3D Invigorator is a 3d rendering plug-in that leaves Photoshop's 3d features in the dust. It also works with older versions of Photoshop, back to CS2 I believe. CS2 & CS3 did not include any 3d features of their own, so this is a plus if you are a user of an older version of Adobe Photoshop. Reguardless of you version number, this is a handy plug-in if you are someone who likes to work with 3d.

The software is easy enough to get started with. Before opening the plug-in, it would be wise to turn your layer into a smart object. That way, it will be possible to go back into the plug-in and make tweaks and changes easily. Below is the general interface:

You can see we have our general viewing area, where our 3d models will appear. You can move your camera and objects independently of each other in various ways. You can work with 3d text, files from Adobe Illustrator, or you can load up a set of 3d primatives. Here is an example of an illustrator file loaded up:

You can see on the right the object control panel is open. Here, you can change many aspects of your 3d model. The material swatches panel can been seen below the object control panel. There are over 100 preset materials to use with your 3d objects. Pictured in the image below is the materials editor, where you can intricately customize each of these presets, or create you own. You can add things such as transparency and reflection to your objects from there. You can also see the lighting panel on the top left. There you can adjust the number, output, and direction of your 3d lights.

Here you can see a 3d model with textures, reflection maps, rotation, scaling, and other effects applied. There is a "Render Test" button on the bottom of the 3d preview window. Pressing it will give you a preview of the final ray traced model. Once you are finished with your model, click ok in the top left and it will load your model into a photoshop layer. If you made your layer a smart object earlier, you can go back into 3d Invigorator and tweak your models.

Here is my final render for my 3d model. The trial of version of 3d Invigorator places a watermark on images, but will not be present in the full version. Also of note, you can resize your document to virutally any size from inside photoshop, and 3d Invigorator will re-render the models to fit the next resolution, providing wonderful scaling options if your needs change.

All in all, 3d Invigorator is huge step up from Photoshop's 3d tools. It may not be as indepth as Cinema 4D, but at $199, it is a much more affordable option for the designer needing solid a solid option for 3d design.