If you’ve ever struggled to create smooth, meaningful camera motion around your molecular system for a presentation or video, you’re not alone. Researchers and educators often need to show complex structures from different angles, but manual camera work can be imprecise and time-consuming. SAMSON’s Orbit Camera animation provides a simple and interactive way to smoothly rotate around your molecular models, helping you communicate structural features effectively.
Why Orbit?
Orbiting is ideal for showcasing a molecule or complex from all sides without distracting the viewer with jerky transitions. Whether you’re building a video to illustrate molecular docking, crafting an educational animation for students, or preparing a visual asset for a publication, a circular path around the molecule can provide the clarity you need.
Getting Started with Orbit Camera
Here’s how you can set up an orbit camera animation using the Animator in SAMSON:
- First, load your molecular system (e.g., using Home > Fetch from the PDB).
- Position the camera where you want the orbit to begin. This defines the starting plane of rotation.
- Open the Animator via Interface > Animator.
- In the Animation Panel (typically on the right), double-click on Orbit camera.
This inserts a new orbit camera track into your presentation. You’ll see keyframes added, and the track is color-coded for easy identification. You can adjust duration by dragging the keyframe handles or inputting exact frame values in the Inspector.
Fine-Tuning the Orbit
The orbit camera animation includes helpful visual controllers that appear directly in the viewport. These include rotation rings, direction arrows, and a central axis indicator. They let you:
- Refine the rotation plane.
- Adjust the orbit center (e.g., focus on a residue or ligand).
- Control the rotation angle and direction.
Thumbnails for Context
As you edit the camera motion, thumbnails automatically appear below the viewport. They show before and after frames for easy comparison. This helps you plan smooth transitions and avoid jarring cuts. Thumbnails are especially helpful in complex multi-camera sequences or when synchronizing motion with molecule behavior.
Preview and Export
Click the Play button in the Animator to preview your orbit. When satisfied, use the Save movie function to export your animation as an .mp4, .gif, or .webm. You can include watermarks or adjust other presentation settings under Preferences > Rendering > Presentations.
Tips
- Use the Hold camera animation at frames that don’t include motion to maintain viewpoint consistency.
- Coordinate camera movements with entrance/exit effects (e.g., appear/disappear) for greater impact.
- Explore easing functions to create natural motion curves (check easings.net for examples).
Learn More
This only scratches the surface of what SAMSON’s Animator can do. To dive deeper, visit the official documentation: https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/presenting/
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can get SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.