What is Max Ray Depth? - C4D

Max Ray Depth controls the maximum number of times light can bounce within a scene. Lower values can slightly improve rendering performance, while higher values may increase lighting accuracy. In Corona, however, the visual difference is typically minimal compared to many other renderers, so it is generally recommended to keep the default value.
cinema4d-mrd.png

 

The Max Ray Depth parameter can be found in Render Settings > Corona > Performance Settings. It controls both the maximum number of global illumination (GI) bounces and the maximum number of reflection and refraction events a ray can undergo.

The default value of 25 means that each ray can intersect with scene surfaces up to 25 times, whether through diffuse bounces, reflections, or refractions. For example, when a ray passes through a solid glass object, one intersection occurs when it enters the surface and another when it exits.

Increasing the Max Ray Depth beyond the default value typically does not produce noticeable visual improvements.

 

Examples

Crystal - lowering the Max Ray Depth value results in less internal reflections and the object becoming generally darker. 

1.1. Crystal - MRD = 25 (default value)

crystal-mrd25.jpg
 

1.2. Crystal - MRD = 1 

crystal-mrd1.jpg
 

1.3. Crystal - MRD = 2 

crystal-mrd2.jpg
 

1.4. Crystal - MRD = 3 

crystal-mrd3.jpg
 

1.5. Crystal - MRD = 100 

crystal-mrd100.jpg
 

 

Two mirrors - Max Ray Depth defines the number of mirror reflections with the value of 100 creating an "infinite mirror" effect. 

2.1. Two mirrors facing each other, camera between them - MRD = 25 (default value) 

mirror-mrd25.jpg
 

2.2. Two mirrors - MRD = 1 

mirror-mrd1.jpg
 

2.3. Two mirrors - MRD = 2 

mirror-mrd2.jpg
 

2.4. Two mirrors - MRD = 3 

mirror-mrd3.jpg
 

2.5. Two mirrors - MRD = 100 

mirror-mrd100.jpg
 
 
Room - Since Max Ray Depth controls the number of GI bounces, decreasing it makes the interior darker. 

3.1. Room - MRD = 25 (default value) 

MRD_25.jpg
 

3.2. Room - MRD = 1 

MRD_1.jpg
 

3.3. Room - MRD = 2 

MRD_2.jpg
 

3.4. Room - MRD = 3 

MRD_3.jpg
 

3.5. Room - MRD = 100

MRD_100.jpg
 

 

 

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