Benefits of “Specular Workflow” versus “Metalness Workflow”?

[Ingmar Franz]

What are the benefits of a “Specular Workflow” (not in Blender-Cylces) compared to Blender’s “Metalness Workflow” in Cylcles?

[Jonathan Lampel]

The only benefit I know of is that it gives you control over the reflectivity, but the specular slider on the Principled BSDF in Blender makes up for this. 

[Ingmar Franz]

Can I say that the “Specular” value of the “Principled BSDF” shader node defines the strength of the highlights whereas the “Roughness” setting defines the sharpness of the highlights?

[Jonathan Lampel]

Yes! And if you want to get technical it’s really the IOR. 

[Ingmar Franz]

When it comes to the Fresnel effect and its connection with the roughness, a higher “Roughness” value not only softens the highlights but also reduces the Fresnel which looks to me somehow as a special case of a highlight.

[Author]

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