How to create depth maps for DOF PRO?

[Stryker]

There are various methods for easily creating depth maps for DOF PRO. Using the Z-Depth in 3dsmax or the FOG feature, you can get a nice, fast depth map (or similar) which is ideal for DOF PRO. Here are three:

If you use 3dsmax VRay (Like I do):

1 - Open the Gobal Switches box in the Renderer tab in VRay
2 - Disable all options except for displacement (if your scene uses any)
3 - Open the Environment box and add Fog
4 - Make the fog color white and set your near to 100%, and far to 0%
5 - Check your camera settings and adjust the near and far ranges to cover the scene
6 - Render your scene and save as BMP.

If you use 3dsmax scanline*:

1 - Go to Render Elements in the render dialoge.
2 - Click add and select Z-Depth.
3 - Specify a minimum and maximum camera distance.
4 - Render your scene and save as BMP. It will render the RGB (which you don't need) and then the Depth Map will pop up.

Alternately, if you use 3dsmax scanline*:

1 - Assign everything a black, self-illuminated material.
2 - Create a light and turn it off (to disable 3dsmax default lights)
3 - Open the Environment box and add Fog
4 - Make the fog color white and set your near to 100%, and far to 0%
5 - Check your camera settings and adjust the near and far ranges to cover the scene
6 - Render your scene and save as BMP.

*Please note that switching to the 3dsmax scanline renderer will not take VRay displacement into consideration as well as some other renderer-dependent modeling effects.

Finally, you do not need to tweak the levels, gamma, brightness, contrast, etc. of your depth map in any third party application since you can do this directly within DOF PRO non-destructively using it's depth map editing tools.

-Richard

[mhill18]

Hello All,
This is my first post ever, for any thread. I've never had faith that it works, but here it goes:
I think this post by Stryker is related to what I am trying to do. I appreciate help from anyone who can provide guidance. I am looking to create a Custom stereogram, as with the "Magic Eye" Books. I need to produce the "depth" image, which is what appears when you cross your eyes. I'd like to create this image from an interior scene in 3ds max. The type of rendering I need though is something that I do not know how to produce on my own.
Please see attachment, I can adjust setting in 3dmax and any postwork in Photoshop is not a problem.
Thanks and regards,
Matt