Hey all!

I sent this tip to a friend a few days ago and posted it on his page called The Blender Hot Spot.

So, here it is again, using a screen capture from my Christmas competition entry blend, because it is a fitting project.

You can set each render layer to have it's own sample count. In the render options, under layers, above the passes it will render (such as Z, Vector and Ambient Occlusion, etc), there is a sample count. When set to 0, it uses the number you put in for the render above the Preview samples count.
Fantastic setting, because it can truly speed up complex renders. For example, I entered the Christmas competition again this year and had three layers. An interior requiring a lot (4500), and exterior requiring a little (200, initially was 100) and yet another that only needed 1 sample as I only needed it as a mask.


Have a great one and a very merry Christmas!!!

PS, feel free to use the social network buttons at the top of this post to share with the rest of the Blender community. It is not as obvious a tip as it may seem.

Thank YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!