Smart Light Addon Beta 5 - Overview and Updates

Smart Light Addon is a tool designed to streamline your lighting workflow in Blender. It enables you to create and position lights based on their reflection points from the camera view. By calculating the reflection angles between the camera and scene objects, Smart Light makes lighting placement more straightforward and efficient. This update, Smart Light Beta 5, introduces new features and fixes to enhance its functionality.

What's New in Smart Light Beta 5

The Smart Light Beta 5 release includes updates to improve usability and performance. Below is a summary of the key changes:

New Features

• Texture Support for Lights: You can now create lights with textures to simulate shadows or add reflections to your renders.
• Reflection Direction Indicator: A reference circle displays the direction the light reflects off surfaces, aiding in light orientation.
• "Normalize" Button in Blender 4.5+: Available in the light properties panel for improved control.

Bug Fixes and Adjustments

• Multi-Scene Support: Smart Lights now function across multiple scenes, overcoming previous limitations.
• Area Light Size Fix: Resolved an issue where "AREA" lights displayed incorrect height when switched to "Rectangle" shape.
• Interface Improvements: Adjustments to the interface for a smoother user experience.
• Light Rotation Fix: Light rotations are now preserved during creation or repositioning.
• Enhanced Control for Small-Scale Scenes: For scenes in centimeters (e.g., product renders), "Intensity," "Radius," and "Distance" values adjust more smoothly in smaller increments.

These updates make Smart Light Beta 5 more reliable and versatile. Share your feedback and enjoy using it in Blender!

Benefits for Look Development & Lighting

• Precision Lighting: Place lights exactly where they need to be for proper reflections and highlights
• Intuitive Workflow: Simply click on a surface to create a light that reflects into the camera
• Time-Saving: Reduce the trial and error of manually positioning lights
• Non-Destructive: Easily adjust light distance and properties after placement
• Light Linking Support: Selectively apply lights to specific objects for greater control
• Multi-Light Management: Organize and manage all your smart lights from a convenient panel

Smart Light Tool - User Manual

Creating New Lights

Light Type Section

Expandable Section: Click the arrow to expand/collapse light type options
Light Type Selection: Choose between Point, Sun, Spot, or Area lights using radio buttons

Automatic Intensity Adjustment: The intensity automatically updates based on light type:

• Sun lights: Default intensity of 1.0W
• Point/Spot/Area lights: Default intensity of 250.0W
• Per-Type Memory: Each light type remembers its last used intensity value

Light Settings

Configure your light properties before creation:

Intensity: Adjusts automatically based on selected light type, values are saved per type
Color: Set the light color using the color picker
Distance: Set the initial distance from the reflection point

Type-Specific Properties

Enhanced light controls based on selected type:

Point/Spot Lights:

• Radius: Control shadow softness and light falloff (default: 0.5m)

Sun Lights:

• Angle: Adjust sun disc angular diameter for realistic soft shadows (default: 0.526° - matches real sun)

Area Lights:

• Size: Control light dimensions for consistent area lighting (default: 0.5m)

Light Linking Option

Apply Light Linking to Selection: Toggle to make your light affect only selected objects

• ✅ Available in Blender 4.3+: Full functionality with dedicated collection management
• ⚠️ Blender 4.0-4.2: Option appears disabled with warning message

Create Light Process

Create Light Button: Large button to start the interactive placement

Interactive Light Placement

Real-Time Guidance System

Dynamic Instruction Panel: Professional instruction overlay appears near your mouse cursor

• Smart Positioning: Automatically avoids screen edges
• Context-Sensitive: Shows relevant controls for current light type
• Visual Design: Sleek rounded background with optimized typography

Placement Workflow

1. First Click: Select the reflection point on any surface
2. Interactive Positioning: See real-time light positioning with visual feedback
   • Yellow Line: Shows light-to-surface connection
   • Red Dot: Marks exact reflection point
   • Smooth Movement: Configurable interpolation for fluid positioning

Real-Time Adjustments

Scroll Wheel Controls during placement and movement:

Shift + Scroll Wheel: Intensity Control

• Live Feedback: Current wattage displayed in instruction panel
• Proportional Steps: 10% increments with 0.1W minimum
• Universal Support: Works with all light types
• Visual Mode: "INTENSITY MODE" indicator with real-time values

Ctrl + Scroll Wheel: Size/Radius Control

• Point/Spot Lights: Adjust radius (shadow softness)
• Area Lights: Modify size dimensions
• Sun Lights: Control angular diameter
• Precision Control: 10% increments with minimum thresholds
• Live Preview: "SIZE MODE" indicator with current measurements

