculated during rendering.

The alpha channel is a grayscale image of the same resolution as your color picture. Pixels in the alpha channel are either black or white. A white pixel in the alpha channel indicates the presence of an object at that position in the image while a black pixel indicates no object.

You can use the alpha channel for compositing in video programs. For example, suppose you have scanned a photograph of an airfield and you want to render an aircraft and place it on the runway. Render the aircraft with an alpha channel in CINEMA 4D, then use that alpha channel in your compositing program to cut out the non-aircraft parts of the render so that the airfield shows though. The edges of the alpha channel picture are antialiased to ensure a soft transition in the composited picture.

Pre-multiplied alphas have one particular shortcoming, illustrated below.

From left to right: the rendered image, the alpha channel, the result.

In the illustration, the alpha channel causes a dark seam. This is because both the picture and the alpha channel were rendered with antialiasing. By definition, the color picture and the alpha channel must be multiplied and so the black is calculated twice. You can avoid this dark seam by using the Straight Alpha option instead. Note that straight alphas are suitable for compositing only; they are unusable as conventional pictures.

Straight Alpha

You can use this option if straight alphas are supported by your compositing program to avoid the dark seam associated with pre-multiplied alphas. Note that straight alphas are suitable for compositing only; they are unusable as conventional pictures.

From left to right: the rendered image, the alpha channel, the result.

Separate Alpha

Alpha channels are usually integrated into TARGA, TIFF or PICT pictures — that is, they are saved as part of the image file. However, if you want to save the alpha channel as a separate file, enable this option. In addition to your color picture (e.g. ‘room.tif’), you will also have a file containing the alpha channel (e.g. ‘A_room.tif’). Alpha channels are always saved in the TIFF format.

24 Bit Dithering

Dithering is a process that adds a random pattern to colors to prevent color banding. Although dithering enhances the image quality, it also increases file size. For web graphics in particular, you may want to disable dithering to reduce image file size.

Compositing Project File

A compositing project file is made up of multiple layers. Each layer can be edited separately.

CINEMA 4D supports the following video compositing programs:

• Adobe After Effects (5.0 or higher)
• Discreet Combustion (3.0 or higher)
• Apple Final Cut Pro (4.0 or higher; CINEMA 4D Mac version only)
• Apple Motion Version 2
• Appke Shake Versions 3.5 and 4
• eyeon’s Digital Fusion from V5.0
  
  

CINEMA 4D can render various multi-passes and save them as separate files (bitmaps or videos). The passes can then be loaded into one of the compositing packages listed above. In the compositing package, you can then edit the passes separately and apply a wealth of effects to them.

No plugin is required for Combustion or Final Cut Pro. For After Effects, you’ll find several versions of the plugin in your CINEMA 4D Exchange Plugins folder. Copy over the plugin that relates to your version of After Effects into your After Effects Plugin folder.

You can also export CINEMA 4D’s camera and lights, including animation, and edit them in After Effects (5.5 or higher) or Combustion.

The following camera data is supported:

• Camera position.
• Camera orientation.
• Focal length.
• Camera to target distance (provided the CINEMA 4D scene used a target camera).
  The following types of light are supported:
• Point.
• Parallel.
• Spot.
  
  

Exporting the multi-passes

To export the multi-passes from CINEMA 4D:

1. In the render settings, on the Multi-Pass page, use the Channels drop-down list to choose which passes should be rendered. Disable the Multi-Layer File option (each pass must be saved as a separate file).
   
   Set Format to the desired file format, such as QuickTime Movie.
   
   Set Path to the path where the passes should be saved.
   
   
2. In the render settings, on the Save page, ensure that Compositing Project File is enabled and, from the drop-down list next to this option, choose which compositing package will be used to import the passes. Render the picture or animation to the Picture Viewer.
   The passes will be saved in the folder defined by the save path.
   
   Usually, the compositing project file will be created and saved automatically in the folder defined by the save path. However, if you are network rendering the passes using NET, you must create the compositing project file manually by clicking the Save button.
   
   If Relative is enabled (Save page), the start and end time of the CINEMA 4D animation will also be transferred (with After Effects, version 6.5 or higher is required for this functionality). Otherwise, the animations will always begin at frame 0 in the compositing program.

Importing the multi-passes

The project in CINEMA 4D.

To import the multi-passes into your compositing package:

AfterEffects

In AfterEffects, import the ‘.aec’ file (File > Import > File).

The project in After Effects.

Combustion

In Combustion, open the ’.cws’ file (File > Open Workspace).

The project in Combustion.

FinalCut

In Final Cut Pro, import the ‘.xml’ file (File > Import > XML) and ignore the alert that appears.

The project in Final Cut Pro.

Apple Motion

Digital Fusion

Use the Open command to open the *.comp file exported from CINEMA 4D.

3D Data

Use this setting to define whether cameras, lights or objects should be exported. Objects other than lights and cameras will be exported as Null Objects if an External Compositing tag has been assigned to them (see below).

Relative

Let’s say your scene contains two animated cameras. The first camera is animated from frame 20 to frame 50, the secone from frame 2 to frame 117. The Relative setting would be used to decide between which frames the animation should rin in the compositing application: Between 20 and 50 or 2 and 117 (Relative active) or between 0 and 30 and 0 and 115 (Relative not active, animation begins at frame 0). Of course this setting is not restricted to animated cameras.

Limitations

• NET cannot write the compositing project file. For network rendering, generate the project file manually by clicking the Save button on the Save page of the render settings. You can save the project file at any time — even before you have rendered the passes. Missing passes are represented by stand-in frames in After Effects, which you can replace at any stage.
• QTVR cannot be used with compositing project files (QTVR does not support multi-passes).
• B3D image sequences are not supported.