I'm testing a scattering program so I can have more flexibility in the density/randomness of the condensation, so here's a test using 1/2 spheres that slightly penetrate the surface of the can and i'm still getting some weird darkening happening.
the drops facing the camera are especially showing a weird dark shadow around the edge of each drop. The drop at the edges of the can aren't as big of offenders but the drops facing at the camera, where there's not directional light hitting them are really showing some unnatural looking shadows around the edges. It's making them look almost like flat circles.
I have pretty standard settings on everything:
Path trace
Spec depth=64 (i put that at a high value to make 100% make sure it had enough bounces to clear up)
Diffuse depth=8
Caustic blur=0 (i tested larger values but it didn't help the shadowing, it just make the drops less contrasty)
Alpha Shadow turned on
everything else is default.
standard water spec material
standard glossy mat for the can
