What is ray tracing?

Definition of Ray Tracing

Ray tracing is a rendering technique in which light rays are virtually traced from the camera’s viewpoint through the 3D scene. This produces physically accurate reflections, shadows, and refractions—without the need for a real photo shoot. For brands, this means consistently photorealistic CGI images and animations that are flexibly scalable for e-commerce, print, and interactive experiences—we render large volumes of images in parallel on a render farm.

How It Works – Here's How Ray Tracing Works

During rendering, the render engine sends a ray (primary ray) into the scene for each pixel. If it hits an object, additional rays are calculated for reflection, refraction, or shadows—physically described by the “Rendering Equation” (see NVIDIA: Ray Tracing Essentials – The Rendering Equation). An acceleration structure such as the Bounding Volume Hierarchy (BVH) reduces the number of intersection tests required and speeds up the process.

How It Works (Short & Easy to Understand)

1. Primary ray: For each pixel, a ray is emitted from the camera into the scene.
2. Hits & Secondary Rays: When a ray hits an object, additional rays are calculated for reflection, refraction, and shadows.
3. Acceleration: Structures such as BVH (Bounding Volume Hierarchy) help ensure that only relevant polygons are tested.
4. Denoising: Raw images may contain noise—a denoiser smooths out the render results.

You can find more information about materials and maps here: Material and Surface Digitization

Benefits of Ray Tracing for Brands & Marketing

- Photorealism – Glass, metal, and lacquers look authentic thanks to real light calculation.   ‍

- Consistency – Using the same lighting and material setups produces a series with a consistent look.

- Flexibility – The camera, lighting, and equipment can be adjusted at any time—without having to reshoot.

- Future-proof – WebGPU increasingly enables ray tracing capabilities directly in the browser (e.g., for 3D configurators).

Examples of Applications from Our 3D Projects

Interior/Furniture Rendering: In our 3D project for Natuzzi , we showcase furniture in virtual living spaces—ray tracing renders materials (e.g., leather, wood) with exceptional realism.

Product detail featuring metal and glass: In the "LC 1912" render project by JUNG, subtle light reflections and soft shadows on brushed metal are essential—ray tracing accurately recreates these effects.

Our Rendering Process in 6 Steps

1. Look Development – Define the material and lighting setup.
2. Lighting – Placing HDRI and lights; test render to set the mood.
3. Ray-Traced Rendering – Batch rendering of the final perspectives in our 3D rendering studio.
4. Denoising & Compositing – Noise Reduction, Merging Layers.  
5. Export & Optimization – WebP/JPEG/TIF, and GLB if necessary for interactive viewers.
6. Integration – Transfer to PIM/CMS, display in the online store and marketing.

Ray Tracing vs. Path Tracing – A Brief Comparison

Path tracing is a special form of ray tracing that stochastically traces all light paths and produces even more realistic global illumination—but takes longer to render.  

Ray tracing (classical) stops rays earlier or uses heuristic shortcuts—it's faster, but slightly less "perfect."

Ray Tracing vs. Rasterization - A Brief Comparison

You can find out more about shaders and material maps in the blog post " Shaders for Photorealistic CGI"

Common Mistakes & Quick Fixes

- Noise / Fireflies → Increase the number of samples, use adaptive sampling, and apply a denoiser.

- Glass caustics are missing → Enable the path-tracing pass or special caustics solutions.

- Overexposure / Burnouts → Linear tone mapping & correct HDRI exposure.

- Render times are too long → Use BVH optimization, instancing, and texture baking.

FAQ - Ray Tracing

Is ray tracing the same as path tracing?

No. Path tracing is a variant of ray tracing that probabilistically traces light paths, thereby providing even more natural-looking global illumination, though at a higher computational cost. For more information , see the Blender Manual: Path Tracing in the Cycles Integrator.

Can ray tracing already run in a browser?

Yes. The WebGPU API gives web apps access to modern GPU features and enables ray-tracing workflows (depending on browser and hardware support).  

Does every CGI image require ray tracing?

Not necessarily. Rasterization is often sufficient for quick concept images. If the main concern is accurate material properties, physically based rendering (PBR) is sufficient—but if realism (metal, glass, lighting atmosphere) is the focus, ray tracing is the better choice. Overview: 3D Visualization

What software do you use for ray tracing?

Depending on the project, we use established rendering engines (e.g., Fstorm, Corona Renderer, etc.). What matters is the result—that is, the material and lighting setup—not the name of the tool. For an overview, see “Ray Tracing vs. Rasterization – NVIDIA Guide” (https://developer.nvidia.com/blog/ray-tracing-essentials/)

When is ray tracing particularly worthwhile?

‍‍Whenever material properties (metal, glass, paint, fabrics) and lighting situations need to appear realistic – for example, for high-quality product visuals in e-commerce or print.

Does ray tracing actually replace normal maps?

No. Ray tracing simulates light in a physically accurate way—but fine micro-details such as wrinkles, pores, or fabric textures are only rendered using normal maps. Ray tracing + normal maps = realistic lighting effects and visible material textures, without the polygon model becoming huge.