Zooming into molecular structures is something every modeler does—whether to inspect active sites, focus a presentation on a ligand interaction, or refine an animation. But if you’ve ever been frustrated by a camera that zooms straight into a single point and can’t quite navigate around it, you’re not alone.
This is where Dolly camera animation in SAMSON can make a difference. Unlike a simple zoom, the Dolly camera lets you define both a camera position and a target point for each frame. This means you can zoom while describing a spatial path—just like moving a physical camera on a dolly track in film production 🎥.
Why it matters
In molecular modeling, clarity matters. You might want to:
- Zoom into a protein binding site while shifting the angle for better context
- Highlight a transition between domains by sweeping across a molecule
- Avoid awkward jumps during camera motion in your scientific video
With the Dolly camera animation, you’re not limited to zooming into a fixed target like you are with the standard Zoom camera effect. It gives you flexibility to control both “where you’re looking” and “from where” throughout the animation.
How to use Dolly camera in SAMSON
- Go to the Animator in SAMSON, and select the Track View.
- Orient the camera the way you want it to look for the start of your animation.
- Double-click on Dolly camera in the Animation panel. This drops the effect into your timeline using your current view for the start frame.
- Move to your designated end frame, set the new camera view, and SAMSON will interpolate the motion between the two—including both position and focus point.
More control for polished presentations
Dolly camera isn’t just about movement—it’s about control. You can:
- Change interpolation using different easing curves for smoother or more dramatic transitions
- Keep the camera upright depending on the state of the grid (particularly useful if you’re simulating with an aligned base plane)
- Use multiple Dolly camera effects back-to-back for complex sequences
It’s also worth noting that the Dolly camera works with other rendering effects like Fog and Depth-of-field, letting you shift focus dynamically and alter scene composition in meaningful ways.
Example in action
Here’s a snapshot of a Dolly camera animation where we zoom in while changing focus from one domain to another:
Fine-tuning is easy
Once added, you can always adjust the start and end views by using SAMSON’s animation controllers or by directly editing camera positions. This lets you iterate easily on the best angle for your presentation or video frame.
The Dolly camera offers molecular modelers precise, intuitive control over view transitions—whether for analysis, teaching, or sharing discoveries. If you’ve been relying on static views or simple zoom-ins, this is an easy way to elevate how you present complex molecular interactions.
Learn more and find a full breakdown in the SAMSON documentation.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can get SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.