P-L-E-A-S-E
The option to change the cameras FOV instead of moving the camera or the scene would be of tremendous help for navigating in 3DS MAX.
Feature request MAX
Moderator: Moderators
Hi Jürgen,jschrader wrote:Thanks Robert. Much appreciated.
The advantage is, that one could get a closer view of an object and edit it through the camera view (which is important if parallax matters) and without altering the camera position.
Best
Jürgen
Could you please explain this in more detail - so that I can understand the issues involved. A sort of simple tutorial would help
Markus
I sent a PM and asked for telephone contact since I assume that would make things easier for both of us.
Nonetheless I'll try to explain it in my words here.
The procedure described would be the same in any 3d modelling software.
Create three cylinders standing on the ground and roughly aligned in a row. Create a camera at about 1,70m height (=eyelevel) that is looking towards these cylinders.
Make one viewport the camera view.
In the camera view try to align the three cylinders so that one is in the middle and the other two are left and right from the center cylinder.
Up to here might be easy.
Imagine the camera represents the viewpoint of a spectator that doesn't leave his position.
The main task now is to align the three cylinders in the camera view very precisely in a way that the edges just touch. There shall be no gap nor overlap.
To achieve this one would want zoom in with the camera and navigate with the Navigator to get a close view of the area in question. The problem is that up to now there is no way to alter the FOV or focal length of the camera with the Navigator. Whatever you try to get closer will change the position of the camera. But of course that is not what we want because we want to keep the original point of view to align the objects exactly to the view of the spectator.
What I am asking for is the possibility to assign the FOV (or focal length) of the camera to one axis of the center knob of the Navigator.
Nonetheless I'll try to explain it in my words here.
The procedure described would be the same in any 3d modelling software.
Create three cylinders standing on the ground and roughly aligned in a row. Create a camera at about 1,70m height (=eyelevel) that is looking towards these cylinders.
Make one viewport the camera view.
In the camera view try to align the three cylinders so that one is in the middle and the other two are left and right from the center cylinder.
Up to here might be easy.
Imagine the camera represents the viewpoint of a spectator that doesn't leave his position.
The main task now is to align the three cylinders in the camera view very precisely in a way that the edges just touch. There shall be no gap nor overlap.
To achieve this one would want zoom in with the camera and navigate with the Navigator to get a close view of the area in question. The problem is that up to now there is no way to alter the FOV or focal length of the camera with the Navigator. Whatever you try to get closer will change the position of the camera. But of course that is not what we want because we want to keep the original point of view to align the objects exactly to the view of the spectator.
What I am asking for is the possibility to assign the FOV (or focal length) of the camera to one axis of the center knob of the Navigator.
There is no need to switch. In my setup all axes are blocked except nick and yaw. Roll isn't needed and I would use the "forward/backward" or the "up/down" axis for zooming.
The concept behind it is simply the view of a spectator as described above. He can turn his head and look up or down. He never will walk around or move. I just need to get a close up view of the scenery through the eyes of the spectator. Right now I have to use a shortcut assigned to a button and use the mouse if I want to do this.
I spend weeks with this kind of work for special simulator projects, and it would be a great improvement if I coul do this by simply using the center button of the Navigator as I do for looking around and up/down.
What do you mean by "projection that is used"?
Thx
Jürgen
The concept behind it is simply the view of a spectator as described above. He can turn his head and look up or down. He never will walk around or move. I just need to get a close up view of the scenery through the eyes of the spectator. Right now I have to use a shortcut assigned to a button and use the mouse if I want to do this.
I spend weeks with this kind of work for special simulator projects, and it would be a great improvement if I coul do this by simply using the center button of the Navigator as I do for looking around and up/down.
What do you mean by "projection that is used"?
Thx
Jürgen
Here goes: http://schrader-air.de/3dx/3dx.zip
This is a basic sample project witht a few objects and a camera.
There is also a screenshot from the Navigator panel with the settings I use.
What I typically do is to align the objects to the camera view like I did with the box on the top right. All object manipulation is done with the mouse and the Navigator is used to controll the camera.
Because the alignment to the camera view is crucial for the whole project, the xyz position of the camera is always fixed. Only FOV and looking direction can be altered.
Thanks again for your engagement.
This is a basic sample project witht a few objects and a camera.
There is also a screenshot from the Navigator panel with the settings I use.
What I typically do is to align the objects to the camera view like I did with the box on the top right. All object manipulation is done with the mouse and the Navigator is used to controll the camera.
Because the alignment to the camera view is crucial for the whole project, the xyz position of the camera is always fixed. Only FOV and looking direction can be altered.
Thanks again for your engagement.