Quote - Short answer : NO.

Long answer:
IDL is the light we see in real life. It is what makes it possible for us to see things. If there would be no IDL in real life, the world would be like in space; Black or white.

IDL is not a switch you can click ON or OFF.

IDL "adds" light, diffused by the objects in the scene to the scene.

If you load a scene that was made with NO IDL and you click IDL to ON, you will have a way to bright scene. =>  You have to compensate older scenes by reducing the number of lights or reducing the intensity of the lights.

For outdoor scenes:
Always use BB's sphere (with a picture on it) and a single Infinite light set at intensity 65%. That is ALL you will ever need for an outside scene. There is only ONE sun out there (and that is our single Infinite light). All the other light comes from the IDL and the sphere.

For indoor scenes:
"Be" light, 'think" light. Where is the actual light source? Or where are the actual light sources? And work with reduced intensity's on the light bulbs.

Last: Do yourself a favor.
When you choose In Direct Light (as you should to simulate real world conditions) Stay away from Image Based Lights. That is the old school style to fake IDL.

Using the real IDL and IBL combined, you are using the fake PLUS the real thing.
See where I am going? Too bright. Unless you compensate.

You have the "real thing" now: In Direct Light.

Combining IBL and IDL should only be used for special effects and artistic purposes.

 

Thanks.  I'm still learning Poser (do we ever stop learning?) and recall you and others mentioning that IBL was the old school way.

And what you mentioned is exactly what I'm doing - I'm basing my lighting off of where light should be coming from, and tweaking from there. 

For example, what I just purchased was TruForm's loft apartment.  For daytime with the very large windows, most light would be daylight through those windows, with only fill lighting from other lights.  So the fill lights get a low intensity, then IDL to take care of the rest.  And the tweaking to get it 'right'...