How to Use BatchCam Render in 3ds Max and Corona Renderer

Introduction

Rendering several cameras one by one is slow and easy to forget.

The BatchCam Render script helps you render multiple cameras from one 3ds Max scene with much less supervision. It is especially useful for archviz projects where you need several still images, camera variations, or lighting tests from the same file.

This tutorial explains how to install the script, add cameras, set output paths, assign lights per camera, and render the job normally or through Backburner.

What BatchCam Render Is Useful For

BatchCam Render is similar to the standard batch render workflow, but it adds extra controls that are useful in production.

You can use it to:

• Render multiple cameras from one 3ds Max file.
• Give each camera different output settings.
• Duplicate a camera entry with different settings.
• Use automatic file and folder names.
• Force specific lights on or off per camera.
• Send the render jobs to Backburner.

Good to know: The script uses the current open 3ds Max file when rendering directly from the script.

Download and Install the Script

Start by downloading the BatchCam Render script from the script website mentioned with the tutorial.

After downloading it:

1. Open 3ds Max.
2. Drag and drop the script into one of the 3ds Max viewports.
3. 3ds Max installs the script automatically.

There are no extra installation settings to configure.

Add BatchCam Render to a Toolbar

After installing the script, add it to a toolbar so you can open it quickly.

1. Right-click an empty area of the 3ds Max toolbar.
2. Choose Customize.
3. Go to the Toolbars tab.
4. Change the category to the script author category shown for the script.
5. Find the BatchCam Render action.
6. Drag it into one of your toolbars.

Now you can launch the script directly from the toolbar.

Open the Script and Review the Camera List

When you open BatchCam Render, the script automatically lists the cameras in the current scene.

This is one of the main differences compared to a more manual batch render setup. You do not need to add every camera one by one if they already exist in the file.

Useful Camera List Controls

The Add button is useful when you want to render the same camera more than once but with different settings.

For example, you may want one version with all lights enabled and another version with only the sun.

Add New Cameras to the Batch List

If you create a new camera after opening the script, it will not appear instantly.

To update the list:

1. Create the new camera in your scene.
2. Go back to BatchCam Render.
3. Press Refresh.

The script will add any new cameras and remove any cameras that were deleted from the scene.

Select One or Multiple Cameras

You can edit one camera or several cameras at the same time.

Use these selection controls:

• Left-click a camera to select it.
• Use Ctrl + Left-click to select multiple cameras.
• Use Unselect All to clear the selection.

This is helpful when several cameras need the same output size, frame range, or naming setup.

Tip: Set shared settings on multiple cameras at once, then adjust individual cameras only where needed.

Set the Output Size

With one or more cameras selected, set the output resolution.

BatchCam Render gives you a few options:

• Use one of the predefined sizes.
• Enter a custom size.
• Set a custom aspect ratio.

You can also copy settings between cameras.

Copy Output Settings Between Cameras

Use these buttons:

• Set copies the current settings.
• Get applies the copied settings to another camera.
• Clear resets the camera back to the default undefined settings.

This is useful when you have several cameras that need the same resolution.

Choose the Frame Range

Next, set the frame range.

These options are similar to the Common Parameters section in the standard 3ds Max Render Setup.

For most archviz still images, use:

• Single
• Frames

For animations or image sequences, use:

• Range

Practical workflow: Use simple still-image settings for camera previews and still renders. Use range settings only when you are rendering animation or a sequence.

Set the Render Output Path

The Render Output section controls where the images are saved and what file format they use.

Press the File button to choose:

• Output path
• File name
• File format

One useful feature of BatchCam Render is that you can change the file name and format directly from the file name field.

You can also use the Folder section to create or change the output folder.

Use Keywords for Automatic File Names

If you are setting up many cameras, do not name every output manually.

BatchCam Render supports special keywords that can automatically insert information such as the project name, camera name, and date.

Press the Syntax button to see the supported keywords.

A practical naming setup is:

project name camera name date.exr

This creates an EXR file using:

• The project name
• The camera name
• The date

You can also add the camera name keyword to the folder field. This creates a separate folder for each camera.

