3ds Max® 2008 Bible

Chapter 18. Configuring and Aiming Cameras

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Understanding camera basics

• Creating a camera object

• Viewing a camera in a viewport

• Controlling cameras with the viewport camera controls

• Aiming a camera at objects

• Altering camera parameters

• Using the Camera Correction modifier

• Using camera effects

Do you remember as a kid when you first got your own camera? After taking the usual pictures of your dog and the neighbor's fence, you quickly learned how much fun you could have with camera placement, such as a picture of a flagpole from the top of the flagpole or your mom's timeless expression when she found you inside the dryer. Cameras in Max can also offer all kinds of amusing views of your scene.

The benefit of cameras is that you can position them anywhere within a scene to offer a custom view. Camera views are fixed so they won't get lost as a Perspective view can sometimes do. You can open camera views in a viewport, and you can also use them to render images or animated sequences. Cameras in Max can also be animated (without damaging the camera, even if your mischievous older brother turns on the dryer).

In the Camera Parameters rollout is a section for enabling Multi-Pass Camera Effects. These effects include Motion Blur and Depth of Field. Essentially, these effects are accomplished by taking several rendered images of a scene and combining them with some processing.

Learning to Work with Cameras

If you're a photography hobbyist or like to take your video camera out and shoot ...