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KeyShot 2
24 Nov, 2010 By: Gabriel MathewsUser Review: HyperShot's successor, KeyShot 2, races toward real-time photorealism in 3D rendering.
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A lot has changed since I reviewed the last major release of this rendering application — HyperShot v1.9 — in early 2009. The software is now sold under the name KeyShot and distributed by Luxion.
A licensing dispute over the software code explains this switch. The original developers retain the technology in the new company, and the good news for users is that the shake-up doesn't seem to have adversely affected the product. In fact, KeyShot 2.1 has improved leaps and bounds beyond its former incarnation.
What's New
The second generation of the application for PC and Mac platforms still features amazingly fast previews. Crisp, photorealistic renderings of 3D scenes can display in a matter of seconds. This immediate visual feedback was the big breakthrough when HyperShot debuted, and it still puts KeyShot in a class by itself. The older, but more industry-established, rendering applications give sketchy previews and can take as long as 1 hour or more to produce a final image. In comparison, KeyShot gives designers instant gratification, which continues to be its biggest selling point.
Most designers love KeyShot’s high-resolution previews because of the instant gratification they provide. Within seconds, I can see all the reflections and shadows in the image rather than waiting for the final render.
In actual use, I can feel even more speed in version 2, which according to Luxion has been improved as much as 50% in some areas such as loading 3D data and image processing.
For my rendering experiments with the new KeyShot 2.1, I chose a Rhinoceros model of my own product designs, a security device that prevents others from turning on your PC.
I also felt that I spent less time between commands. Luxion wholly re-engineered the interface, which is much better organized this time around. Switching between tool kits, material palettes, and model options resulted in smooth transitions, so I was able to execute renderings much more fluidly.
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