Hi dears
Is there any difference between keyshot software and keyshot plugin for rhino?
As far as I know the plugin just links your rhino model with Keyshot. So that if you make changes in Rhino after you’ve already loaded it in keyshot, you can update keyshot with the adjustments instead of having to import your model again.
Correct me if I’m wrong though.
Hi @shayan
@siemen is quite right. The plugin simply makes importing to Keyshot a bit simpler, but in my experience it can act a little weird at times. Keyshot itself - on the other hand - is wonderful. Easy to learn, fast and getting better with each release (v7 just got released).
HTH, Jakob
Thanks dears for your attention and excuse for my delay
Hi @shayan, the latest plugin of KeyShot 7 for Rhino is available (on Mac and Windows). The features include:
- Support for meshes, surfaces, and solids
- NURBS import (Pro only)
- Maintain color and texture assignments
- Local axis support for layered parts
- Maintain layer structure
- Hidden objects on layers stay hidden
- LiveLinking – update model inside KeyShot
- Export to bip without KeyShot installed
It available for free here: https://www.keyshot.com/plugins/
Just d/l Keyshot 7. At first glance it looked very promising. Found two things that will probably prevent me from purchasing it. 1) It relies solely on the CPU for rendering power with no reliance on the GPU. This seems silly to have my video card sit by during rendering. 2) The plugin doesn’t allow you to work within Rhino it just pushes your object into an external application. 3) I can’t put material on individual parts unless they are on a separate layer. There are some other small gievances, but these are the major ones. I had been using Thea, but there hasn’t been an update in years and I think they have abandoned the Rhino app.
Greeting from Texas (Flower Mound) 
If it helps at all, Rhino and KeyShot are linked via the plugin, so geometry updates made there will update in KeyShot.
There are a few reasons why we don’t utilize the GPU, the top of which is the incapability to process the complex algorithms the CPU is capable of processing for realistic light scenarios and scientifically accurate material. It also doesn’t make you dependent on a specific graphics card or driver.
We do constantly test CPU and GPU capabilities, however, so would add support if GPU capabilities ever improved.
Any other questions, happy to answer.
I am used to using Thea which uses both the CPU and GPU in their PRESTO simulated unbiased render. It allows me to apply materials, lights, ground plane, etc. from within Rhino which I consider to be very user friendly. I can easily apply a material to any face rather than by a layer which KeyShot requires. The down side is that I haven’t seen an update from Thea in over a year and I’m concerned that they may have stopped supporting Rhino. Keyshot looked like a good alternative except for the drawbacks I mentioned. I especially liked the fact that Keyshot doesn’t use camera settings (f-stop, aperture, etc.) to produce good images. Still considering about Keyshot but not as strong as I was initially.
Hi @stmoen
As for #3, you can always unlink the materials in KS. Just right-click on any given object, to “detach” it from the linked material. Now you can change the existing material or apply a new one. In general, I like to assign my materials in Rhino (just using dummy colours and names, so that the preview looks OK - “black paint” will just be a simple black Rhino material, “green glass” will be a simple transparent, green material etc.) and then assign the “real” materials in KS. If parts have the same material coming from Rhino, they will be linked in KS - so just drag’n’drop the material you want (or have created) onto one part, and all the linked parts will change/update with it.
And as already mentioned: Do your thing in Rhino (transformations, changes, new geometry) and click “update” - violá, KS updates.
HTH, Jakob
And as for #1, I would not dwell too much on this aspect. KS, when configured optimally, produces some of the best studio product images in the shortest or time, with the greatest of ease, assuming such is the goal.
#2 is a valid point in comparison, however, I’ve come to appreciate aspects of the standalone app too - what I can do with it…
However, in future, I’m likely to use Cycles inside Rhino to have a ‘peek’ while designing (rather than taking it to KS) and later moving to KS for presentation, etc. renders. This assumes Cycles I’m unable match the speed and quality of KS for product shots, which remains to proven out…
Thea seems to be the best of both worlds. CPU + GPU processing, apply materials to individual surfaces from within Rhino, biased and unbiased renderings, preview within Rhino, extensive amount of materials, good documentation, and reasonably priced. I’m just frustraetd that there hasn’t been a new release for over a year. I just heard back from the Thea dev team and they claim to be working on a new update, but don’t want to provide any details. Like you, I’m anxious to see how Cycles performs, but I’m afraid I’ll either be dead or retired by the time it comes out
Thanks Stmoen. We love to get feedback, so this is very much appreciated. I’ve got your comments over to the team. Since we’re on the new Rhino API, we’re planning to improve the integration. In the meantime, I hope KeyShot helps you deliver those visuals with the speed and quality we’re focused on providing.
Just dreaming here: Figure out a way to render inside Rhino and/or the KS application.
Best of both worlds = killer app.
Hi,
Does Keyshot translate Rhino blocks into instances? I usually work with heavy architectural files and this is a must feature for me.
Thanks,
José