Creating visually engaging presentations of molecular structures can be challenging, especially when trying to communicate concepts in a dynamic and appealing way. Static images often fail to capture the complexity and spatial relationships between atoms and molecules. This is where camera animations come in—and one of the easiest to implement in SAMSON is the Orbit camera animation.
If you’re preparing a scientific talk, a classroom demonstration, or trying to produce a more visual molecular narrative, orbiting the camera smoothly around your structure can bring your model to life. But many molecular modelers find camera positioning and orientation difficult to control, leading to awkward or unintended framing in their animations. Fortunately, Orbit camera is designed to simplify that process—and this post walks you through how to make the most of it.
What is the Orbit Camera Animation?
The Orbit camera animation in SAMSON makes the active camera rotate around a central target point—usually the object you’re studying. This type of motion is particularly effective for understanding the 3D structure of molecular assemblies, surfaces, or pores.
By default, the target point is centered on the current view, but this can be customized. You’ll also be able to control the rotation plane and the easing of the animation for smoother or more dramatic visual effects.
How to Add an Orbit Camera Animation
Follow these steps:
- First, orient your camera to the view you want to rotate around. This sets the initial plane of rotation for the orbit.
- Then, in the Animator’s Animation panel, double-click on Orbit camera.
- Set the end frame for your animation, depending on how long you want the camera to revolve.
Controlling the Camera Path
One of the most useful features when editing camera animations in SAMSON is the set of camera controllers. These dynamic guides let you interactively adjust the target point and rotation path right in the viewport, making the process intuitive—especially if you want to get precise framing for publication or video.
Tip: If you don’t see the camera controllers initially, zoom out using your mouse scroll or press Ctrl/Cmd + -.
Understanding Rotation Behavior
The Orbit camera’s behavior depends on whether the grid is activated in your scene:
- Grid off: the orbit rotation follows the central horizontal line of the view and the target.
- Grid on: the orbit rotation aligns with the grid plane.
This distinction is especially useful when you want your orbit to follow a specific structural symmetry or predefined geometric reference. To adjust this behavior, inspect the animation settings and toggle the Keep camera upwards option.
Fine-Tuning via Easing Curves
For polished results, you can customize how the camera moves between frames by adjusting its Easing curve. This curve changes the pace of rotation—common options include linear, ease-in, ease-out, or ease-in-out behaviors. Subtle easing can dramatically improve the perceived realism and flow of your animations.
Why It’s Useful
Using the Orbit camera is a fast way to:
- Visually inspect ligand binding pockets from all sides.
- Showcase molecular symmetry.
- Add cinematic motion to education or outreach materials.
If you work in structural biology, computational chemistry, or materials science and need to communicate your 3D data clearly, this animation tool can become a regular part of your workflow, with minimal setup.
To learn more about Orbit camera animations and see example projects, visit the full documentation page: https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/animations/orbit-camera/
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can get SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.