the ground below the wheels in img 2 almost looks like indirect specular, but stefan hasn't added that yet.   still, it's 6 orders of magnitude better than it was 10 yrs ago IMVHO.

 The step from P7 to P8 is higher than from P4 to P5 - lights "seem" to behave correct - the only problem is that in Open GL preview the reflections are not visible or incorrect. This creates a lot time of trying and tinkering. But this is the same in many high end programs.

 Looks GOOD!

Since I haven't seen the threads that claim otherwise...

What is different in Poser 8 (yes I know about the IDL and such but what does it mean for such a render? What must you do differently?)

 Start out simple, use a standard lighting setup in white (key, back, rim) - forget about all the tricks you have learnt and build it up slowly. All my old light sets (especially bought ones) dont work anymore, they look awfully bad. Set up one light after the other and dont forget the shaders - P8 thinks different. The results are more straightforward than ever before. This one above was really easy to do and I am using white planes for the lighting (somehow area lights) and a skydome for a general light.

 Heh then I gues sI'm in luck. I have yet mo make my own "perfect" lighting se4t for Poser - and I've been using the program since Poser 4 L So it won't be hard to "forget all my tricks" as I really have none, other than making sure my lights are generally greyscale (As in... the main light is mostly white and the other are some shade of grey)

Ever since I bought the Terra Dome from RDNA I've been using that and its lights a lot. It makes most things look NICE!

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/browse.php?user_id=309619

I have been posting images done with a single inverse square point light.  no IDL..

Try ti use fresnel for the body and real reflection for the wheel, you render look more realistic ;-)
 

Yeah fresnel and real reflection, you dont know my shaders.  For me this is better than anything else I got out from Poser before.  I just wanted to start a positive thread. 

 I promise I will work on the chrome. You will get a new post some time next week.

I'm curious :-)

Quote -  This one above was really easy to do and I am using white planes for the lighting (somehow area lights) and a skydome for a general light.

Why have you 3 shadows on the floor ?

It would be interesting to see your set up and render settings.  You do have some artifacts along the windshield and frame in the second image.

Quote -  Start out simple, use a standard lighting setup in white (key, back, rim) - forget about all the tricks you have learnt and build it up slowly. All my old light sets (especially bought ones) dont work anymore, they look awfully bad. Set up one light after the other and dont forget the shaders - P8 thinks different. The results are more straightforward than ever before. This one above was really easy to do and I am using white planes for the lighting (somehow area lights) and a skydome for a general light.

I'm not sure what you're doing, but all my old light sets work perfectly fine in P8, they look even better when rendered in P8 the before. SM didn't do that much about the regular lights at all. Every light set I've created in pre-8 versions work well in P8, every light set I've created in P8, works well in previous versions.

You don't have start thinking differently then before, P8 lights work the same as before.... unless you use IDL. But you've not stating that you do (but I've got the feeling that's what you're talking about). If you use IDL old sets don't work well, you to start thinking differently. If you don't use IDL (and enough people don't) there's no reason to think differently, most likely your renders look better then before.

Quote - Looks GOOD!

Since I haven't seen the threads that claim otherwise...

What is different in Poser 8 (yes I know about the IDL and such but what does it mean for such a render? What must you do differently?)

As long as you don't use IDL you don't have to do anything differently. My cars still look nice and shiny without IDL, using 'old' light sets or 'old' light techniques. I'm not using P4 or P5 techniques, those are already outdated since P6. But everything I've been doing since P6 still works fine...... even better!

Quote:-  "I'm not sure what you're doing, but all my old light sets work perfectly fine in P8, they look even better when rendered in P8 the before. SM didn't do that much about the regular lights at all. Every light set I've created in pre-8 versions work well in P8, every light set I've created in P8, works well in previous versions.

As long as you don't use IDL you don't have to do anything differently. My cars still look nice and shiny without IDL, using 'old' light sets or 'old' light techniques. I'm not using P4 or P5 techniques, those are already outdated since P6. But everything I've been doing since P6 still works fine...... even better!"....end Quote..

I beg to differ, there are significant differences in the look of scenes even without IDL.  There are more features with each light..  I am now able to think like a photographer when I am lighting a scene..!   IMHO most lightsets do not work as well in P8,  but by looking through the shadow light cams and tweaking then re-saving they are generally OK.

Quote - It would be interesting to see your set up and render settings.  You do have some artifacts along the windshield and frame in the second image.

This is the antenna for the satelite radio in the 2010 GT. I used IDL in these renders.

 New shaders