HDRI skyboxes for V-Ray

Load an HDRI in V-Ray 7 for 3ds Max

1. In the Create panel, open Lights > V-Ray, click V-Ray Dome Light, then click and drag in a viewport to place it.
2. Open the Modify panel and expand the Intensity rollout.
3. Enable the Map checkbox next to Texture, then click the map slot and choose VRayBitmap (or the standard Bitmap) in the Material/Map Browser to load an .exr or .hdr file; leave the mapping at spherical for the equirectangular HDRI Hub files.
4. Set the Multiplier value in the same rollout to control how bright the dome lights the scene.
5. Enable Lock texture to icon so rotating the Dome Light icon in the viewport rotates the HDRI instead of only the light.

Try before you buy: the free HDRI samples need no account and carry the same licence as the paid files, so you can check the setup above with a real file before buying.

V-Ray for SketchUp uses the same Dome Light object with a texture slot and intensity value, so the steps above carry over with only the panel names changed; see HDRI for SketchUp. If a scene also has a V-Ray Sun or the same file in the 3ds Max Environment Map slot, turn those off: a Dome Light plus a duplicate environment or sun doubles the key light. Finite Dome mode, which projects the lower part of the HDRI onto a ground plane, is an option for cars and products standing on the photographed ground, not a requirement.

Which resolution

For lighting and reflections only, a 4096x2048 to 8192x4096 HDRI is enough, since the Dome Light resamples the texture for importance sampling regardless of source size. For a dome that is visible behind glass or in a reflective render, use 16000x8000 or the 20000x10000 files so horizon detail and clouds stay sharp.

Sun and shadows

An HDRI with an unclipped sun disc keeps the true intensity of the sun pixel instead of clamping it to white, which lets V-Ray trace a defined shadow straight from the Dome Light. 34 of the outdoor HDRIs on HDRI Hub are unclipped for this reason, and none of them need a separate V-Ray Sun or Sky added to the scene.

For plate-based shots, see matching an HDRI with a backplate.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I put an HDRI in V-Ray?

In the Dome Light's Texture slot, as a VRayBitmap or Bitmap. Loading it only as a background override in the Environment slot shows the sky but does not light the scene the same way.

How do I rotate the HDRI?

Enable Lock texture to icon and rotate the Dome Light in the viewport, or change the horizontal rotation in the bitmap's placement settings.

Do I need a V-Ray Sun as well?

Not with an unclipped sky, whose sun disc already casts a defined shadow. Combining both doubles the key light and produces two shadows.

Does the 20000x10000 file slow down rendering?

The Dome Light importance-samples the map, so lighting cost barely changes. The large file mainly costs RAM at load time; for interactive rendering, a 8192x4096 working file is faster to load.

More background: which HDRI resolution you need and .hdr or .exr.