maya software is usually my renderer of choice, simply because i actually learned how to light (and lightlink) a scene properly so it's all i need. every now and then i mess around with mental ray, but i don't really see the need. most people are all about the hdribl cause all you really need to do is click like 4 times and it's "perfectly lit"... it seems nobody puts the time in to light their own stuff anymore. <sigh>