Camera View

Demonstration of camera view.

The Camera view shows the current scene from the active camera’s viewpoint.

The Camera view can be used to virtually compose shots and preview how the scene will look when rendered. The rendered image will contain everything within the dashed frame.

See also

Camera Settings for details on how camera settings are used for display and rendering.

Hint

While in camera view, you can select the camera by clicking the dashed frame (assuming the camera object isn’t hidden).

Viewing the Active Camera

Reference

Mode:

All Modes

Menu:

View ‣ Cameras ‣ Active Camera, View ‣ Viewpoint ‣ Camera

Shortcut:

Numpad0

This switches the view to the active camera.

Setting the Active Camera

Reference

Mode:

Object Mode

Menu:

View ‣ Cameras ‣ Set Active Object as Camera

Shortcut:

Ctrl-Numpad0

Active camera (left) displayed with a solid triangle above it.

This sets the current active object as the active camera and switches to the camera view.

The active camera is the one that will be used for rendering, and which you’ll look through when choosing camera view.

Another way of setting the active camera is through the Scene tab of the Properties.

Note

The active camera is normally defined on the scene level, so that it’s the same across all 3D Viewports. However, it’s also possible to make a camera the active one within one Viewport only. See Local Camera.

Animated Camera Switching

While a scene contains only one camera by default, it’s possible to have multiple. You can then bind the cameras to specific time points in your animation to create jump cuts showing different viewpoints. See Animating Cameras.

Frame Camera Bounds

Reference

Mode:

All Modes

Menu:

View ‣ Cameras ‣ Frame Camera Bounds

Shortcut:

Home

Centers the camera view inside the 3D Viewport’s screen area and resizes the view to fit within the area’s bounds.

Zoom Camera 1:1

Reference

Mode:

All Modes

Menu:

View ‣ Navigation ‣ Zoom Camera 1:1

Zooms the view so that the camera frame has the exact same size as the output resolution. This allows you to preview exactly how large objects will be in the rendered image/animation.

Camera Positioning

There are several different ways to position the camera in your scene. Some of them are explained below.

Hint

The active “camera” might be any kind of object, meaning these actions can also be used to position and aim a light for example.

Align Active Camera to View

Reference

Mode:

Object Mode

Menu:

View ‣ Align View ‣ Align Active Camera to View

Shortcut:

Ctrl-Alt-Numpad0

Moves and rotates the camera so it perfectly matches your current viewport view.

Camera Navigation

By enabling Lock Camera to View in Sidebar ‣ View and switching to camera view, the camera will become “glued” to the view and follow it around as you navigate.

See also

Fly/Walk Navigation for first person navigation that moves the active camera too.

Roll, Pan, Dolly, and Track

To perform these camera moves, the camera must first be selected so transform operations apply to it. The following actions also assume that you are in camera view. Having done so, you can now manipulate the camera using the same tools that are used to transform any object:

Roll

Press R to enter object rotation mode. The default will be to rotate the camera along its local Z axis (the axis orthogonal to the camera view), which is the definition of a camera “roll”.

Vertical Pan or Pitch

This is just a rotation along the local X axis. Press R to enter object rotation mode, then X twice. (The first press selects the global axis, the second the local axis. This works with any axis; see Axis Locking).

Horizontal Pan or Yaw

This corresponds to a rotation around the camera’s local Y axis. Press R, then Y twice.

Dolly

To dolly the camera, press G then MMB (or Z twice).

Sideways Tracking

Press G and move the mouse (you can use X or Y twice to get purely horizontal or vertical tracking).