Hi

I am having some trouble getting a cylindrical light source to simulate
a laser beam. Has anyone worked with this particular light source
feature?

Thanks,

RG

--
Raymond C. Gilford
Gylford Technologies
PO Box 81131
Austin, TX 78708
email: rgy### [at] gyltechcom
web: http://www.gyltech.com

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"Raymond C. Gilford" wrote:
> 
> Hi
> 
> I am having some trouble getting a cylindrical light source to simulate
> a laser beam. Has anyone worked with this particular light source
> feature?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> RG

  It is important to remember that a light source in POV-Ray is not visible
to the camera and that it only exists to produce light. Laser beams are better
simulated using a cylinder with a high color intensity and ambient value and/or
use the "looks like" light source modifier so that it actualy emits light.
That last option would not really work with a laser since their light is
coherent and only travels in one direction for the most part. Some here have
used "media" to to model teh star wars light sabers but I am unconvinced it
they had any improvement over just using the method I first described.

-- 
Ken Tyler

See my 1000+ Povray and 3D Rendering and Raytracing Links at:
http://home.pacbell.net/tylereng/index.html

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Thanks. I thought that would be easier.

RG

Ken wrote:

> "Raymond C. Gilford" wrote:
> >
> > Hi
> >
> > I am having some trouble getting a cylindrical light source to simulate
> > a laser beam. Has anyone worked with this particular light source
> > feature?
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > RG
>

> to the camera and that it only exists to produce light. Laser beams are better
> simulated using a cylinder with a high color intensity and ambient value and/or
> use the "looks like" light source modifier so that it actualy emits light.
> That last option would not really work with a laser since their light is
> coherent and only travels in one direction for the most part. Some here have
> used "media" to to model teh star wars light sabers but I am unconvinced it
> they had any improvement over just using the method I first described.
>
> --
> Ken Tyler
>
> See my 1000+ Povray and 3D Rendering and Raytracing Links at:
> http://home.pacbell.net/tylereng/index.html

--
Raymond C. Gilford
Gylford Technologies
PO Box 81131
Austin, TX 78708
email: rgy### [at] gyltechcom
web: http://www.gyltech.com

Post a reply to this message