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title: "Deep Output Support"
canonical: "https://documentation.chaos.com/space/VMAX/113586814/Deep%20Output%20Support"
format: markdown
---
This page provides information on V-Ray compatibility with deep image output.


## <span style="color: #000000">**Overview**</span>

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<span style="color: #000000">V-Ray supports the output of deep images for use in deep compositing applications.</span>



## <span style="color: #000000">**Supported File Formats**</span>

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<span style="color: #000000">V-Ray supports the following file formats for deep data:</span>

<span style="color: #000000">**OpenEXR 2**</span><span style="color: #000000"> – Currently the only widely accepted file format for deep data, which can be read by other applications like Nuke;</span>  
<span style="color: #000000">**VRST**</span><span style="color: #000000"> – This is V-Ray's native deep image file format which was used before the release of OpenEXR 2. A separate plugin for reading VRST files in Nuke is available.</span>

> ℹ️ Deep multipart EXR files are not supported.


## <span style="color: #000000">**Enabling Deep Output**</span>

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<span style="color: #000000">Deep output is only available when writing the render result through the </span><span style="color: #000000">**V-Ray raw image file**</span><span style="color: #000000"> option in the</span> [Frame buffer](https://docs-chaos.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/VMAX/pages/113578174)<span style="color: #000000"> section of the V-Ray settings. Deep output is not supported if using the 3ds Max native frame buffer or when writing the result through the Common tab of the render settings.</span>

> ✅ Deep Output is only available when rendering with the bucket image sampler.

  



## <span style="color: #000000">**Controlling Deep Data Generation**</span>

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<span style="color: #000000">The way V-Ray generates deep data can be controlled through the</span> [VRayOptionRE](https://docs-chaos.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/VMAX/pages/113575345) <span style="color: #000000">render element.</span>


## <span style="color: #000000">**Volumetric Support**</span>

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<span style="color: #000000">In addition to deep data related to shading surfaces, V-Ray can also generate deep data from atmospheric plugins. The</span> [VRayEnvironmentFog](https://docs-chaos.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/VMAX/pages/113575533) <span style="color: #000000">atmospheric effect has an option to generate deep fragments. Phoenix FD can currently generate deep data if used in geometry mode. 3rd party plugins would need to use the V-Ray SDK to write deep fragments through the writeDeepFragment() function. Note that deep volumetric data can generate quite big deep files. You can use the VRayOptionRE render element to control the precision of the deep data in the resulting file.</span>

> ⚠️ Make sure that the **Optimized atmospherics evaluation** in the V-Ray **System** rollout is enabled; otherwise you will not get correct results for surfaces behind atmospherics.


## <span style="color: #000000">**Using Deep Images**</span>

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<span style="color: #000000">Depending on your compositing application, deep images can be read in different ways. In Nuke, this is done through a DeepRead node (and not through the regular Image node – which also reads a deep file, but as a regular 2D image).</span>