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Nodes · 3D

Light3D

3Dv1app

Overview

A light in the scene — point, spot, distant (sun), rect, or dome (ambient). Authored as a standard UsdLux prim, so the viewport, Render3D, USD export and the Unreal bridge all read the same light. Zero lights in a scene = the neutral headlight rig.

Inputs

InputWhat it takes
inthe image this node works on

Outputs

OutputType
outScene

Parameters

ParameterTypeDefaultWhat it does
typeChoicepointWhat kind of light: point (a bulb, falls off by inverse-square), spot (point + cone), distant (parallel sun rays — position doesn't matter, rotation does), rect (a soft panel, single-sided), dome (even ambient fill everywhere).
intensityFloat1Linear brightness multiplier on the colour. For point/spot lights this is the value at 1 meter — expect to push it well past 1 to light something a few meters away.
exposureFloat0Stops on top of intensity: +1 doubles the light, −1 halves it. The knob a grade-minded artist reaches for.
colorColor[1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0]Not documented yet.
radiusFloat0.5The source's size in meters — and the floor on inverse-square falloff, so intensity stays finite right at the bulb.
cone_angleFloat25Spot only: the cone's half-angle in degrees off the light's aim (−Z).
cone_softnessFloat0.2Spot only: how much of the cone's edge fades (0 hard … 1 fully soft).
widthFloat1Rect only: panel width in meters.
heightFloat1Rect only: panel height in meters.
shadowBoolfalseMake this the shadow-casting KEY light. One light gets the 2k shadow map — the first enabled spot or distant in the scene; point/rect/dome can't cast in v1.
shadow_biasFloat0.0015Depth-compare trim against shadow acne (surfaces speckling in their own shadow). Raise it if flat surfaces sparkle; too high and shadows detach from their objects (peter-panning).
txFloat0Translate X — position along the world X axis, metres.
tyFloat0Translate Y — position along the world Y axis (up), metres.
tzFloat0Translate Z — position along the world Z axis, metres. The camera looks down −Z.
rxFloat0Rotate around X, degrees.
ryFloat0Rotate around Y (turntable), degrees.
rzFloat0Rotate around Z (roll), degrees.
sxFloat1Scale along X. 1 = unchanged.
syFloat1Scale along Y.
szFloat1Scale along Z.

See also

  • The 3D system — How to put geometry, cameras and volumes in the comp — without becoming a 3D application.