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07-848 2005

V-Ray for Nuke

List of Supported Render Elements

This page provides a list of the render elements supported in V-Ray for Nuke.

Last updated 18 September 2025

This page provides a list of the render elements supported in V-Ray for Nuke.

Overview

The following render elements are available in V-Ray for Nuke.

Supported Render Elements

Render element

Default Channel Names

Color Depth of EXR floating-point channels*

Description

Render element

Default Channel Names

Color Depth of EXR floating-point channels*

Description

Atmospheric Effects

atmospheric_effects.red
atmospheric_effects.green
atmospheric_effects.blue

16bit/32bit

Atmospheric effects, such as Environment Fog.

Background

background.red
background.green
background.blue

16bit/32bit

Image background, such as a background plate.

Bump Normals

bump_normals.X
bump_normals.Y
bump_normals.Z

16bit/32bit

Normals generated by bump maps, in screen space (which is not the same as camera space). Use the VRaySamplerInfo utility texture node to get the normals in camera, world or object space.

Caustics

caustics.red
caustics.green
caustics.blue

16bit/32bit

The caustics on the material. These caustics are present only when the Caustics option of V-Ray is enabled. This channel does not include GI caustics.

Coverage

coverage.red
coverage.green
coverage.blue

16bit/32bit

For each pixel, the final values for the render element are taken from the object that makes the largest contribution to that pixel.

Cryptomatte

cryptomatte.red
cryptomatte.green
cryptomatte.blue

forced 32bit (for multi-channel files)

Uses the Cryptomatte convention by Psypop to encode mattes into multichannel OpenEXRs.

Diffuse

diffuse.red
diffuse.green
diffuse.blue

16bit/32bit

Pure diffuse surface color.

Denoiser

See Denoiser Output table below

16bit/32bit

The post-process result of the denoised image.

ExtraTex

extratex.red
extratex.green
extratex.blue

forced 32bit (optional for multi-channel files)

Renders the entire scene with a single defined texture mapped on all objects.

GI (Global Illumination)

gi.red
gi.green
gi.blue

16bit/32bit

The diffuse surface global illumination. Only present if Global illumination is enabled.

GI Raw

gi_raw.red
gi_raw.green
gi_raw.blue

16bit/32bit

Raw diffuse global illumination (not multiplied by the diffuse surface color). Only present if Global illumination is enabled.

Light Select

light_select.red
light_select.green
light_select.blue

16bit/32bit

Extracts the contribution of a light or a set of lights to the scene to a separate render element.

Lighting

lighting.red
lighting.green
lighting.blue

16bit/32bit

Diffuse direct surface lighting.

Light Raw

light_raw.red
light_raw.green
light_raw.blue

16bit/32bit

Raw diffuse direct illumination before it's multiplied by the diffuse surface color.

Light Total

light_total.red
light_total.green
light_total.blue

16bit/32bit

Total lighting in the scene, both direct and indirect.

Light Raw Total

light_raw_total.red
light_raw_total.green
light_raw_total.blue

16bit/32bit

Sum of all raw lighting, both direct and indirect.

Matte Shadow

matte_shadow.red
matte_shadow.green
matte_shadow.blue

16bit/32bit

Matte shadow part of the image.

Multi Matte

multi_matte.red
multi_matte.green
multi_matte.blue

16bit/32bit

Creates selection masks based on an object ID or material ID.

Normals

normals.X
normals.Y
normals.Z

16bit/32bit

Surface normals in screen space (which is not the same as camera space).

Object ID

object_id.red
object_id.green
object_id.blue

16bit/32bit

Object G-buffer ID (set through the node's Properties dialog).

Reflection

reflection.red
reflection.green
reflection.blue

16bit/32bit

Reflections on the surface.

Reflection Raw

reflection_raw.red
reflection_raw.green
reflection_raw.blue

16bit/32bit

Pure surface reflection before it is multiplied by the reflection filter color.

Reflection Filter

reflection_filter.red
reflection_filter.green
reflection_filter.blue

16bit/32bit

Reflection filter (the color by which the raw reflections are multiplied to give the final surface reflection). This may be considered an alpha channel for reflections.

Reflection Glossiness

reflection_glossiness.red
reflection_glossiness.green
reflection_glossiness.blue

16bit/32bit

Returns a float value that corresponds with the Reflection Glossiness value of an object's material.

Reflection Highlight Glossiness

reflection_highlight_glossiness.red
reflection_highlight_glossiness.green
reflection_highlight_glossiness.blue

16bit/32bit

Returns a float value that corresponds with the Highlight Glossiness value of an object's material.

Refraction

refraction.red
refraction.green
refraction.blue

16bit/32bit

Refractions of a surface.

Refraction Raw

refraction_raw.red
refraction_raw.green
refraction_raw.blue

16bit/32bit

Pure surface refraction before it is multiplied by the refraction filter color.

Refraction Filter

refraction_filter.red
refraction_filter.green
refraction_filter.blue

16bit/32bit

The refraction filter mitigates the raw refraction layer. This render element returns the color by which the raw refractions are multiplied to give the final surface refraction. This may be considered an alpha channel for refractions.

Refraction Glossiness

refraction_glossiness.red
refraction_glossiness.green
refraction_glossiness.blue

16bit/32bit

Returns a float value that corresponds to the Refraction Glossiness value of an object's material.

Render ID

render_id.red
render_id.green
render_id.blue

16bit/32bit

NoderenderID of the object that contributes most to the pixel value.

SSS

sss.red
sss.green
sss.blue

16bit/32bit

Renders just the subsurface part of the SSS material on a separate layer.

Sample Rate

sample_rate.red
sample_rate.green
sample_rate.blue

16bit/32bit

Shows an image where the pixel brightness is directly proportional to the number of samples taken at that pixel.

Self Illum

self_illum.red
self_illum.green
self_illum.blue

16bit/32bit

Self-illumination of surfaces in the scene.

Shadow

shadow.red
shadow.green
shadow.blue

16bit/32bit

Diffuse light that is blocked by scene objects.

Shadow Raw

shadow_raw.red
shadow_raw.green
shadow_raw.blue

16bit/32bit

Raw light that is blocked by scene objects.

Specular

specular.red
specular.green
specular.blue

16bit/32bit

Surface specular highlights.

Velocity

velocity.X
velocity.Y
velocity.Z

16bit/32bit

Surface velocity of an object. This render element is useful for generating motion blur in post-production.

Z-depth

depth.Z

forced 32bit (for multi-channel files)

Z-depth of the surface.

* For all image formats except EXR the render elements depend on their respective channels' output settings.

Denoiser Outputs

Based on the Generate Render Elements parameter of the Denoiser Render Element, different sets of channels are generated:

Manual mode

Single pass only
(in addition to manual)

All possible denoising elements
(in addition to Single pass)

Manual mode

Single pass only
(in addition to manual)

All possible denoising elements
(in addition to Single pass)

other.defocusAmount

diffuseFilter.red
diffuseFilter.green
diffuseFilter.blue

atmospheric_effects.red
atmospheric_effects.green
atmospheric_effects.blue

other.noiseLevel

reflectionFilter.red
reflectionFilter.green
reflectionFilter.blue

background.red
background.green
background.blue

refractionFilter.red
refractionFilter.green
refractionFilter.blue

globalillumination.red
globalillumination.green
globalillumination.blue

worldNormals.X
worldNormals.Y
worldNormals.Z

lighting.red
lighting.green
lighting.blue

worldPositions.X
worldPositions.Y
worldPositions.Z

reflection.red
reflection.green
reflection.blue

refraction.red
refraction.green
refraction.blue

specular.red
specular.green
specular.blue