What's missing? (please vote)

Like this? Or you mean those tiny lights only?

@David_Gaze

I have also added subtly dust and blue light in the far back.

Yes, something like this.

Does the car still look like a toy?

Yes, it still looks like a toy.

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Can you ELI5 what’s making it look like a toy? Because the scaling of the model is correct. Is it the overhead composition?

Perhaps it’s due to reflections on shiny and matt surfaces, those look like on a small model.

The reflections are too big? I googled toy cars and I couldn’t make much of them. Now this car thing is bugging me.

How about using different camera angles used for cars in real life?

Something like these images:




Maybe this could help.

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In the outdoor rendering the lighting looks to me totally wrong, although the sun is almost on the zenith, the top of the car is overly dark.

That might be due to the car shader.

I understand. But I had a good look at other koenigsegg photos for camera angles. I think it could be more or less related to the actual shape of the car?

https://www.koenigsegg.com/car/one1/

although the sun is almost on the zenith

I compared some backplates from the HDRI I am using. I deduced the lighting accordingly. Seems like it ain’t a very good HDRI for car like this. I will try a different HDRI.

Focal length, that’s what I was trying to remember! If the focal length’s wrong for the shot that can contribute to your car looking toy-like. But Blender’s default focal length is 50mm, which is what the articles I’ve googled on car photography recommend. I’ve got nothing, sorry.

Yeah, that’s what I’ve been tinkering with. I am using 45-55 focal length for this car. Thanks for the help so far.

I believe that the problem, as long as I’m right, is not the HDRI and the reasons are these: whatever HDRI is able to provide good diffuse lighting;
the hard shadow under the car shows the existence of good direct lighting, whether it comes from the HDRI or from an additional light.
However, the car does not seem to be lighted as it should.
That’s why I think of a wrong set material.

I can be totally wrong, of course.

EDIT:
You could test the scene overriding the car materials with simpler ones to see the effect of light.
And personally I would get rid of vignetting. or would dim it a lot.

But I tried rotating the HDRI and the top back part doesn’t light, no matter what, unless I over expose the image. :frowning:

Here is another HDRI:

How about a real 3D scene? Will that help? It doesn’t have to be a complex scene.

I already spent way too much time on this model. I want to move on to next model. I will try HDRI backplates.

Adjusted the lighting a bit more and added lens flare.

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I wish still see a clay material how renders in this light (not that you have to, o.c.)

Here it is: