sIBL Loader
Smart IBL Loader is a free plugin for Cinema 4D, which allows you to load smart IBL 'sets' and apply them to a scene. For more details of what Smart IBL is, please see the HDR Labs site at http://www.hdrlabs.com/sibl/index.html.
In brief, the system provides for:
- image files for background, lighting, and reflection
- creation of the necessary skydomes to hold these images
- creation of sun objects for outside scenes, including alignment, colour, and brightness
- creation of multiple lights for interior scenes, again including alignment, colour, and brightness
- inclusion of GPS data so the user can see exactly where an image set was shot
- easy (often one-click) insertion of all images, lights, and objects into a scene
These parameters are controlled by a simple text file with the extension ‘IBL’. This file, plus the associated image files, makes up an sIBL ‘set’. A user may have multiple sets and from the loader choose which one to apply to the scene.
Version 2.0 is a complete revision of the loader for Cinema 4D R26.1 and C4D 2023. It requires one of those versions of Cinema since the SDK changes needed for Redshift support only appeared from R26.1 onwards.
The other main change is that support for Vray has been dropped and that for Redshift added. This is because Vray seems to be hardly used by Cinema 4D users now that Redshift is available for all users from R26.1 onwards, at least in the CPU version .
Compatibility
The sIBL Loader is compatible with the following versions of Cinema 4D:
| Cinema 4D version | Compatible? |
|---|---|
| R25 and earlier | No |
| R26 (before R26.1) | May or may not run but will not be fully compatible (no Redshift support) |
| R26.1 | Yes |
| R2023 | Yes |
| R2024 | Yes |
Note - there are separate downloads for S26.1, R2023 and R2024- make sure you download the correct file!
System Requirements
The main requirement is for Cinema 4D R26.1 or Cinema 4D 2023, Windows or macOS. It will not run in R25 or earlier. It may run in R26 (as opposed to R26.1) but will not have full Redshift support.
Smart IBL Sets
A number of very good HDRI images arranged in sIBL sets can be downloaded from the archive at HDRLabs.com. In addition, I recommend you look at Bob Groothuis's web site, where he has some very high-quality images, arranged as sIBL sets, available.
Download
Separate builds are available for R26.1 and 2023. Please make sure you download the correct one.
Download sIBL Loader for Cinema 4D R26.1
Download sIBL Loader for Cinema 4D 2023
Download sIBL Loader for Cinema 4D 2024
(The earlier version 1.5 is no longer supported but can be found here if required.)
Page last updated October 6th 2023