Visualizing complex molecular systems requires precision, clarity, and often, multiple points of view. If you’ve ever struggled with navigating different scenes or perspectives within the same molecular model, you’re not alone. Many researchers and modelers face the challenge of switching seamlessly between zoomed-in active sites and broader structural overviews.
Fortunately, SAMSON‘s camera system offers a practical solution by allowing you to manage multiple views in one document. This feature can greatly enhance your ability to inspect molecular structures from various angles, all without having to manually reposition a single camera each time.
Why Multiple Cameras Matter
Imagine you’re working on a protein structure and need to frequently switch between a close-up of the binding site and an overall view of the protein. Instead of repeatedly rotating, zooming, and panning manually, you can create multiple cameras—each pre-positioned at a useful perspective. Then, switching between these viewpoints is as simple as a double-click.
You can set a camera to focus on specific atoms, a crystal lattice view (orthographic projection), or even activate inertia to view transitions smoothly.
How to Add and Manage Cameras
To add a new camera, go to Visualization > Camera. Each new camera starts with a default view, which you can then adjust by rotating, zooming, or translating the camera to fit your analytical needs.
All cameras are listed in the Document view. Right-clicking on any camera node opens a context menu where you can:
- Set as active camera: Makes the selected camera the current view.
- Center on selection or the entire document: Quickly refocus your view.
- Activate inertia: Adds smooth movement transitions.
- Switch to orthographic projection: Great for crystal visualization.
- Move the camera: Reposition it manually.
To fine-tune any camera’s properties such as field of view, projection type, or 3D position, select the camera and open the Inspector window. This gives you detailed controls not accessible through just the mouse or shortcut menus.
When One View Isn’t Enough
Using multiple cameras isn’t just about convenience—it can speed up your workflow, improve communication with collaborators (by easily jumping to key structural areas during demos), and help reduce oversight by encouraging thorough visual inspection from multiple angles.
To learn more about how you can work with and customize cameras in SAMSON, visit the full documentation page.
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.