Cinematic Objects
C4D files are 3D models created with the Cinema 4D software for professional animation and manipulation. The problem is that, as Cinema 4D is proprietary software, these files are not generally able to be used in other programs.
The OBJ format yields a versatile model made of polygons and freeform curves. This file type can be used on many CAD and 3D modeling platforms, and is one of the most-used 3D file formats. If your goal is detailed model manipulation without animation, OBJ files are an excellent choice.
While both file types have their merits, OBJ files open up more doors to users who want to play in a world outside of a single platform. Keep reading to find out some simple steps for the C4D to OBJ file conversion.
Free Online Converters?
A Google search will bring up some popular options for free file conversion. Though some may boast this ability, free online converters generally can’t open the C4D format, as it’s proprietary to the Cinema 4D software.
Time to reach out to the community! Ask nicely and some kind Cinema 4D users on Reddit may be willing to assist.
CAD Program Conversion
Need to get your conversion done and your calls for help have gone unanswered? Another option is to start a 2-week Cinema 4D free trial. Download, install, and activate your trial license to begin, then follow the steps below.
For our example, we’ve used Blender as the external program to open the converted OBJ file.
Step 1: Export from Cinema 4D
Open Cinema 4D, and select “Open” in the File menu to load your C4D file. Then export to your required file type (in our case, OBJ) by selecting “Export” in the File menu.
If you try to jump straight to Blender at this point you may get an import “Python: Traceback” error. If so, proceed to the next step. If not, congratulations, you did it!
Step 2: Re-export the OBJ
Meshmixer is a free program that allows users to do simple 3D manipulations, and in our case, export a specific file format.
If your newly-exported OBJ file is bringing up an error in Blender, start by opening it in Meshmixer. Export it again with the OBJ format and choose your file name and save location. An error window may pop up stating “Complex object in scene”, but if it does, just click “Continue”.
With much trial and error and a little luck, we stumbled across this workaround for successfully converting files. External programs, like Blender, should now be able to open the new OBJ.
Step 3: Open in Blender
Finally, open Blender, select “Import” from the File menu to open your OBJ file, then confirm it looks as expected. Success!
If your original C4D file had background or scene information like ours did, check out our beginners’ guide to Blender to learn how to delete unwanted parts from your object. This step can also be done in Cinema 4D, which we did by using a “Split” object function and pasting into a new file.
Another Option
For those of us who don’t mind spending a few bucks on file conversions (or who have exhausted the free trial options), you can use a service like CAD Monster. For around $5 and a few days’ wait, they successfully converted our “Puppy” file from C4D to OBJ. Cost of conversion varies with model complexity and file size.
Lead image source: Fattu Tutorials via YouTube
License: The text of "C4D to OBJ: How to Convert Cinema 4D Files to OBJ" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.