Creating molecular animations isn’t just about visualizing structures—it’s about communicating insights clearly. When zooming into molecular systems, many researchers use the Zoom camera effect in SAMSON. But there’s a subtle limitation: it only moves the camera along its view direction, locking focus on a single point. When you want to shift focus within the scene—say, from a ligand to a binding site—this limitation can feel restrictive.
This is where the Dolly camera animation comes in. It provides an alternative that’s especially useful when you need fluid transitions between different parts of molecular systems. Rather than merely moving forward or backward like the Zoom effect, the Dolly camera changes both the camera position and the target point over time. This lets you create a much more expressive sense of motion and spatial context through your scenes.
Why use the Dolly camera?
Let’s say you’re studying a protein-ligand interaction and want to guide your audience from an overview of the protein all the way into the binding pocket—while shifting the target point of the camera to emphasize different features (like nearby residues, cofactors, etc.). By adjusting both the camera’s path and what it looks at, the Dolly camera can simulate a physical camera dolly shot, producing a cinematic but scientifically meaningful effect.
Getting Started
To use the Dolly camera in SAMSON:
- In the Animator’s Track view, set the start frame. Move and orient the camera as desired for the opening of your animation.
- Double-click the Dolly camera in the Animation panel.
- Set the end frame and configure the final camera position and target.
Throughout the animation, SAMSON interpolates the camera motion. You can further fine-tune the interpolation by adjusting the easing curve, which changes how the speed evolves between frames—in case you want a slow start or a smooth deceleration, for instance.
Adjusting Properties
There’s a lot of flexibility within this animation tool:
- Keep camera upwards: Ensures the camera maintains an upright orientation, depending on whether the grid is on or off.
- Apply to active camera: Defines whether the animation affects the current active camera or a specific one.
- Target point control: Essential when combining with Depth-of-field or Fog effects for focus-based animations.
Tips for Better Animations
1. Balance motion and clarity. Don’t move too quickly between key points—let your viewer absorb what they see.
2. Match motion to narrative. Dolly-in to highlight interactions, dolly-out to provide context.
3. Combine effects. Pair with Depth-of-field to add photographic qualities, subtly guiding attention.
The Dolly camera animation might seem like a small tool, but applied thoughtfully, it’s a powerful way to add storytelling and clarity to your molecular visualizations. For walkthroughs and additional information, check out the full documentation page.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.