Understanding cameras

You can view After Effects 3D layers from any number of angles and distances using layers called cameras. When you set a particular camera view for your composition, you look at the layers as though you were looking through that camera. You can choose between viewing a composition through the Active Camera or through a named custom camera. The Active Camera is the topmost camera in the Timeline window at the current time. After Effects uses the Active Camera view when creating final output and when nesting compositions. If you have not created a custom camera, then the Active Camera is the same as the default composition view.

Though you can add multiple cameras to any composition, the camera's views affect only 3D layers, or 2D layers to which you've applied a Comp Camera effect. (See Using cameras and lights with effects.) Cameras can be both a parent and child to 2D and 3D layers.


Example of a camera A. Point of interest B. Frame C. Camera

Note: If you import or open an After Effects 5.x project containing a 3D composition that used a default camera, After Effects 6.0 adds an AE 5.x Default Camera to the composition.

Related Subtopics:

Creating and using cameras
Understanding camera settings
Using the camera tools
Using axes modes