Tip: Automatic names are safer for batch rendering because they reduce the chance of overwriting files by mistake.

Leave Render Element Paths Empty

If you use render elements, be careful with their output paths.

A good workflow is to leave the path for each render element empty.

This allows the render elements to use the main output path selected in BatchCam Render or Render Setup.

This is important because fixed render element paths can cause problems when rendering multiple cameras, including:

• Files being overwritten.
• Elements saving to the wrong location.
• Render errors during batch rendering.

Important: For multi-camera rendering, keep render element paths empty unless you have a very specific reason not to.

Assign Lights Per Camera

One of the strongest features in BatchCam Render is Light Assignment.

This lets you force lights on or off for specific cameras. It gives you more flexibility without needing to create several copies of the scene.

You can use it for:

• Day and night variations.
• Sun-only tests.
• Interior light studies.
• Camera-specific lighting setups.

Use a Solo Light

The Solo Light option renders a camera using only the selected light.

For example, you can set the sun as the solo light for one camera.

That camera will render with only the sun enabled, while all other lights are turned off.

This also ignores the light force settings.

Use this when: You want a clean lighting test from one main light source, such as a sun-only render.

Force Lights On or Off

The Light Force On and Light Force Off sections give more control than solo light.

You can choose which lights should be active or disabled for each camera.

For example:

• Camera 01 can render with a few selected lights on.
• Camera 02 can render with those same lights off.
• Another camera can use a different lighting setup.

This is useful when several views need slightly different lighting but you do not want to manage separate 3ds Max files.

Activate Cameras Before Rendering

Before pressing render, make sure the cameras you want to render are enabled.

Use the checkbox next to each camera name.

You can also use the script controls to check or uncheck all cameras.

Only checked cameras will be included in the batch render.

Common mistake: Selecting a camera in the list is not the same as activating it for rendering. Make sure the checkbox is enabled.

Start the Batch Render

After setting up the cameras:

1. Check the cameras you want to render.
2. Confirm the output paths.
3. Confirm the frame range.
4. Confirm the light settings.
5. Press Render.

BatchCam Render will render each selected camera one after another from the current open 3ds Max file.

Limitation of Rendering Directly

Rendering directly from the script is simple, but it has one important limitation.

It only works from the current open 3ds Max file.

If 3ds Max crashes during the process, it can be difficult to know exactly what caused the error or where the render stopped.

This can be a problem during long overnight renders or when rendering many final cameras.

Use Backburner for a Safer Workflow

If you are working with a small render farm, or even one extra computer, Backburner can make the process safer.

After Backburner is configured and the render slave is connected to the monitor:

1. Open the BatchCam Render dialog.
2. Enable Net Render.
3. Press Render.
4. Let Backburner Monitor handle the jobs.

Backburner opens a new 3ds Max instance for each job.

This gives you a few advantages:

• You can render different 3ds Max files.
• Jobs can restart automatically after a crash.
• You can inspect the log to see what happened.
• The render process is easier to monitor.

Recommendation: If possible, keep one computer dedicated to Backburner Monitor. This makes the render queue easier to manage.

Backburner vs Deadline

Backburner is a simple free option for this kind of workflow.

Deadline can also be used for free without two computers, but the setup is more complicated than Backburner.

For beginners or small setups, Backburner is usually the easier place to start.

Summary

BatchCam Render helps you render multiple cameras from one 3ds Max scene with less manual work.

The most useful features are:

• Automatic camera listing.
• Camera duplication with different settings.
• Custom output size per camera.
• Automatic file and folder naming.
• Per-camera light assignment.
• Backburner support through Net Render.

For archviz, this is especially helpful when rendering several still views from the same project.

Conclusion

BatchCam Render is a practical tool for multi-camera rendering in 3ds Max.

It saves time by keeping camera output, naming, frame range, and lighting options in one place. For small projects, rendering directly from the script may be enough. For longer final renders, sending the jobs to Backburner gives you a safer and more reliable workflow.