Thinking of purchasing 3D software…

[Noah Kadner]

I found the midrange module to be the best bang for the buck but the cool part is you can start with the base and upgrade. Definitely easier than most of the other 3d apps out there to make early progress.

Noah

[Björn Marl]

Take a look at the product pages on the Maxon website.
https://www.maxon.net/pages/products/c4d/cinema4d_e.html
It features only the main application. If you want to see what additional functions you get with the modules you have to follow the links to the module pages on the left.

Cheers
Bj

[Marty Simpson]

Guys,

I appreciate your inputs…

While searching the internet I stumbled upon the open-source – Blender.

Do you guys have any opinions about starting there and working toward Cinema4D?

Or will the open-source nature eliminate the goodness that is great interface…??

Thanks.

[Noah Kadner]

I tried Blender- it’s definitely unbeatable for the price but didn’t have as much luck getting results out of it as I did with C4D. I played with the free C4D demo for months before actually spending dough. That would be my suggestion.

https://www.maxoncomputer.com/download_demo.asp

Noah

[Marty Simpson]

Are you saying that I might even waste valuable time trying to learn the interface and then not be able to create anything useful to me…

And for 700 bucks ish – – -after free demo trial – – – I will off to the races…give or take “sky” and whatever else doesn’t come with the base package…

My hope would be to start doing some three-d for clients that I already do stuff for – – – and use those as learning tools etc…

I don’t want to devote four months of tinkering to blender, if it will just lead me to c4d eventually….

[Noah Kadner]

one thing you don’t get with the base bundle that I find essential is network rendering. I use that all the time. But if you’ve only got a main system- that’s not an isssue- you’ll run big renders over night. As for Blender to C4d- can’t really speak to that. I played with Blender for a little while, found little relation to what I eventually came to like in C4D. Also found Blender to be not a great performer- seems to be a port from a Windows or Linux version onto OSX with not great translation. C4D is stable- way more solid than FCP for example. Not to say Blender doesn’t rock for the price(free) but personally found that C4D would be preferable even if they cost the same.

Noah

[Marty Simpson]

Noah – as usual – you have been extremely helpful and insightful…

I really appreciate your input.

How did your film/movie project with the 24p camera from a year ago turn out?? I think it wasn’t released last time you helped me with something…

[Noah Kadner]

Marty-

Thanks for asking. 🙂 Still working on getting distribution. It’s playing on the festival circuit. Next stop- Sedona end of February.

Noah

[Keith Hill]

Maty,

I labored just like you last year over which 3D app to choose. After asking questions of some of the folks whose works I’ve been admiring, I decided to take the recommendation of getting C4d 9.52 (core version) and get the Advanced Renderer later. Then, any additional modules as needed. I’ve now had it since Oct.05 and have been taking my time learning the app. With regard to 3D, I don’t think there’s a quick learn in any 3D app, but of all of them C4D IS the best UI. I’ve enjoyed learning it. But, it is another discpline altogether. So, it really depends on how gifted you are. Practice and practice, experiment and experiment, tutorial and tutorial and I’m finally getting the hang of it.

Keith Hill
https://www.LightedPath.biz
Dallas, TX
FCP 5.0.4, Motion 2.0.1, Combustion4 (Mac), Cinema 4D r9.5, PhotoshopCS2, PIllusion 3, DVD StudioPro 4.0.2, SoundtrackPro 1, ; Mac G5 (v10.4.4) 2Ghz, 1.5 RAM

[Marty Simpson]

I know exactly what you mean. I did the same thing 3 years ago with Flash and Actionscript. Took my time doing countless tutorials and teaching myself. I basically got tired of referring all the interactive flash video to a friend of mine (from all my existing clients…) so I started saying yes when they asked if I could do it…which made me learn how to do it. So learning the beast that is Actionscript and Flash was not that big a deal…I think I could easily take a year or longer treating C4D as my new hobby and then start billing my clients for the work…

I appreciate your advice…and it is good to hear from other mac users.

BTW – how will the core app run (minus rendering out of course) on my 1.67 G4 powerbook (1 gig of ram)?? My hobbies usually end up on my laptop…I have a dual 2.7 G5 with 8 gig of ram at my office….