To Create A Camera; Camera Settings - Adobe AFTER EFFECTS 7.0 Manual

To create a camera

Each camera has a set of properties, which include focal length, aperture, and focus distance. Using these properties,
you can create custom cameras that simulate a large range of real cameras.
Select either the Timeline or Composition panel.
1
2 Choose Layer > New > Camera.
Adjust settings.
3
Note: You can include specific layers in a camera view by using the View commands. (See "Selecting and adjusting 3D
views" on page 178.) The Look At Selected Layers command changes the position of the camera view but does not change
the angle or direction of view.
All of the cameras that you create are listed in the View list, located at the bottom of the Composition panel, where
you can access them at any time.
See also
"Camera settings" on page 181

Camera settings

You can set up cameras in After Effects to simulate the capabilities of real-world cameras. Use camera settings to
configure the camera view to match the settings you use to record video footage or to look at the footage from a new
perspective. You can change camera settings at any time by selecting the camera layer and choosing Layer > Camera
Settings.
Specifies the name of the camera. By default, After Effects assigns the name Camera 1 to the first camera you
Name
create in a composition, and all subsequent cameras are numbered in ascending order. If you delete a camera, and
are still using the After Effects default naming convention, After Effects names the next camera you create with the
lowest available number. You should choose distinctive names for multiple cameras to make it easier to distinguish
them.
Specifies the type of camera settings you want to use. Cameras come with several presets. The presets are
Preset
named according to focal lengths. Each preset is meant to represent the behavior of a 35mm camera with a lens of a
certain focal length. Therefore, the preset also sets the Angle Of View, Zoom, Focus Distance, Focal Length, and
Aperture values. The default preset is 50mm. You can also create a custom camera by specifying new values for any
of the settings.
Specifies the distance from the position of the camera to the image plane.
Zoom
Specifies the width of the scene captured in the image. The Focal Length, Film Size, and Zoom values
Angle Of View
determine the angle of view. A wider angle of view creates the same effect as a wide-angle lens.
Applies custom variables to the Focus Distance, Aperture, F-Stop, and Blur Level settings.
Enable Depth Of Field
Using these variables, you can manipulate the depth of field to create more realistic camera-focusing effects. (The
depth of field is the distance range within which the image is in focus. Images outside the distance range are blurred.)
Specifies the distance from the camera's position to the plane that is in perfect focus.
Focus Distance
Makes the Focus Distance value match the Zoom value.
Lock To Zoom
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User Guide