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1. [Knowledge Base](https://support.lumion.com/knowledge-base?hsLang=en-us)
2. [Movie & Photo Mode Questions](https://support.lumion.com/knowledge-base/movie-photo-mode-questions?hsLang=en-us)
3. [Reflections](https://support.lumion.com/knowledge-base/movie-photo-mode-questions?hsLang=en-us#reflections)
# How do SpeedRay Reflections work?
## **Here's how:**
### **1. When using the *Ray Tracing Effect*:**
If you add the *Ray Tracing Effect* in *Photo, Movie or Panorama Modes,* Lumion uses photo-realistic ray tracing which automatically includes rendering of reflections.
The *Reflection Effect* that includes options for *SpeedRay Reflections* and/or *Planar Reflections* is automatically disabled.
You do not need to set the sliders for the settings or assign surfaces for the *Planar Reflections*.Â
However, you may want to produce renderings not using Ray Tracing but the Lumion general rendering pipeline for either production, or for performance reasons, or for preview, or review. If so, you will need to follow the guides in Section 2 (below) General Rendering Pipeline.
Â
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### **2. General Rendering Pipeline (Rasterization):**
There are three different reflection types:
- **SpeedRay Reflections (*Lumion Pro* only):** Mostly accurate on any surface & renders fast.
- [**Planar Reflections:**](https://support.lumion.com/knowledge-base/api/v2/help_center/en-us/articles/360003455994.json?hsLang=en-us) Very accurate on planar surfaces but renders slowly.
- **[Projected Reflections](https://support.lumion.com/knowledge-base/api/v2/help_center/en-us/articles/360003476033.json?hsLang=en-us):** Not very accurate on any surface but renders very fast.
**2.1:** Add the *Reflection Effect*Â to a *Photo* or a *Clip* to access the *SpeedRay Reflections* function:
**Lumion 2023:**
You can find it either in the *Effects Category* for *Lighting* or *Featured* Category:
**Lumion 12:**
**Lumion 11:**
**2.2:** Click on the *Enable* button to turn *SpeedRay Reflections* on.
Materials with a suitable level of *Reflectivity,* and *Gloss* or low *Roughness* (Lumion 2023), will reflect the local environment. This creates a much more accurate and defined reflection on any surface. This setting is a lot faster to render than *Planar Reflections* in the *Reflection Effect* but slightly slower to render than *Projected Reflections*. The reflection can apply to any surface as well as to planar surfaces.
Please note that the following objects, effects and materials are not visible in *SpeedRay Reflections* due to technical limitations:
- The *Ocean*.
- *Waterfall*, *Water*, *PureGlass* and *Glass Materials*.
- *Fountains*, *Smoke*, *Fire* and *Fog* objects.
- Built-in Lumion *Water Planes*.
- *OmniShadows*.
- *Lens Flares*.
- *SpeedRay Reflections* or reflections from other *Reflection Planes*.
You do not need to add any planar surfaces to enable this reflection type to work - just include the effect and turn on the setting. Any surfaces selected for *Planar Reflections* will continue to be rendered as fully *Planar Reflections*, even if *SpeedRay Reflections* are turned on.
Please note that *SpeedRay Reflections* can only reflect what is visible on the screen. If a reflective material is facing an area outside the field of view of the camera, the least accurate reflection type, i.e. *Projected Reflections* will be blended in.
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## **See also:**
- **Knowledge Base:**Â [How do Planar Reflections work?](https://support.lumion.com/knowledge-base/api/v2/help_center/en-us/articles/360003455994.json-How-do-Planar-Reflections-work-?hsLang=en-us)
- **Knowledge Base:**Â [How do Projected Reflections work?](https://support.lumion.com/knowledge-base/api/v2/help_center/en-us/articles/360003476033.json-How-do-Projected-Reflections-work-?hsLang=en-us)
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