Alt + Scroll Wheel: Z-Rotation (Area Lights Only)

• Shape Support: Square, Rectangle, and Ellipse area lights
• Precise Control: 5-degree increments
• Visual Feedback: "ROTATION MODE" with current angle in degrees
• Direction Preservation: Maintains light targeting while rotating

3. Second Click: Confirm final light position
4. Light Linking Dialog (if enabled): Choose collection name or cancel to remove light linking

Managing Smart Lights

This section appears when smart lights exist in your scene

Light Properties Panel

Appears when a smart light is selected - Complete control over your light:

Basic Properties

• Type Dropdown: Change between Point, Sun, Spot, Area light types
• Intensity: Adjust light strength
• Color: Modify light color with compact color picker
• Distance: Control distance from reflection point with real-time repositioning

Type-Specific Settings

Dynamic settings that change based on light type:

Point Light Settings:

• Radius: Control shadow softness

Sun Light Settings:

• Angle: Adjust sun disc angle for soft shadows

Spot Light Settings:

• Radius: Shadow softness control
• Beam Shape Box:
  • Size: Cone angle of the spotlight
  • Blend: Softness of spotlight edges
  • Show Cone: Toggle cone visualization

Area Light Settings:

• Shape: Choose between Square, Rectangle, Disk, Ellipse
• Size Controls:
  • Square/Disk: Single size value
  • Rectangle/Ellipse: Separate Width and Height controls
• Z Rotation: Rotate Square, Rectangle, and Ellipse area lights around their local Z-axis (slider control)

Move Selected Light

Interactive Repositioning: Use the same click-and-place workflow to move existing lights

• Enhanced Controls: All scroll wheel adjustments available during movement
• Real-Time Guidance: Instruction panel shows current values and available controls
• Preserved Properties: Light maintains all settings during repositioning

Smart Lights List (UIList)

Comprehensive light management interface:

• Name Filter: Filter lights by name using the search field
• Light Entries: Each row displays:
  • Light Type Icon: Visual indicator (Point, Sun, Spot, Area)
  • Editable Name: Click to rename lights
  • Color Picker: Direct color adjustment
  • Delete Button: Trash icon for quick removal
• Selection Integration: Click any light to select it in the viewport
• Automatic Updates: List stays synchronized with scene changes

Advanced Features

Smart Distance Control

• Real-Time Updates: Adjust light distance and see immediate repositioning
• Memory System: Each light remembers its reflection point for accurate distance calculations
• Constraint Preservation: Lights maintain their pointing direction during distance changes

Collection Management

• Auto-Organization: All smart lights automatically organized in "Smart Light" collection
• Light Linking Collections: Dedicated collections created with naming pattern "smart_light_[CustomName]"
• Cleanup System: Unused light linking collections automatically removed when lights are deleted

Area Light Enhancements

• Universal Z-Axis Rotation: Rotate Square, Rectangle, and Ellipse area lights while maintaining target direction
• Shape-Responsive UI: Controls adapt based on selected area light shape
• Preserved Targeting: Rotation maintains the light's focus on its reflection point

Interactive Visual Feedback

• Reflection Line: Yellow line showing light-to-surface connection during placement/movement
• Hit Point Indicator: Red dot marking the exact reflection point
• Smooth Interpolation: Configurable smoothing for fluid light movement
• Multi-Sample Averaging: Area sampling around cursor for stable surface detection

Enhanced User Experience

• Professional UI Design: Sleek instruction panels with rounded backgrounds and optimized typography
• Context-Aware Interface: Instructions adapt to current light type and modifier keys
• Performance Optimized: Efficient rendering with smooth real-time feedback
• Error Prevention: Clear visual feedback and intelligent control validation

Compatibility & Requirements

Blender Version Support

• Recommended: Blender 4.3+ for full feature access
• Minimum: Blender 4.0+ for core functionality
• Light Linking: Requires Blender 4.3+ (feature disabled with warning in older versions)

Workflow Requirements

• Active Camera: Scene must have an active camera
• Perspective View: Tool only works in perspective viewport mode (not orthographic)
• Object Mode: Light management requires Object mode
• 3D Viewport: Interactive features require 3D viewport context

Compatibility Note ⚠️

Smart Light Tool officially supports Blender 4.3 and higher. While the addon will function in earlier Blender versions, the "Apply Light Linking to Selection" feature is only available in Blender 4.3+. All other features work normally in compatible Blender versions.

Smart Light Tool is a valuable addition to any Blender artist's toolkit, whether you're creating product visualizations, architectural renders, or cinematic scenes.