Hi Dmaxman,
Here are my observations, I just think that the object pass has the Z or Blue values inverted. Instead of negative one there is a positive one and vice versa. As C4D has no tools to invert 32bit-float/c image, perhaps you might try it in NUKE or similar useful apps. My recommendation is here to use OpenEXR all the way. Not only for smaller file-sizes ;o)
If there is any option to flip that value in the authoring app for that file, that would help. I have also played with some settings in SPD, but these are minor observations and I think not worth to discuss, as long as the file produces wrong results. Please note that most application invert an image by turning 0 into 1 and 1 into 0, which “inverts” the image around 0.5. Which would destroy the information for the use here. The proper way would be that 0 stays zero, but +1 become -1 and vice versa.
My settings BTW were between 1.5 to 0.5 cm for the displacement, 3.0cm seemed to distort the results too much and lead to too large displacements.
I checked the file in NUKE, and the tiff files have negative values. I’m not used to use these for 32bit/c anymore as they are super large.
I have attached one of my “tools” to explore the file, after split it up in R+G+B, with some other layers, you can then adjust each channel to a certain degree, and see what each one did. All tools and options I tried have failed, perhaps an image with -1 multiplied would help to naturally flip the values. But C4D clips then. Other trials didn’t lead to better results.
My suggestion, the link of your file should be send to the support. The little Horn on the left side (his right side) indicates the z direction for me, as an example. Perhaps it could lead to three check-boxes in the interface to flip the channel information (Not the PSD invert stuff)
All the best
Sassi