I'm assessing 3D apps for my company, a design agency, for illustration, virtual product mockups and motion graphics. We're an all-Mac shop and like application stability. HQ output is a must. Price not withstanding, how does Carrara stack up to other industry apps? Do any of you already use Carrara in this capacity? Got any samples to post? Thanks in advance!

 That's what I do all day. Samples are here.

 Mark:
Very nice portfolio. Very versatile indeed.

Mark: That's a nice representation, all that was done with Carrera? Have you used other apps, like C4D or Maya? If so how does Carrera compare? I hope I'm not coming off as insulting, but the replies aren't exactly raining down in support of Carrera as a pro solution. Anyone else use Carrera professionally?

Most of the "commercial" users would never have the time for visiting any forum sites.

My son (50) uses it at his work for many things--almost every day. Making instructional safety videos and all sorts of things.

While Carrara isn't used on all of my projects, I do use it more than any of the other 3D apps. 

Carrara is in a funky marketing space. It's inexpensive enough that hobby folks can afford it. That means that there are a bunch of people using it with no 3D training or pro aspirations so you'll see more mediocre imagery than with the "pro" apps because hobbiest simply aren't usually invested enough to actually learn the software. You'll also hear loud complaining from the hobby market about Carrara because, somehow, the software should require no learning yet magically produce Pixar level imagery. All 3D apps require focused learning to use them well.

Professionally, I'm simply pragmatic and big on speed in the studio. C4d and Maya etc. are great applications but they are squarely aimed at the cinematic market. As a result, their procedures, maintenance costs and plug-in costs are a bit of overkill for most of my projects. 

If you're going to be doing mostly TV and integrate with video and post shops, Maya, LW et all are the standard to be sure and you would be well served to ante up the bucks and tackle the learning curve. However, they each have some inherited pathologies that make them less useful for other needs that are common to advertising and MarCom.

I do use a host of 3D packages but tend to use Carrara as a Swiss Army Knife - it does a lot of things very well, for all medias, print, web, and video.

I'm cautiously optimistic that Carrara will be getting some of the features that the cinematic applications have. Pro pipelines need things like  multipass rendering and that has been voiced to the developers rather loudly. There are some plug-ins for Carrara that are every bit as sophisticated as Maya plugs, but at about 1/10 to 1/20 the cost. As an owner/operator of the studio, that's appealing.

To be sure, Maya and other similar apps have outstanding pedigree and capability. But a quick spin through the galleries here will reenforce that it's the operator more than the software that makes the difference. While Carrara started out as a hobbiest and quasi pro package, it's definitely a pro level software now. I can say for certain that Carrara is now used in many of the video studios I freelance for simply because you can do many "routine" 3D tasks faster. 

I can also tell you that you've seen Carrara animations on television but didn't realize it. ;-)   I can't really say how I know this, but broadcasts like the most recent Superbowl and the Emmys had some Carrara content transitioning for commercial breaks. The pros just learn it and use it - like everything else in their studios.

I love working with modo 301 and Vue 6i too but Carrara is actually more competent in many areas - especially if you need to work with human and animal content plus create original content, all at the same time.

All that said, I have yet to find the perfect 3D application. They all have stuff that frustrates and delights me, all at the same time. To adequately serve my client base, I have to maintain and be fluent in 7 3D packages. I've got the dead brain cells to prove it. :D   You're optimistic in thinking just one 3D application will make everybody happy!

However, fluency in the application, whatever it is,  trumps everything else.

Mark

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I don't get to use 3D as much as I'd like in my business, but here are some examples along with a couple of personal works.

Mark and Patrick make my point.
Carrara is a great value for money, comprehensive, easy to use, 3D app.
(The 5th most downloaded 3D app--even before DAZ was involved?)

 I use Carrara almost on a daily basis in creating art, animations and sketches for print, web and whatever need surfaces. I stumbled upon it in the RayDream days and have integrated it in lots of ways. I have been looking at Cinema 4D, LightWave, Maya, but as Mark says, they are mostly targeted (and priced) at movies etc.

I find Carrara (and it's sister modeller Hexagon) very easy, fast to use and capable of doing everything I need to create beautiful images. I just need more time... And a faster Mac ;)

At least try the trial. Carrara 5 was for free on the cover of 3D World Magazine, maybe you can find a copy or similar offer somewhere. To get an easy start.

Carrara is quite capable of animating when in the right hands:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjiGH9QNiU0

Wish I could claim that as one as mine. But no, I'm just an admirer. :rolleyes:

Here's a still image I made after a week of time with the program:
http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1611828

Someone relatively new to the program should be able to do something like this, provided they're not completely new to the principles of setting up and staging stuff for a render. I wouldn't say Carrara has the best modeler, but other apps can suit that purpose. (Even free ones.) Carrara plays well with them, since it imports a nice variety of formats.

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/browse.php?username=mmoir

  I use Carrara to do Architectural renderings and it works just fine for this, one thing I like is the landscape abilities it has  as well as being an all purpose 3d package.  I also model mostly in Carrara which some find odd but it feels comfortable to me, I also use Hexagon to model but mostly use Carrara.  For me it is a great package and would recommend it but I would try out the trial if you have not already done so.
  You can take a look at my gallery here to see images I have done with Carrara , my gallery shows my hobby type images only but it should still give you an idea of my work.  Good luck with your decision.

Mike

 Smedley, I'm going to offer my example, now. It's not stunning, or earth shattering, but I think shows how well Carrara can work in a professional setting.

http://www.hillphoenix.com/O2IM_withCheese.jpg

The display case and Poser fig were modeled and rendered in Carrara, and then the cheese and the background composited with Photoshop. It's not perfect, but it is real-world application.

Thanks for the replies and samples folks! Carrara obviously has potential in a pro environment toolset.

You might look at this persons site as well http://www.carrara3d.com/  the Carrara in Action

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSR_BzNudTc

I use Carrara daily at work doing basic TV animation packages -- opens, bumpers, illo graphics, etc -- and it works quite well.  As Mark mentioned above, it's missing some of the pro integration aspects of C4D (which I have at home and use, but not nearly so much as I use Carrara).

Outside the day job, I'm putting together a cartoon-style animation project -- the link above is to one of our teasers.  All of the modeling and rendering was done in Carrara, with characters from Poser (this was Carrara 5 which didn't support character animation as well as C6 does -- I'm currently doing most of my character animation inside C6P).  This clip shows off one of the wonderful and inexpensive plug-ins Mark mentioned -- toon!pro from digital carvers guild (www.digitalcarversguild.com) -- it was around 40 bucks for the plug-in, and a similar plug (sketch and toon) for Cinema 4D is $595.00 -- more than the cost of Carrara Pro entirely.

Carrara is a bit funky, but you can certainly get pro results from it.

 - Dex

I would also add that you need to consider if you are going to network or exchange files with other people to get projects done. If you are then obviously look to what apps they are using. C6Pro is a defiinitley a pro-capable app. Try the demos of the apps you consider - that is always the best and go to www.vtc.com and check our Mark Bremmer's Carrara 6 Pro training. The first several lessons are free and you can get a feel for the app that way.