Add and edit cameras

The Camera Editor contains parameters which control the properties of cameras and image planes. The title bar of the Camera Editor contains a keyframe button which lets you set a keyframe for a parameter, and a model pick button which lets you select the modeling window associated with the current camera in the Camera Editor.

Select the modeling window for the camera that you want to edit.

Select Windows > Editors > Cameras

The camera editor opens.

Mimic the squeeze ratio for an anamorphic lens

In the Camera Editor, select the Anamorphic predefined film back, or create your own film back.

In the Image File Output section of the Render Globals window, set the X Resolution and Y Resolution to values appropriate for an anamorphic lens (for example, 500 and 423), and set the Pixel Aspect Ratio to an appropriate value (for example, 2). The Pixel Aspect Ratio (under Render Globals) produces the same effect as the Squeeze Ratio (in the Camera Editor).

Render your scene.

Create or copy a camera

You use cameras to generate views for modeling windows and to generate views to render.

Create a new camera by selecting View > New Camera

Display camera icons

You can control whether camera icons are displayed in the orthographic modeling windows.

Select WindowDisplay > Toggles > Cameras

Change a camera's view

You can change a camera's view by changing its Camera Properties, Film Back Properties, and Lens Properties. (see Camera Properties, Film Back Properties, and Lens Properties in Windows > Editors > Cameras

). You can also change a camera's view using the camera tools (see the tools in the View palette).

> Zoom and Dolly

Both zooming and dollying change the size of all objects in your scene as they appear in the camera's window. Dollying, however, also changes the size of objects that are near the camera relative to objects that are far from the camera. Zooming maintains the relative size of objects in your scene. By dollying, you are moving the physical location of the camera; by zooming, you are changing the focal length of the camera's lens.

> Track and Film Back Offset

Both tracking and changing the film back offset value change the position of all objects in your scene as they appear in the camera's window. Tracking, however, also changes the position of objects that are near the camera relative to objects that are far from the camera. Changing the film back offset value maintains the relative position of objects in your scene.

Animate a camera

You can animate a camera parameter setting in the Camera Editor by Shift-clicking the name of the parameter, and then clicking the Key button in the title bar of the Camera Editor. This is similar to the procedure for animating parameter settings in the Control Window (see Animate parameters). You can also animate a camera using Animation > Turntable

, Animation > Tools > Autofly

or Animation > Keyframe > Set keyframe

Select camera views to render

You can select which camera views will render an image file, mask file, or depth file in the Render Globals window.

To select which camera views will render

Select Render > Globals

to open the Render Globals window.

In the Image File Output section of the Render Globals window, set the Image toggle on for the camera views you want to render as images. By default, only perspective cameras have their Image toggle on. You can also set the Mask and Depth toggles to select which camera views will render as mask files or depth files.

A camera will not render an image file, mask file, or depth file if the camera is invisible, regardless of its Image, Mask, and Depth toggle settings.