Ok I was wondering other than importing poser 7 stuff into Vue are there any alternatives to Firefly.  I was thinking of static images what if any format is best to use for exporting a scene - obj file or should I be using something else and is there anything I should be aware of when exporting, other than selectig the appropriate items in the scene.

 One of my friends uses Maxwell rendering software - is there anyway I could use this - how do I go about keeping textures etc as I don't think you can directly import from poser. Is there a round about route I could use.

 Also is there any free or open source renderers out there with poser export/ python script export.

 Just would really love to experiment a bit more. It would be good if firefly had GI - hopefully in poser 8 if it comes out.

thanks in advance

Only thing you can do is use applications like carrerabryce, or vue that easily can import poser content. Vue's renderer though is probably the best of those three.

PoserPro supports collada format, so once it's released, you could use any application that supports collada import, like Lightwave, Max, XSI ect, but then yer also talking a LOT more dollars as well for those.

For the really BETTER renderers you are gonna have to end up shelling out some serious money for them.

There is Poseray which uses Povray renderer.

You can export obj format to any other application that uses obj formats. For Most you are going to have to tweak materials and sett up lighting again . There are plugins for 3dsmax and Lightwave but your talking some money there. Vue or Carrara are probably the cheaper easier solutions and even they have some issues. 

Poser 7 renderer and even the P4 renderer are capable of some really good results if you take care with lighting and materials .

Cinema 4D + interPoser Pro is also a good option.  The friend of yours that uses Maxwell Render probably uses this option, although that's a very expensive combination (about $1150US for Cinema 4D + interPoser and another $1000US for Maxwell)

Just a remark - whatever renderer you will choose, plan to spend some time to learn it properly. Lights and materials are different on each render. A texture isn't everything.

If you plan to use Maxwell, be prepared for long render times. Maxwell uses a much more physically correct light system, but you pay that with long render times.  The results can be great though.

D|S -> Blender -> Kerkythea (unbiased renderer, multiple forms of GI, advanced shaders)
Via Collada.
Haven't tried that route myself; but it should work (theoretically). I've used Kerkythea a good bit; but have always created my own shader structure and lighting; to take advantage of the advanced options available. I can't vouch for Blender/Collada; but Collada is pretty close to flawless w/ 3ds Max. (except shaders, it only uses Blinn, and there are many other, better shaders to use than Blinn in 3ds max)
Wouldn't cost you anything to check it out; but time.

Blender has some other free advanced renderers also: Indigo, Sunflow, etc.
Once you get the content into Blender, you have several options for advanced rendering.

Where are a plugin to export Poser7 to 3dsmax?

Poser 7 pro will have collada built in.

Max supports collada.

Okay. And for Poser7 'not-Pro' ??? :tt2:

If you can afford 3dsmax, you can afford poser pro.. ;)

Actually EF/Smith Micro has a beta of the Collada content exporter available free:
http://my.smithmicro.com/win/poser/updates.html

Maybe try that before spending a few hundred on Poser Pro when it's released (personally I don't see anything worth going for in it).

Quote - Where are a plugin to export Poser7 to 3dsmax?

DAZ Studio

That too, ConnieKat used it and said it worked very well. 

Depends on the scene.
If you do not use dynamic cloth or hair, just about every export route will work.
If you use dynamic cloth and hair, only Carrara and Vue 6 will work.

Actually Kuroyume (interPoser Pro developer) has recently been working on adding support for Poser dynamic hair import, and has had some success (requires the additional Hair module, $400).  I think he has dynamic cloth import covered as Point Level Animation (PLA) but I don't see it on the feature list.  He has an example of dynamic cloth import demonstrated on this page:
http://www.kuroyumes-developmentzone.com/products_interposer_pro2.html

I add that stuff manually with Max's native systems, if I'm going to use any dynamics. Couldn't really comment on how the Collada export handles it one way or the other.
I also build my own mr shaders, and use max and mr lights.

There is a utility I think at renderosity marketplace called Pomax . http://www.renderosity.com/mod/bcs/index.php?ViewProduct=53935&

There are other is you have max. There is Greebriers plugin for Lightwave but thats about $500 for the full set .

If you just want to render a fixed scene use the obj export from Poser ,  gather the image map files to the same folder as the obj , and use normal object import to Max . You may want to scale to real world dimensions in max.

There are threads in the max and Lightwave forums about using Poser stuff in those applications .

Quote - If you can afford 3dsmax, you can afford poser pro.. ;)

I HAVE 3dsmax and I HAVE Poser7... and PoserPro isn't in my wishlist, at least for a long time...

EDITED

... at least until SR2...

Quote - Actually Kuroyume (interPoser Pro developer) has recently been working on adding support for Poser dynamic hair import, and has had some success (requires the additional Hair module, $400).  I think he has dynamic cloth import covered as Point Level Animation (PLA) but I don't see it on the feature list.  He has an example of dynamic cloth import demonstrated on this page:
http://www.kuroyumes-developmentzone.com/products_interposer_pro2.html

Just to be official about the available support here. :D

iPP supports Poser dynamic hair (as of v1.8.1) as splines or Hair object (for best results) including dynamics simulation from the Poser Hair Room stored in the associated .dyn file in both the Pro and Ltd parts of iPP.  The support does not extend beyond basically importing the splines and animation (none of the various dynamic hair settings or materials).  With the Hair module available, you get a Hair object (linked to the polygon selection) and a spline object and all of the basic material/render setup as if you added Hair using Cinema 4D's 'Add Hair' option.  The spline object is required and linked into the Hair object to perform the PLA animation on the Hair if it had been animated in Poser and there exists a .dyn file.  From there, you are at liberty to make whatever adjustments: color gradients, kinks, curls, render settings, re-calculate dynamics (which can be done with retention of style).

Poser dynamic cloth isn't directly supported by iPP.  There are two alternative ways to go about this:

1. Import the cloth object and use Clothilde (if available).  The best option if you don't mind having Clothilde do better/faster dynamics simulation. :)
2. Export the dynamic cloth from Poser as Wavefront .obj single or multiple frames and import using the Ltd feature of Pro (or interPoser Ltd).  If there are multiple frames, the polygon object can be PLA animated.

Quote - There is Poseray which uses Povray renderer.

That is the correct answer!