Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/softgood.ez?ViewSoftgood=5409&ViewImage=2

I am just wondering if anyone could explain how exactly the focal blur/depth of field works in Vue. I have tried different things but never got satisfied. Any tutorials out there? ...the Vue 4 manual does not cover this in detail. And, I wonder if you can achieve the same result as in Bryce, specifically, like in the example picture in the link! Cheers!

Select the camera and change the blur value to something other than zero (5 is good to start with). You should see an x in front of the camera in most views...this is your focal point (change the value in the focus box to move it forward and back). You should also see 2 square planes within the camera view (one before the x, and one after). This is your blur range...the higher the blur value, the closer the squares get to the x (and the smaller the range before things get really blurry:} I haven't used it much yet, but that should get you started.

Just play a little around and remember that render time increases with blur. Guitta

Thanks! ...Im going to experiment a bit further tonight!

Guitta, You have the x marked as point A in your picture. If this is correct, then what is the purpose of the first square plane divider (between the camera and the x). Just wondering...I haven't used blur enough to figure it out yet.

Solemnchaos, Maybe there is an error in my drawing when I consider how it should be. What I always thought is the following : The first square plane is the beginning of the not blurred aerea, the "x" is the center of it and the second square plane the end of it. BUT... my experience shows that this is not exact when applied, as you can see at the images above. Because in this case, the tree close to the cam in the 90 focus image should be clear. And it is not. Only the centered tree is. The second image shows the same scene with a 200 focus. Only the farthest tree is clear (the one close to the "center", the "x"). Both images are rendered ULTRA, the only render mode to "see" the blur correctly. Mostly when I use blur, I only take 2% if I don't want to have bad surprises. And I always consider the not blurred part between A and B (from the previous drawing), also I will not be disappointed :-). Hope this helps. But maybe other users have a different approach to this and can tell you more (with samples images, please :-) Guitta

Thank you very much, Guitta,you possess are a great wealth of Vue information. :) But, still, with Vue 5, I'm really hoping the "blur" (as well as the "soft shadows") will look more realistic. The blur looks more like looking at it through a glass shower door, than a camera lens. I've never tried it much, for that reason, but can it get better than this?

Guitta, Thank you, that does help explain things. solemnchaos

Mike: the blur looks really nice if it's subtle (maybe 1.5 to 2.5%) and you render it at really high user settings. Of course, then it takes forever to render. You have to give up quality if you want a faster render. Laurie

I hoped that the blur effect would be as good as in Bryce, then again it might be a tweaking issue....otherwisa, it would be a nice implementation for Vue 5, or an earlier update from e-on!

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=74215&Start=1&Artist=Cheers&ByArtist=Yes

Yep Laurie's right. The blur can be made to look very impressive, if you take Laurie's advice and be very subtle with the settings...and use the "User" settings in the Render options. I often get asked if the image "Whitetail" used post-processing to get the smooth blur...but all was required was a lot of patience while it rendered LOL! The version in the gallery here at Renderosity does not use the highest render setting, so the blur does get even smoother at the higher setting. I think most of us use your technique Guitta, as you have taught most of us all that we know anyway ;D. Excellent blur is not impossible in Vue, it just needs patience, and a lot of tweeking and experimenting :D Cheers

Wow...that sure looks good cheers, what settings did you use (%-wise). If you look at the picture from bryce in my attached link on the top (of kromekats texture pack cover), the background fades out into a blured, light color tone....this in my opinion, looks very appealing (but not allways very natural). Have to do more (long) test renders...

Hi n00b, It was only 2% blur, if I remember rightly. You are right, in that I also feel that the DOF (Depth of Field) blur in Bryce is appealing. The one problem I find with any DOF, is if you use too high a setting, then you can loose the idea of scale i.e. make a mountain look like a minature model. I feel for you though, them looong test renders are the worst part ;) Cheers

Even just a little bit of blur can GREATLY increase your render time, either in Bryce or in Vue. I try not to use it if I don't have to, but I find myself using it more and more. And since I've been using only "User Settings" for quite awhile now, rendering can be a multi-day endeavor. sigh...still waiting for that terabyte processor ;o). Laurie