Enabled
Turns the light on or off without removing it from the scene.
← Fusion node reference
Fusion 3DIntermediate
PointLight
Omnidirectional 3D light
Emits light from one point in all directions with configurable color, intensity, decay and shadow behavior.
PointLight
DaVinci Resolve · Fusion
PointLight behaves like a small bulb in Fusion 3D. It is useful for local illumination, highlights and practical-style light sources.
Overview
What PointLight does
The light has a position but no cone direction: it radiates around itself. Moving it closer to or farther from geometry changes the apparent lighting distribution.
Decay controls how intensity falls off with distance. Shadow options add depth but also increase render complexity.
PointLight must be connected into the same Merge3D scene as the geometry it should illuminate, and the material must be able to react to lights.
Mental model
Imagine a bare light bulb floating in 3D space: position sets where it is, Intensity sets how bright it is, and Decay controls how quickly the light fades with distance.
Common uses
Local light source
Accent 3D titles
Create motivated practical lighting
Add depth to simple geometry
Cast point-source shadows
Flow anatomy
Inputs & outputs
The port structure shows how this node fits into a Fusion graph.
Generator node — no image input is required.
PointLight
Fusion node
3D Light
The processed result from this node.
Inspector
Important parameters
Start with these controls before reaching for more complicated workarounds.
Color
Sets the emitted light color.
Red
Adjusts the red channel.
Use channel-specific controls when the operation should not affect all components equally.
Green
Adjusts the green channel.
Use channel-specific controls when the operation should not affect all components equally.
Blue
Adjusts the blue channel.
Use channel-specific controls when the operation should not affect all components equally.
Intensity
Controls light strength.
Decay Type
Controls how illumination falls off over distance.
Enable Shadows
Allows the light to cast shadows.
Shadow Color
Sets the shadow Color.
Shadow Color / Red, Green, Blue
Sets the RGB tint of Point Light shadows.
Density
Sets the density of generated or distributed elements.
Shadow Map Size
Controls shadow-map resolution where applicable.
Shadow Map Proxy
Uses a proxy resolution for the Point Light shadow map during interactive work.
Multiplicative Bias
Offsets shadow depth comparison to reduce self-shadowing artifacts.
Use the smallest value that removes acne or detached-looking shadows.
Additive Bias
Offsets shadow depth comparison to reduce self-shadowing artifacts.
Use the smallest value that removes acne or detached-looking shadows.
Non-Transmissive Materials
Sets the transparency of Non-Transmissive Materials.
Sampling Quality
Sets the processing quality for this operation.
Use a lighter setting while building the comp if needed, then verify the final-quality result before render.
Linear Depth
Uses linearized depth for the Point Light depth/shadow calculation where applicable.
Tight Projection
Tightens the Point Light shadow-map projection around the relevant scene geometry.
Softness
Softens the transition at the edge of the mask, matte or effect.
Transform / Translation X
Sets the horizontal position or offset.
Transform / Translation Y
Sets the vertical position or offset.
Transform / Translation Z
Sets the position or offset along the Z axis.
Pick…
Lets you pick or place the Point Light’s transform position interactively in the Viewer.
Import Transform…
Imports compatible position, rotation and scale animation from another source.
Practical setup
A reliable workflow
- 1
Add PointLight and connect it to Merge3D.
- 2
Position it near the object you want to illuminate.
- 3
Set color and intensity.
- 4
Choose an appropriate decay model.
- 5
Enable shadows only when they add meaningful depth and inspect the result in Renderer3D.
Typical node chain
Geometry→
PointLight→
Merge3D→
Renderer3D
Examples
Where this node fits in real work
Lit 3D title
A nearby point light adds local highlights to extruded text.
Text3DPointLightMerge3DRenderer3D
Simple product light
Use one or more point lights around a shape.
Shape3DPointLightCamera3DMerge3DRenderer3D
Troubleshooting
Common mistakes
Expecting the light to work when it is not connected to the same 3D scene.
Using very high intensity instead of moving the light or adjusting decay.
Enabling expensive shadows before the basic light placement is correct.
Production notes
Practical tips
Position first, then tune intensity.
Use light color subtly; extreme saturation can make materials look synthetic.
Check material lighting response when a light appears to do nothing.
Related nodes