8

Cameras 1211
• Target cameras (page 2–1216) view the
area around a target object. When you create
a target camera, you see a two-part icon
representing the camera and its t arget (a white
box). The camera and the camera target can be
animated independently, so target cameras are
easier to use when the camera does not move
along a path.
•
Free c ameras (page 2–1215) view the area
in the direction the camera is aimed. When
youcreateafreecamera,youseeasingeicon
representing the camera and its field of view.
Thecameraiconappearsthesameasatarget
camera icon, but there is no separate target icon
to animate. Free cameras are easier to use when
thecamera’spositionisanimatedalongapath.
An example of a camera in a scene.
The result after rendering through the camera.
You can create cameras from the Create menu >
Cameras submenu, or by clicking the Cameras
buttonontheCreatepanel.Youcanalsocreatea
camera by activating a Perspective viewport, and
then choosing Views menu > Create Camera From
View.
After you have created a camera, you can change
viewports to display the camera’s point of view.
While a camera viewport is active, the navigation
buttons change to
camera navigation buttons
(page 3–788)
.YouusetheModifypanelin
conjunction with a camera viewport to change the
camera’s settings.
While you use the navigation controls for a camera
viewport, you can constrain Truck, Pan, and Orbit
move ment to b e ver tical or hor izontal only with
the SHIFT key.
You can move a selected camera so its view
matches that of a Perspective, Spotlight, or another
Camera v iew.
Ch o osin g a Cam e ra fo r Ve rtica l Vie w s
If you need an animated camera to look vertically
upward or downward, use a free camera. If you use
a target camer a you m ig ht run into a problem of
unexpected movement. The program constrains a
target camera’s up-vector (its lo cal posit ive Y axis)
to be as close as possible to the world positive Z