When you’re working on complex molecular systems, seeing the right part of your model at the right time can save you a lot of effort—not to mention frustration. Whether you’re switching between a local pocket of a protein and a global overview of the entire structure or jumping between different projections, fast and seamless navigation through your project is essential.
This is where multiple cameras in SAMSON can be very helpful. Each SAMSON document contains at least one camera—a virtual observer peering into the 3D space where your molecular constructions come to life. But did you know you can add more?
Why Use Multiple Cameras?
Imagine you’re analyzing a protein binding site while also monitoring how it relates to the rest of the macromolecule. Setting up two or more cameras allows you to save different viewpoints—close-up, orthographic projections, or even stereo views—and switch between them in seconds. This saves time compared to repositioning a single camera over and over again.
Adding and Managing Cameras
To add a new camera, access the menu:
Visualization > Camera
You can also use keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl + Shift + C (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Shift + C (Mac).
New cameras are created with default parameters, but you can reposition them, change their projection mode (perspective vs orthographic), and more. To switch the active camera, right-click on a camera in the Document view and select Set as active camera. You can also double-click the camera to activate it quickly.
Customizing Camera Views
For each camera, you can:
- Center the view on a selection or the full document
- Toggle camera inertia for smooth motion
- Switch to orthographic projections for crystal structure analysis
- Open an inspector to manually fine-tune projection and position
All camera properties—such as position, rotation, projection, and inertia settings—can be adjusted in the Inspector window. Simply select the camera and make changes directly.
Going One Step Further with Stereo View
If you have stereo glasses, you can enable the stereo view option under the Visualization menu for an immersive 3D experience.
Using multiple cameras is a simple but powerful way to increase your productivity and clarity when modeling molecular systems. Instead of spending time reacquiring the right view, you can store and switch between them instantly.
Learn more about cameras in SAMSON and how to optimize your workflow by incorporating them into your projects.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net