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ACES vs Filmic : When do I use Filmic versus ACES when Tonemapping?

Posted: Sun May 02, 2021 10:13 am
by Fletch
Each rendering and lighting condition is based on the physics of light in the real world.
Therefore, just as in a real camera, the exposure of the image is critical to a good result.
For each image a strong set of the 6 Essential Fundamentals is key to a great rendering, but the Tonemapping truly can make or break an image if all else is equal.
COMPARE.png
COMPARE.png (328.3 KiB) Viewed 70147 times
Here is an example where Filmic is much more powerful than ACES, because it is not automatic, but rather gives you a lot of control with Shadow, Midrange, and Highlights variables.

Tonemapping: NONE
NONE.png
NONE.png (800.94 KiB) Viewed 70147 times
Tonemapping: SIMPLE
SIMPLE.png
SIMPLE.png (892.07 KiB) Viewed 70147 times
Tonemapping: ACES
ACES.png
ACES.png (813.75 KiB) Viewed 70147 times
Tonemapping: FILMIC
FILMIC.png
FILMIC.png (1.27 MiB) Viewed 70147 times
What if I just want to use "Simple" tonemapping? Can I get the same look as Filmic?
The answer is - you can get something roughly approximating Filmic, again depending on the scene. If your "Simple" rendering is dark, don't be afraid to experiment with what may appear to be "extreme" settings.

Tonemapping: SIMPLE (extreme exposure)
SIMPLE-extreme.png
SIMPLE-extreme.png (1.21 MiB) Viewed 70147 times