Spot Light Node

Spot Light combines the strengths of the other lights: a precise position (like the Point Light), a controllable direction (like the Directional), and on top of that it limits the effect to a cone. It simulates a torch, a theater spotlight, a flashlight or any focused lighting.

It is also the most controllable of the 4 lights, and the one used most in production for dramatic or targeted lighting.

• Effects Library: Tools > 3D > Light > Spot Light
• Quick add: right-click in the Node Editor → Add Tool > 3D > Light > Spot Light

• SceneInput (orange) - optional. The transforms apply to the incoming scene.

Shape 3D ──┐
Spot Light ─┼→ Merge 3D ← Camera 3D → Renderer 3D (Lighting + Shadows enabled)

To aim the spot precisely at an object, use a Transform 3D with Use Target connected to the object's position - the spot follows automatically.

Enabled

Mirrors the red switch.

Color / Intensity

Standard. Same as the other lights.

Cone Angle (max 90°)

Width of the full cone of light. The inner area lit at full Intensity.

Penumbra Angle

The area beyond the cone where the intensity fades. Creates a soft edge toward the outside of the beam.

Dropoff

Speed of the falloff within the penumbra. High = quick transition (sharp edge), low = slow transition (very soft edge).

Decay Type

Falloff with distance: No Falloff / Linear / Quadratic (same as the Point Light).

Three parameters define the profile of the beam:

• Cone Angle = 30° → the beam has a 30° core at full Intensity.
• Penumbra Angle = 10° → from 30° to 40°, the Intensity fades gradually.
• Dropoff controls the shape of that fade (linear / sigmoid depending on the value).

    Intensity
  1.0 |████████▓▒░
      |   cone  penumbra
  0.0 |________________
        0°   30°    40°   (angle from the axis)

Sharp edge (theater spotlight effect): wide Cone Angle + low Penumbra. Very soft edge (flashlight effect): Penumbra wider than the Cone.

Source: the official documentation - the Spot Light is "the only type of light capable of casting shadows" with advanced controls. In practice the other lights also cast shadows, but the Spot Light has the most complete controls.

Enable Shadow Casting

Turns on shadow casting.

Shadow Color

Tint of the shadows (black by default). Blue-gray to simulate skylight bouncing into the shadows.

Density

Opacity of the shadow. 1.0 = solid black, 0.5 = a 50% shadow (partly lit by the Ambient).

Shadow Map Size / Proxy

Resolution of the shadow map. 1024 minimum for a decent scene, 4096 for the final render.

Multiplicative / Additive Bias

Prevents Z-fighting (shadows that "flicker" on aligned surfaces). Adjust it if you see odd patterns in the shadows.

Softness

• Constant - uniform softness.
• Variable - softness that grows with distance (more realistic: a nearby wall = sharp shadow, a distant wall = soft shadow).

Only available in the Software Renderer.

• Theater spotlight - Cone 15°, Penumbra 5°, warm Color, high Intensity, Shadows on. Aimed at a character for a dramatic stage look.
• Flashlight / torch - Cone 20°, Penumbra 15° (soft edge), moderate Intensity, Quadratic Decay. Animated position if the character handles it.
• Studio portrait key light - Cone 30°, Penumbra 20°, 45° azimuth and -30° elevation. Soft shadows on.
• Car headlight - two Spot Lights tilted slightly downward, Cone 25°, Penumbra 10°. Slightly yellow color (halogen lamps) or white (LEDs).
• Video projector / slideshow - wide Cone (> 45°), low Penumbra, combined with a Projector 3D in Light Mode to project an image.
• Drama / thriller - a single Spot for high-contrast lighting, shadows on with Density 1.0 for deep black shadows. A film noir classic.

• Cone + Penumbra > 90° = a mistake - beyond that, a Point Light makes more sense.
• Using Use Target - connect a Transform 3D with Target on an object's position: the spot follows it automatically when it moves.
• Shadow Map Size is critical for detail - on a large scene with lots of detail, raising it to 4096 avoids pixelated shadows.
• Z-fighting on shadows - if the shadows "flicker" on adjacent surfaces (e.g. the shadow of an object sitting on a table), raise Multiplicative Bias gradually until it goes away.
• Realistic Variable Softness - reproduces the physical behavior: the farther the surface is from the source, the softer the shadow. Essential for a photoreal render.
• The Spot Light is usually the only key light in a cinematic scene. The Ambient/Directional/Point lights come as complements (fill, rim, practical).