Molecular modelers often face the challenge of maintaining a fixed view of their system during animations or presentations. This becomes particularly important when you want to focus on a specific viewpoint while showcasing dynamic simulations or when the scene is prone to accidental camera adjustments. The Hold camera feature in SAMSON provides an elegant solution to this problem, ensuring your camera perspective stays consistent between selected frames.
Why Use Hold Camera Animations?
In molecular design workflows, a defined and static camera angle is often necessary to maintain continuity during animations. Without the Hold camera functionality, your view may shift unexpectedly, distracting from the primary focus of your presentation or simulation. The Hold camera animation conveniently locks the camera parameters between frames, allowing for static views when needed.
Setting Up Hold Camera Animations
Here’s a step-by-step guide to implement the Hold camera animation in SAMSON:
- Navigate to the Animator’s Track view and select the start frame where you want the static view to begin.
- Adjust and orient the camera to the desired angle and position.
- In the Animation panel, double-click on the Hold camera animation effect under the Animator section.
- Set the end frame of the animation based on your requirements, ensuring the camera remains fixed over the desired duration.
Flexibility and Control
The Hold camera feature isn’t rigid. You can adjust both the start and end frames of the animation after creation, providing flexibility if your animation timeline changes. Additionally, this feature allows you to maintain control over the system’s view, which might otherwise be disrupted during interactive editing or playback.
Important Notes
In earlier versions of SAMSON, the Animation menu was used to access the feature showcased here. However, all animations, including Hold camera, are now accessible via the Animation panel in the Animator.
This functionality not only ensures seamless animations but also helps in preserving the integrity of your chosen molecular view, which is vital for both research presentations and for educational purposes.
To learn more about the Hold camera animation or explore additional features, visit the official documentation page at https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/animations/hold-camera/.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON now at https://www.samson-connect.net.