When visualizing complex molecular systems, even small movements in camera angles or target positions can create confusion. You may want to zoom in on a receptor-binding pocket, for instance, without altering the perspective or the background. Maintaining a fixed target point while adjusting the camera’s position becomes essential — especially if you’re using rendering effects like fog or depth-of-field, which are highly sensitive to changes in focus or target.
This is where SAMSON’s Zoom Camera animation becomes helpful. Unlike other camera movements like Dolly Camera, which modifies both position and target point from start to end frame, Zoom Camera adjusts only the camera’s position. The target point — your area of focus — stays centered and constant throughout the animation. 🚀
Why This Matters
Many molecular modelers use fog or depth-of-field effects to emphasize certain structures or create cinematic presentations of their systems. However, changing the target point mid-animation can lead to unintentional visual shifts, undermining the aesthetic or clarity of your scene. The Zoom Camera avoids this by locking the target point, so only the camera’s distance changes. It creates a seamless zoom effect — ideal when you want to get closer to part of a structure without ‘moving around’ it.
How to Add a Zoom Camera Animation
- In the Animator’s Track view, select the starting frame and orient your view the way you want.
- Double-click Zoom camera in the Animation panel of the Animator.
- Navigate to the ending frame and repeat the process to define the final position for the camera.
You can later adjust both the start and end positions by dragging the animation frames on the timeline. This offers flexibility while keeping the focus locked.
Further Customization
Zoom Camera animations in SAMSON offer additional settings that can be modified by inspecting the animation:
- Apply to active camera: Usually enabled, this applies the animation to your current point of view. If disabled, select which camera it applies to.
- Keep camera upwards: Ensures the camera maintains an upright orientation, especially when the grid is turned on or off.
- Easing curve: Allows you to adjust how smoothly the camera transitions between frames — for instance, easing in or out of the animation.
Refining the Camera Path
If you need to fine-tune the zoom path, use the animation controllers to manually tweak the camera’s target and position. This is especially useful if you realize the focus needs slight corrections for better visibility or effect.
Here’s an example of the effect in action:
To learn more about the Zoom Camera animation and explore related options, head to the official documentation page: Zoom Camera Documentation.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can get SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.