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

[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 (328.3 KiB) Viewed 94554 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

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Tonemapping: SIMPLE

SIMPLE.png (892.07 KiB) Viewed 94554 times

Tonemapping: ACES

ACES.png (813.75 KiB) Viewed 94554 times

Tonemapping: FILMIC

FILMIC.png (1.27 MiB) Viewed 94554 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)

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