Our Verdict
D5 Render sits alongside Twinmotion and Lumion as a super easy-to-use real-time renderer. It's not quite as rich in features as its more established competitors, but it's still capable of generating outstanding results. I was particularly impressed by the preset materials that are not only broad in their coverage but also realistic in their rendering. If you're looking for a drag-and-drop solution to visualisation then D5 Render won't disappoint.
For
- Fast and responsive
- Realistic real-time materials
- AI environment generation
Against
- Inferior to offline renderers
- A mixed feature set
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Real-time ray tracing renderers offer instant rendering capabilities and are a fantastic alternative to offline renderers that produce superior results but not nearly as quickly. They've found particular appeal amongst architects and designers who want to visualise their projects but lack the technical knowledge to deliver it.
The first of this kind of renderer was Twinmotion, which was founded in 2004. Its success was subsequently confirmed when Epic Games acquired it back in 2019. It was then the turn of Lumion in 2010, followed by Enscape in 2015. D5 Render, launched in 2021, might be the relative new kid on the block, but it has a lot to commend it.
D5 Render: how I tested
With over 20 years of experience using 3D rendering software, it's clear that I'm not new to this industry. However, this was actually the first time I had ever used D5 Render. I am therefore perfectly positioned to comment on the software from a beginner's perspective.
With that in mind, I decided to see how far I could get with the software in ten minutes. I knew that would be a good marker for how easy the workflow was to pick up. Don't worry, though; I didn't stop there but spent time exploring almost all of D5 Render's features. To aid my exploration, I utilised the 1972 Datsun 240Z GT model by Lionsharp Studios, which is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike.
D5 Render: plans and pricing
| Header Cell - Column 0 | D5 Render |
|---|---|
Community | A feature-rich option for no charge. |
Pro | $30/£30 per month (billed annually) |
Teams | $59/£59 per month (billed annually) |
• A Community plan is perfect for basic renderings
• Upgrade to Pro or Teams if you need more functionality
The Community plan is 100% free and offers a surprising number of features given the lack of a price tag. You'll gain access to over 2000 materials and models, a range of lighting presets, and the ability to import most major file formats. This is a perfect solution for trialling the software.
If you'd like more presets, a city generator, unlimited access to D5's AI-powered features, and more, then you'll need to upgrade to the Pro version. This will be sufficient for most individuals. If you're planning on using D5 Render as part of a group, then you'll need the Teams plan. This enables simultaneous editing, 100GB of cloud workspace, cloud management, and so much more.
Value score: 4.5/5
D5 Render: setup and getting started
• Easy installation but slow to open
• Getting started couldn't be easier
I began by installing the D5 Launcher, which acts as a central place to access the core software, plugins, and a range of other resources, as well as tutorials. Using this launcher meant I could be sure I was downloading and installing the very latest version of D5 Render.
After installation, I launched the software and found that initialisation and opening were actually quite slow. Rather than being relatively instant, it probably took the best part of a minute for the interface to be accessible. It was there that the speed issues ended, though, and I experienced no hold-ups as I interacted with all the tools.
Being a beginner to D5 Render, I then proceeded to try to find some online help. Thankfully, I quickly found a "Master D5 Render in 10 minutes" video, which ran me through not only the basics but also some more advanced workflows related to materials and lighting. It didn't take long for me to feel at home in D5 Render, and I know this is a common feeling amongst its broad user base.
Setup score: 4.5/5
D5 Render: features
Preset materials |
Interactive lighting |
Post-processing of images |
Image and video generation |
• A range of easy-to-use and high-performing features
• The full feature set will require Pro and Teams subscriptions
After importing your model, the first step is to add materials to your objects. Thankfully, D5 Render provides over 2000 resources in their free plan and over 15,000 in their Pro plan. These resources include models, but it's fair to say that there is an absolute abundance of materials to choose from. These are split into categories, including metal, concrete, and leather. These materials can be easily downloaded through the D5 Render interface and then quickly applied to your model.
After applying materials, it's time to work on the environment. This includes lighting, atmospherics, and the sky. Again, D5 Render has some fantastic tools and resources for making this process unbelievably simple. I particularly loved how easy it was to add clouds, rain, and snow to the scene. These types of atmospherics are traditionally difficult to create using offline renderers, but with D5 Render, they are effortlessly built in.
