Archive notice: This article was originally published on July 28, 2017. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
A lot has happened since the release of RenderMan 21; Pixar has now released version 21.5 of the renderer.
What’s New in Version 21.5
New features in the current release include
- Skin & soft materials with new path-tracing technology and albedo controls for subsurface scattering (SSS), providing greater accuracy in how light behaves within materials.
- Marschner Hair Shader with new color remapping features for PxrHairColor, which allow you to make fine adjustments. Render times have also been significantly reduced.
- the ability to apply the Denoise Tool to EXRs after the compositing process if naming and data are retained.
- Workflow and performance improvements: Examples include a new Maya UI for secondary passes, updates to the Pixar Preset Browser, support for Layered Shading in Houdini and more.
SSS Path Traced
SSS Jensen Dipole
Preset browser
For further information and a complete overview of all fixes and changes, you can view the 21.5 release notes in the documentation here.
Download & Costs
The price of RenderMan has not changed. The renderer is still available in two variants: a commercial version for the equivalent of 422 euros and a non-commercial version. You can reach the download area here.
