In article <3ffa100a@news.povray.org>,
 "Michael Raiford" <mra### [at] hotmailcom> wrote:

> The first problem has to deal with if I have spotlights instead of point
> lights, the media turns to random noise.

Increase the number of samples. You're just not using enough samples to 
accurately render the variation in lighting from the spotlights.


> The second problem is, When I get the scattering media just right, when I
> wrap the object in a glass, it seems darker than it was.

You excluded the media from the area of the object by putting a 
non-hollow object around it. Or there's something odd with the texture 
you're using.


> The third problem, after compensating for the first problem, When photons
> are turned on, it's either too dark or totally washed out and tends to look
> a bit splotchy.

It gets dark when photons are on because the shadow of a transparent 
object is then illuminated only by photons, light no longer passes 
directly through the glass. In real life, the shadow is also illuminated 
by diffusely scattered light and by other light sources, in POV-Ray you 
can use radiosity and multiple light sources to get more accurate 
lighting.

You'll need to post more of the scene to get more detailed help...

-- 
Christopher James Huff <cja### [at] earthlinknet>
http://home.earthlink.net/~cjameshuff/
POV-Ray TAG: <chr### [at] tagpovrayorg>
http://tag.povray.org/

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