One of the frequent challenges in molecular modeling is effectively communicating 3D structures and interactions to colleagues, students, or collaborators. Screenshots and static views are often not enough, especially when trying to showcase binding pockets, active sites, or conformational changes. This is where orbit camera animations in SAMSON can make a difference.
The Orbit camera animation lets you create smooth, circular movements around your molecular systems, helping to give viewers a better spatial understanding of your models. It’s particularly useful for presentations and educational material when you want your audience to grasp the full 3D context with clarity.
Why use Orbit camera animation?
Here are some common use cases where orbiting the camera adds significant value:
- Presenting overall structure: Showing the global fold of a protein while smoothly rotating helps illustrate domain organization.
- Exploring assemblies: From supramolecular frameworks to macromolecular complexes, orbiting gives viewers a comprehensive tour of the system.
- Visualizing symmetry: Orbiting is especially helpful for visually analyzing symmetry in polymers, crystals, or multi-subunit proteins.
How to add Orbit camera animation
To add this animation in SAMSON:
- First, orient the view so the camera is positioned in the plane you want the rotation to occur.
- Open the Animator, and in the Animation panel, double-click the Orbit camera effect.
- Choose your end frame to set the animation’s duration.
Note: the Animation menu shown in some videos no longer exists — all animations can be accessed through the Animation panel in the Animator.
Customizing camera behavior
The Orbit camera uses your active camera’s settings. By default, it will rotate around that camera’s target point, which is typically the current center of the view. This ensures your animation remains focused on your molecule or assembly.
The rotation plane depends on whether the grid is enabled:
- Grid off: rotation plane goes through the center of the view and the target point.
- Grid on: rotation plane becomes parallel to the grid plane.
To tweak this behavior, you can inspect the animation and edit the Keep camera upwards option.
Fine-tuning camera paths
SAMSON gives you visual camera controllers to adjust the orbiting path. You can manually change the position of the camera and its target. This helps in ensuring smooth transitions and better framing for key parts of your structure. Also, Thumbnails appear during editing, letting you compare different frames as you tweak the path.
Where to see Orbit animations in action
Several example documents on SAMSON Connect showcase Orbit animations, including rotating around assemblies and complex frameworks. You can watch examples like:
Orbit camera animations are a simple yet effective tool to bring clarity and polish to your molecular presentations. Whether preparing a talk, a screen recording, or documentation for a project, this feature can make comprehension easier and presentations more engaging.
To learn more, see the official documentation: Orbit camera animation in SAMSON.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.