Presenting molecular systems in a clear, engaging way is a common need for researchers, educators, and communicators alike. Whether you’re showcasing structural data to colleagues or creating instructional videos for students, dynamic camera paths can greatly enhance visual comprehension. A popular and effective strategy is rotating the camera around a central object, giving viewers a better spatial perception of a molecule or assembly. In SAMSON, the Orbit camera animation covers exactly that.
However, many molecular modelers may not realize how to control the camera path, adjust start and end targets, or fine-tune camera movement in SAMSON to get a polished, smooth orbit.
What the Orbit Camera Animation Does
The Orbit camera animation rotates the view around a target point—typically the molecular system you’re analyzing—helping create intuitive and aesthetically pleasing visualizations.
This animation is especially useful for:
- Highlighting global structure of large biomolecular assemblies
- Emphasizing symmetry or conformational features
- Creating dynamic presentations or teaching materials
The Orbit camera works by rotating the active camera around a user-defined central point (the target point), along a defined plane. But many users don’t realize how to harness the full flexibility of this tool.
How to Set It Up
Start by orienting the view to define the plane in which you want the camera to rotate. This view orientation determines the rotation path.
Then, open the Animator (press Ctrl+7 or Cmd+7), and double-click on Orbit camera inside the Animation panel. Choose an end frame for the camera’s movement to set the duration of the animation.
Choosing the Rotation Plane
Orbit movement is constrained to a plane, and SAMSON uses the current view and grid state to determine it:
- Grid off: The camera orbits in a plane going through the view’s central horizontal line and the target point.
- Grid on: The orbit aligns in a plane parallel to the grid, which helps when using a fixed spatial frame.
If necessary, you can fine-tune this behavior by inspecting the animation and toggling the Keep camera upwards setting.
Adjusting the Orbit Path Precisely
SAMSON gives hands-on tools to refine camera positions. Using camera controllers, you can:
- Set the rotation center (target point)
- Manually adjust camera orientation at each keyframe
- Zoom in/out or pan using standard view interaction tools
If you don’t immediately see the controllers, try zooming out using Ctrl or Cmd + -.
The Inspector also allows you to modify easing curves—how properties like position and angle interpolate over time—for smoother cinematic effects.
When to Use Orbit Camera
Here are two examples of public documents on SAMSON Connect that leverage the Orbit camera animation effectively:
Adding the Orbit camera into your workflow can lead to clearer, more engaging molecular movies with minimal effort, while giving you full control over the visual pathway.
Learn more about the Orbit camera animation and its advanced options in the official documentation.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.