I would have liked to see more integration between these atmospherics and the model itself, but I think we're quite a long way off seeing that type of functionality. Thankfully, the rain does interact with the ground plane such that it generates puddles when the rain is heavy enough.
If you'd like a helping hand with customising the atmosphere, then D5 Render also offers an AI Atmosphere Match feature. This innovative tool is very much a work in progress, but I was mostly impressed by what it was capable of. The workflow is also very simple, with the only user requirement being to upload a reference image. D5 Render will then analyse the image and adjust the environment settings accordingly. It's a nice feature that I hope will be improved upon in future versions.
After setting up materials, lighting, and environment, and carrying out a little post-processing, including exposure, white balance, tint, and bloom, you're now ready to export your scene as images and videos. As you'd imagine, this is exceptionally easy with D5 Render. I particularly loved the camera movement presets, which enable me to set up horizontal pulls, pan-ups, a dolly twist out, and much more.
Feature score: 4/5
D5 Render: user interface and experience
• A clear interface that's perfect for beginners
• A user interface that is a joy to use
I found the interface to be clear and uncluttered, which I appreciated. I was able to navigate around menus and tools with ease and never felt either out of my depth or confused. The D5 Render team has created a collection of icons, which means there's little need for much text on the screen. If I ever need a helping hand, then tooltips were sufficiently informative.
Most parameters can be controlled with sliders, which makes it effortless to fine-tune adjustments to the scene. I also liked how the software 'greyed out' certain menus when using specific tools. For example, when I was creating camera movements, it was also not possible to use the 'creation' tools.
Given that 3D scenes can often become complex, I was grateful for the ability to split my models up into groups. There is also a list of imported files, which made it easy to place duplicates of models. Creating rendered visuals really doesn't get much easier than with D5 Render.
User Experience score: 4/5
D5 Render: help and support
• The D5 Render Help Center provides an abundance of resources
• Online video tutorials walk you through how to use the software
The Help Center User Manual is the first place to start should you run into any issues. You'll find a wide range of articles that are clearly titled and laid out. Should you have a specific issue, you can also send an email to support@d5techs.com. This level of access to a support team is far from guaranteed with modern-day software, so I was very pleased to learn of its availability.
Additionally, if you'd like to engage with the broader D5 Render community, then you can register and log in to the D5 Render forum. There's a range of different discussion topics, and if you'd like to connect with like-minded individuals, then this is the place to turn.
Additionally, you'll find that the D5 Render YouTube channel provides a wealth of tutorials and informative videos. These are ideal for getting started but also for fine-tuning your skills.
Support score: 4/5
D5 Render: who is it for?
• A primary audience of architects and designers
D5 Render is designed to be simple to use but also capable of generating photo-realistic results. These factors combined make it a perfect solution for anyone wanting to create impressive visualisations but lacking the technical knowledge to do it with offline rendering software.
D5 Render has therefore found strong adoption amongst architects and designers. It's also proving to be a perfect tool for users involved in pre-viz. Animated storyboards can be created effortlessly with the built-in camera tools and presets.
Attributes | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
Value: | A free Community plan means users can use D5 Render for free if they like. | 4.5/5 |
Getting Started: | D5 Render is easy to navigate, and online tutorials help plug knowledge gaps. | 4.5/5 |
Features: | A range of features that are simple and straightforwardto use. | 4/5 |
User Experience: | An easy-to-use interface with clear workflows. | 4/5 |
Support: | The D5 Render Help Center is a great place to start should you come unstuck. | 4/5 |
Buy it if...
- You have little experience of traditional 3D renderers
- You need results and you need them quickly
- You have a limited budget
Don't buy it if...
- You need outstanding photo-realistic results
- You want an established real-time renderer with a proven track record
out of 10
D5 Render sits alongside Twinmotion and Lumion as a super easy-to-use real-time renderer. It's not quite as rich in features as its more established competitors, but it's still capable of generating outstanding results. I was particularly impressed by the preset materials that are not only broad in their coverage but also realistic in their rendering. If you're looking for a drag-and-drop solution to visualisation then D5 Render won't disappoint.
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