User Guide
User Guide
User Guide

Camera Settings

Use it!

Used to directly adjust the virtual camera (as an alternative to using the Change View Perspective view control).

Tool SettingEffect
Camera Settings

Determines the operation to be performed:

  • Turn On
    • — Used to turn on the camera in a view(s).
  • Turn Off
    • — Used to turn off the camera in a view(s).
  • Set Up
    • — Used to turn on the camera in a view and set the camera target and position. The position is the design cube location from which the model is viewed with the camera. The target is the focal point (center) of a camera view. Objects beyond the camera target appear smaller; objects in front of the camera target appear larger and may be outside of the viewing pyramid.
  • Move
    • — Used to move the camera position relative to the target. This operation is comparable to focusing a camera at an object and moving around it to obtain different views of it.
  • Target
    • — Used to move the camera target. This operation is comparable to standing in one position and panning the camera to view different objects.
Image Plane Orientation

Sets the orientation of the plane on which the camera image is represented.

  • Perpendicular
    • — Perpendicular to the camera direction.
  • Parallel to X Axis
    • — Parallel to the view x-axis, analogous to a Bellow camera.
  • Parallel to Y Axis
    • — Parallel to the view y-axis, analogous to a Bellow camera.
  • Parallel to Z Axis
    • — Parallel to the view z-axis. All vertical lines (along this axis) appear parallel.
Angle

Sets the camera “lens” angle, in degrees. Increasing this setting widens the field of vision (and decreases the Focal Length).

Focal Length

Sets the camera “lens” focal length, in millimeters (MM). Decreasing this setting widens the field of vision (and increases the Angle).

Standard Lens

Sets the camera “lens” Angle and Focal Length to values associated with a standard lens type commonly used by photographers.

  • Fisheye
    • — 93.3°; focal length 20mm
  • Extra-wide
    • — 74.3°; focal length 28mm
  • Wide
    • — 62.4°; focal length 35mm
  • Normal
    • — 46.0°; focal length 50mm
  • Portrait
    • — 28.0°; focal length 85mm
  • Telephoto
    • — 12.1°; focal length 200mm
  • Telescopic
    • — 2.4°; focal length 1000mm
To turn on the camera in a view
  1. Select the Camera Settings view control.

  2. In the Tool Settings window, set Camera Settings to Turn On.

  3. Select the view(s).

    Top: Fisheye(left); Extra-wide (center); Wide (right)

    Middle: Normal

    Bottom: Portrait (left); Telephoto (center); Telescopic (right)

      

To turn off the camera in a view
  1. Select the Camera Settings view control.

  2. In the Tool Settings window, set Camera Settings to Turn Off.

  3. Select the view(s).

To turn on the camera and set the target and position
  1. Select the Camera Settings view control.

  2. In the Tool Settings window, set Camera Settings to Set Up.

  3. Select the view.

  4. Enter a data point to define the camera target — the focal point (center) of the view.
    A dynamic pyramid displays to show the viewing volume with the camera at the pointer location.

  5. Enter a data point to define the camera position.
    The camera is turned on.

To move the camera
  1. Select the Camera Settings view control.

  2. In the Tool Settings window, set Camera Settings to Move.

  3. Select the view.
    A dynamic pyramid shows the viewing volume with the camera at the pointer location.

  4. Enter a data point to define the new camera position.
    If the camera was off, it is turned on.

To move the target
  1. Select the Camera Settings view control.

  2. In the Tool Settings window, set Camera Settings to Target.

  3. Select the view.
    A dynamic pyramid shows the viewing volume with the camera target at the pointer location.

  4. Enter a data point to define the new camera target.
    If the camera was off, it is turned on.

Key-in: SET CAMERA <DEFINITION | OFF | ON | POSITION | TARGET>

Setting Image Plane Orientation to Parallel to Z Axis is useful for architectural renderings as it ensures buildings appear vertical from any camera position.

The virtual camera has advantages over conventional cameras. All elements in the field of view are in focus, no matter how close to or far from the camera. You need not worry about depth of field, aberrations, astigmatism, or curvature of field — in a sense, the virtual camera takes a “perfect” picture.