Camera Shifting in Blender 2.43

Posted on by

shift031.gifA new option has appeared in the camera settings window in Blender 2.43: ‘Shift’. Allan Brito explains how to use it to fine-tune your camera position.

Allan writes:

The new Blender 2.43 came with a lot of new tools and modifications. I was looking at the new version, and I just found one that will aid everybody that works with architectural visualization, just like me. Now it`s possible to change the camera framing, without change the camera position. Let`s see how it works!

When we select the Blender camera properties, now there is an option called Shift. It appears when we select one camera and entre in Edit Mode.

Check it out on AllanBrito.com.

Share this article

    • http://blender.blog.siol.net PiPi

      Thanks Allan for explanation!

      -PiPi

    • http://mathiaspedersen.com MathiasPedersen

      It’s a nice new feature indeed.

      //Mathias

    • IamInnocent

      This is a tool that will be used a lot I’m sure.

      Good idea to make a mini-tutorial on it.

      Maybe you’d like to review this though :
      “… now there is an option called Shift. It appears when we select one camera and entre in Edit Mode.” Now I don’t think that there is an EditMode for the camera yet: it pretty much happens all in ObjectMode. This isn’t a problem for seasoned users but newcomers already have their plate full as they are.

      Thanks again.

      Jean

    • http://www.allanbrito.com Allan Brito

      Thanks IamInnocent, i didnt saw that. :)

      I`ve changed the text. Now it`s “…when we select one camera and open the Editing Panel…”. hehehe

      thanks,

      Allan

    • http://www.arabblend.com samran

      Very useful tools I use it for fix my frame balance
      thanks

    • http://www.flickr.com/photos/iluvblender/ Satish “ILuvBlender” Goda

      Nice tute.

      I found this small demo video on blender.org

      http://download.blender.org/demo/test/2.43/lens_shift.mov

    • http://www.smick.net michaelbuddy

      I must just be a bad learner, but I have no idea, other than not having to reposition the camera, what is the reason for this? Can somebody explain what the point is? What is it about rendering for architecture that can’t use the camera as is? I feel so ignorant on this topic.

      thanks for any help.

    • Reuben

      @michaelbuddy: Normally the vanishing point is at the center of your camera. By using the shift function, you move your camera, without moving the vanishing point.

      Architects like to render buildings with the camera aligned to the horizon. This ensures that the vertical lines of the buildings are parallel. However this is hard to do with tall buildings, because you have to move your camera to get the whole building in your shot, but when you do that, you are no longer aligned with the horizon and the verticle lines are no longer parallel. This lets you get around that problem.

      Watch this video: http://download.blender.org/demo/test/2.43/lens_shift.mov

    • LazyCoder

      That’s really cool!

      I’d still like to see something like this but so you can change the size, so more will be visible without having to change the camera’s position and lens angle.

    • IamInnocent

      @Michaelbuddy:

      just do this experiment…
      In a city with tall buildings scene (use some elongated cubes if you must) position your camera and adjust its pitch so the vertical lines of the buildings are really all vertical. Don’t concentrate on what the camera frames for the moment but do manage so the view you’d like to render is visible in the 3D window.
      Once you’re good move the frame to get your shot of predilection. Do a render for memory. Now set Shift to x=0, y=0 and try to find the same shot just by moving the camera: that’s impossible.

      @LazyCoder:
      at this point, all you have to do to achieve what you want is to dolly the camera (Gkey+MMB). Changing size (and resolution since the both go together) must remain a separate matter from framing, always.

      Jean

    • http://www.thoro.de thoro (Thorsten Schlüter)

      This new feature saved my ass :-) – I’m glad I always study the release logs.

      I had to render a product image in 13000x8500px – it will be used on my company’s CeBIT stand next week (CeBIT = German trade show for information and telecommunications technology).

      Using Camera Shifting it was no problem to render it in 4 parts without any problems.

      Thanks and greetings to Wybren!

      Thorsten

    • Yellow

      The shift feature is great. Shift was limited to Blenders internal renderer. But now Sunflow supports it too.

    • http://www.animelix.de animelix

      it’s sad that it is not funktion with yafray yet… a really nice new feature

    • IamInnocent

      Hey Thoro!

      Now there’s a rich idea!

      Thanks for talking about it. :)

      Jean

    • Oanav

      I have recently been learning blender with the aim of architectural visualisations and a small feature like this can make a really great difference! Thanks for pointing it out!