Ok, so I can't figure out how to determine the focal distance to allow DOF renders. The default setting obviously does not work with the default camera setup and default figure setup. Is there some chaos theory algorithm I need to use to figure out how far from character to camera I am?

Probably the best way is to look out for a Python script that will do it automatically (with the current selected object), or write one yourself. This is one of the first things I was intending to do when I got P5, but given the delays in delivery in the UK, I expect to be beaten to it. Bill

But what math to use? I've been tearing my hair out trying to figure out where to get the absolute coords for the camera and the current selection. Maybe the EndPoint function in Python, but I'm so rusty at Python that I'd have to relearn it....

Well you can just get the position of the camera and determine the distance to the figure. You could place a small prop, like a ball at where you want the camera to focus. Write down the ball's position (xb,yb,zb). Then hit 3 or select the camera and note down the camera's position (xc,yc,zc). The distance is then Sqrt(xbxc+ybyc+zb*zc). That should be the focal distance to your prop ball.

I sort of tried that -- only the correct formula in Euclidean geometry I use is Sqrt((xb-xc)^2+(yb-yc)^2+(zb-zc)^2). But no matter how many times I did it, I ended up with an answer that didn't work! I ended up finding a value by trial and error and by setting the F stop to 1.4 was able to clearly see the focal sphere of the camera, but the numbers didn't seem to make sense..... I'll mess with it some more...

Cool! Please let me know what you discover. I've got zero python skills and was just at a complete loss as to how to figure things out. Thanks!

Euclid is the right approach, but bear in mind that the main and aux cameras (in P4) are offset by a value of +1.0 Poser units in the z axis, which will need to be added to the z coordinate. ie. as if the x,y,z values refer to the position of an invisible tripod at the centre of the screen (where the default figure is usually loaded) and the camera is mounted on a boom, and facing back towards the centre. This is further confused by the fact that the scale attribute seems to apply directly to the boom/camera setup. Also P5 supports multiple units. Best experiment with a few props and camera settings to get the hang of where the camera really is, or use the dolly camera which has a simpler geometry, but Python is still probably the best way to implement this. Bill

Someone please write a script for this. :O)

I think I can calculate it manually now that I know about that 1.0 Poser units offset. That's what was throwing me off. I sort of like DOF in some renders as it mutes the background just a bit. Playing the F stop up and down actually lets you control it very well. Anyone know what the F stop of the human eye is in normal lighting and at night?

as a general rule, the higher the f-stop #, the smaller the opening...so a higher number f16, 22 would be probably be closer to a small pupil f2, 3, 4: night Also though a higher f-stop gives you more depth of field in the picture all by itself. But I could ask over in the photography forum if that doesn't work/make sense/etc