Presenting molecular models effectively isn’t just about showcasing atoms and bonds — it’s about guiding your audience through a story. Whether you’re presenting a docking simulation or illustrating molecular interactions, how your camera moves in a presentation can make a major difference. SAMSON offers a flexible set of camera animations that helps molecular modelers craft smooth, cinematic tours of their systems, which can be especially useful in research communication and teaching.
In this post, we’ll explore some of SAMSON’s most useful camera-based animations and offer use cases that will help you elevate your molecular presentations.
Why Control the Camera in a Molecular Scene?
When visualizing a molecular system, points of interest may be spatially dispersed: an active site here, a conformational motion there. By planning your camera movement ahead of time, you can:
- Direct focus towards functionally relevant regions
- Show transitions between different states or interactions
- Simulate human-like observation for better understanding
Rather than jumping from viewpoint to viewpoint abruptly, controlled camera animations create a smooth narrative flow.
Key Camera Animation Tools in SAMSON
Here are some of the most useful camera animations available in SAMSON and what they are typically used for:
- Orbit camera: Automatically turns around a specified object, ideal for presenting structure from all angles.
- Dolly camera: Moves the camera along the viewing direction, simulating a ‘zoom in’ or ‘zoom out’ effect.
- Truck camera: Translates the camera sideways, useful for panning across a large structure.
- Zoom camera: Changes the camera’s field of view, giving emphasis to certain regions.
- Move camera: Custom positioning of the camera to key spots in your molecular scene.
- Play path / Play reverse path: Follows a pre-recorded camera trajectory, ideal for custom storytelling.
- Hold camera: Pauses the animation, letting viewers absorb information before continuing.
Workflow Tip: Record & Playback for Custom Tours
To create more tailored animations, you can record your own camera paths using Record path, and later revisit them with Play path or Play reverse path. This lets you guide your viewers from an overview of your system to specific interactions or elements, such as a ligand entering an active site or a conformational shift.
Practical Example: Presenting a Docking Simulation
Let’s say you want to show how a ligand docks into a receptor. Here’s a possible sequence:
- Begin with a Move camera to show the whole system.
- Use Orbit camera for a 360° view of the receptor.
- Apply Zoom camera as the ligand approaches the active site.
- Add Hold camera for a few seconds once the ligand has docked.
- Finally, use Play reverse path to zoom back out, giving viewers a recap.
Preview Your Animation Setup
All these camera animations can be managed via SAMSON’s Animator panel, which provides an intuitive interface for layering and organizing effects. You no longer need the old Animation menu figure — everything is now in one unified place.
To see an example of how these animations come together, check out the official tutorial video: How to create molecular animations in SAMSON.
Final Thoughts
Efficient use of camera animations can help make your scientific presentations easier to follow, more engaging, and visually clear. Whether you’re making tutorials, presenting research results, or designing educational material, mastering these tools can save time and improve communication.
Learn more about all available animations — including those acting on atoms, labels, and more — by visiting the full documentation here: https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/animations/.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.