Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=928839&Start=1&Artist=arcady&ByArtist=Yes

Pro or Infinite are both outside my budget.

I have regular Vue 5 already, but of course that does not even have a distribution function.

Translucency looks to be listed as a feature of Carrara Full, so that will be good for me.

I noticed that you mention Carrara has individual leaves and pine cone needles. This doesn't create problems with polygon counts?

Would the procedural shaders aspect get in the way of tree closeups?
Consider the image I've linked and thumbnailed.

Would I have trouble making something like that in Carrara?

Truth has no value without backing by unfounded belief.
Renderosity Gallery