Define Camera tool

Used to set up a view for rendering, or to create saved views. This can be done interactively by manipulating the dynamically displayed view cone via "handles" at strategic points. Alternatively, you can use Define Camera for specific manipulations, and its settings window for precision inputs. To assist you visualize the design as you manipulate the camera, the viewing cone can be displayed in all other views.

Note: For additional details on using the Define Cameratool, refer to the MicroStation platform help.

With Continuous View Updates turned on, the camera view updates dynamically as you manipulate the view cone in the other views. You can have your camera view displayed as a smooth rendered view as you position the camera.

The Define Camera settings window lets you display only those settings that you require. With the More/Hide button you can quickly display or dismiss the more settings group box. Within this group box, Show/Hide buttons let you expand only those settings that you wish to examine or modify.

The tool settings window on initial opening. Clicking the More button displays available settings.

Fields in each of the settings update as modifications are made to the view cone. Alternatively, values can be input directly to the relevant settings.

When the Define Camera tool is used for the first time, in a design, it makes the current active view its Active View. This view becomes the camera view. You can use the Active View setting in the tool settings window to change to another view. If Display View Cone is turned on (in the tool settings window), then view cones appear in the other open views that display the same region of the design. These show the viewing extents of the camera view. The shape and features of the view cone depend on the Projection active at the time.

The tool settings for Define Camera apply to the viewing parameters of the active or camera view. You can change this view's parameters by typing values to the various fields. When you make changes to the view interactively, values in these fields update automatically. Interactive adjustments can be made via the view cone, or directly in the camera view using one of the Camera Action settings.

The Define Camera settings window, showing all settings input fields.

You can control the orientation of the view cone by positioning handles, either dynamically, or by entering values in the Define Camera settings. Circular orientation handles are provided to adjust the orient, elevate, and roll view settings.

To display the view cone, you must ensure that Display View Cone is turned on, in the tool settings window. When Continuous View Updates is turned on, the camera view updates dynamically as you modify the view cone, either interactively or via the tool options.

When you start the Define Camera tool, AccuDraw is off. You can activate it using the AccuDraw's shortcut key-ins — <T>, <S>, <F>, and <V>.

To assist you in relating the view cone to the camera view, it is color coded. In the view cone geometry, the red line equates to the top left corner of the camera view, the green line to the top right corner, and the two blue lines to the lower corners of the camera view. Rectangular shapes in the view cone display the:

Back clip plane (grey) — if Back Clip is on in View Attributes for the camera view
Target plane, and active depth (yellow)
Front clip plane (white) — if Front Clip is on in View Attributes for the camera view

View cones with front and back clipping planes turned on (left) and off (right).

Handles at the centers of the three planes let you move them interactively, as follows:

Moving the eye point handle does not affect the position of the target handle, and vice-versa.
Moving the center handle (located midway between the eyepoint and the image plane handles) moves the whole view cone.
Moving the image plane handle of the one point projection view cone lets you rotate the image plane independent of the eye and targets.
Moving the handle at the lower left corner of the image plane lets you change the lens view angle.
When moving the front clipping plane, it must be closer than the focal distance, and farther than 1/1000th of the Back Clip distance.
When moving the back clipping plane, it must be farther than the focal distance and closer than 1000 times the Front Clip distance.

The circular orientation handles are also color coded as:

Green — Orient
Red — Elevate
Blue — Roll

Circular camera orientation handles

Where you know the exact coordinates at which you wish to place the eye point or target, you can use precision inputs.

Setting	Description
Camera Action icons	The following Camera Action icons are used to make interactive adjustments in the view: Pan — Modify the view (cone) by revolving either the Camera about the Target (horizontally or vertically), or vice-versa. Pan Horizontal — Modify the view (cone) by revolving either the Camera horizontally (only) about the Target, or vice-versa. Pan Vertical — Modify the view (cone) by revolving either the Camera vertically (only) about the Target, or vice-versa. Roll — Roll, or rotate, the Camera about the z-axis of the camera view. For this setting, there is no difference whether the Reference Point is set to Eye or Target. Dolly/Elevate — Move the camera view cone, linearly, in a horizontal or vertical direction. This lets you move the camera sideways or vertically relative to the camera view. The action is similar to moving the view cone via its middle handle. Dolly — Move the camera view cone directly in to or out from the view. As well you can move it sideways. This action is similar to moving the view cone via its middle handle. Lens Focal Length — Manipulate the focal length of the camera lens of the camera view by changing the distance between the Target and the Eye Point or camera. Lens View Angle — Change the camera lens viewing angle, which is made up of horizontal and vertical viewing angles. These are related by the Aspect ratio of the camera view. Pan/Dolly — Revolve the Camera and to move forward or backward along the z-axis of the camera view. This is useful for walking through a model, in particular when the movement is on a plane, as in walking around the floor of a building.
Active View	Sets the view to be used as the camera view.
Projection	Sets the projection to display in the camera view.
Reference Point	Sets the point about which the camera manipulations are performed. Eye — Camera manipulations are performed relative to the camera eyepoint. Target — Camera manipulations are performed relative to the camera target point.
Standard Lens	List box that lets you select a standard camera lens, or to define a custom lens. 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 Custom — Allows you to use settings other than the preset camera lens options.
Continuous View Updates	If on, the camera view is updated continuously as the view cone is adjusted, either graphically, or via the input fields.
Display View Cone	If on, the view cone, for the camera view, displays in all other open views that display the same portion of the design.
More/Hide button	Turns on (More) or off (Hide) display of other settings that may be adjusted in the camera view.
Camera Position	Sets the location of the camera and target. Eye Pt. — X, Y, and Z coordinate values for the Eye Point, or camera position. Target — X, Y, and Z coordinate values for the Target of the camera. Focal Distance — Defines the focal distance of the camera, the distance from the eyepoint to the target point. This is the distance that is used to define the focus for the Depth of Field setting in the Settings tab of the Render Setup Manager dialog.
Camera Orientation	Sets the camera and image plane orientation. Camera — Defines the camera location. Plane (One Point projection only) — Defines the image plane orientation. Orient (Camera) — Horizontal angle, measured from the positive (design file) X direction. Elevate (Camera) — Vertical angle, measured from the positive (design file) X direction. Roll (Camera) — Angle that camera is rotated, measured about the z-axis of the camera. Orient (Plane) — Horizontal angle, of the image plane's normal, measured from the positive (design file) X direction. Elevate (Plane) — Vertical angle, of the image plane's normal, measured from the positive (design file) X direction.
View Information	Sets the viewing angles and aspect ratio. Horizontal (Angle) — Horizontal view angle. Changing this value automatically adjusts the Vertical, relative to the view aspect ratio. Vertical (Angle) — Vertical view angle. Changing this value automatically adjusts the Horizontal, relative to the view aspect ratio. Aspect (Angle) — Displays the width/height ratio of the camera view. Horizontal (Size) — Displays horizontal dimension, in working units, of the camera view. Vertical (Size) — Displays vertical dimension, in working units, of the camera view.
Display Depths	Sets the clipping planes for the camera view. Clip Factor — Front — sets the front clipping plane at the percentage distance from the eye to target.Back — sets the back clipping plane to be a factor of the eye to target distance. Clip Dist. — Front — sets the distance from the eyepoint to the front clipping plane.Back — sets the distance from the eyepoint to the back clipping plane.
Controlled Movement	Sets incremental limits, Distance and Angle, for controlled movement of the camera, target, or view cone. The maximum Distance increment is one-half the distance from the eye to the target. The maximum Angle increment is 45°.

Note: For information on the projections supported, see Camera view projection.

Key-in: CAMERA DEFINE