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[cooldude234]

I hate it when 3D modelers do that!

Why? What's the disadvantage that you find in this?

I hate having to rotate the camera to move it forward to then rotate it back, it seems counter-intuitive.
Also having multiple buttons for different camera movement modes tend to slow the progress down a lot. I like how anim8or has it all in one interface (the navigation circle). With that way you can move the camera in any direction without having to make any redundant and pointless clicks.

Also changing the way you navigate the camera now would probably mess with a lot of other things. I think it would be easier to just add to it rather to change it fundamentally.

[nemyax]

I hate having to rotate the camera to move it forward to then rotate it back, it seems counter-intuitive.

Sure does. I wasn't suggesting that.
You are referring to camera panning (moving up, down, left and right—RMB inside the circle); in this case, the point of interest should certainly follow the camera, as you rightly state.
And I was talking about dollying (moving the camera forward and backward—RMB outside the circle); here, the point of interest shouldn't change.

[cooldude234]

You are referring to camera panning

I was referring to all types of camera movement. Mainly because in other 3D modelers I tend to have to rotate the camera 90 degrees to pan it towards the object to rotate -90 degrees just so I can have the cameras center focused on something other than the object. I'm trying to remember how I did in carrara I think I had to deselect the object in order to move the camera's center because when you select an object in carrara it would make that object the center so when you rotate the camera you rotate around that object (ANNOYING!). I really don't want anim8or to go this route because I find it REALLY USEFUL to rotate around a point that I choose rather than what the software arbitrarily chose to pivot around.

EDIT:

And I was talking about dollying (moving the camera forward and backward—RMB outside the circle); here, the point of interest shouldn't change.

But you see I think it should, considering it gives you much more control over where the camera rotates (specially when working with large objects, I want to move the camera so I could rotate around a specific part of the model). E.g. I have a model of a city, I wan't to work on a particular building; so I would wan't to move the camera to rotate around that building, not the center of the city.
It's quite rather annoying with other modelers when you can't do that and you're forced to work at the center point causing you to rotate the camera into weird positions just so you can edit a portion of a model.

[nemyax]

in other 3D modelers I tend to have to rotate the camera 90 degrees to pan it towards the object to rotate -90 degrees

No 3D modeller I've used makes you rotate to pan. You just pan, and that's it. 'Tis a strange story you are telling.

E.g. I have a model of a city, I wan't to work on a particular building; so I would wan't to move the camera to rotate around that building, not the center of the city.

That's precisely what I'm asking for. Once you've focused on the building, the focus should stay on the building, no matter how much you dolly in and out.

[kreator]

Cooldude: I'm trying to remember how I did in carrara I think I had to deselect the object in order to move the camera's center because when you select an object in carrara it would make that object the center so when you rotate the camera you rotate around that object (ANNOYING!).

You don`t use the Conical/Isometric/or spherical cameras in Carrara and move them about once you have any  set. Thats why you have the Directors camera you should use that instead.

I would prefer the carrara camera setup as opposed to Anim8ors

[cooldude234]

You don`t use the Conical/Isometric/or spherical cameras in Carrara and move them about once you have any  set. Thats why you have the Directors camera you should use that instead.

I am using the directors camera in Carrara, but its the same controls for render camera's if I remember correctly.

I would prefer the carrara camera setup as opposed to Anim8ors

NOOOOO! Carrara's camera UI is most certainly not the worst. But compared to anim8or's it is horrid!

[nemyax]

Steve
Can you weigh in with your view of the dollying issue?

[Trevor]

If anyone wants my opinion on views in an8 I think they are fine as is. I like the little green circle, it took me a long time to find it usefull but now I can't live without it.

Prahaps Z movement could be made a little more sensative instead of having to go top to bottom of the screen a gazillion times to move in or out a small amount in high or even normal magnification.

Everyone is talking about the focal point, its the little green axis.
I suppose you could have like in scene mode where the camera can follow a tagged object, so instead of having to move, turn, move, turn you could snap to object and then just move.
hmm... that actually sounds good.

Trev

[nemyax]

I suppose you could have like in scene mode where the camera can follow a tagged object, so instead of having to move, turn, move, turn you could snap to object and then just move.
hmm... that actually sounds good.

Some programs have the option of automatically using the current selection as the focal point, and some (Animation:Master) even enforce this. That's one way to approach it.

[Steve]

Trevor The camera can follow any object, point towards any object, aim the same way, etc. by setting it's parent, orientation, etc. in it's properties dialog.

[cooldude234]

Trevor The camera can follow any object, point towards any object, aim the same way, etc. by setting it's parent, orientation, etc. in it's properties dialog.

Which camera are you talking about? The scene camera or the workspace camera? Cause where talking about the workspace one, but correct me if I am wrong; I didn't think the workspace camera had an options menu.

[cooldude234]

Oh and Steve, while working on higher res monitors I have found that it is really hard to create a straight line freehand'edly. I used to use the pixels hard edge to determine how straight a line was. Then it hit me when I was working with some other software (again fireworks 8 lol). In fireworks 8 if you hold shift while placing a line it locks into the 8 common directions (up, down, left, right, 45 degrees, 135 deg. etc.). So I though why can't anim8or do this as well.
So I guess a suggestion from me is when holding shift with either a placement or movement tool, it locks said task to the 8 directions.

[johnar]

 Hi guys.
 Just wanted to chime in on this little camera discussion. Looking thru, i see that the original question was.

Dollying the viewport camera (RMB-drag outside the navigation circle) shifts the camera's centre of interest. The program forces you to zoom in on things by changing the FOV, but that isn't always desirable. For example, you might want to view your model through a 35mm lens at all times.
Can this behaviour be changed so that the camera's centre of interest stays put when you dolly, just as with zooming?

 Have you tried using targets. ( in the manual--scene mode--camera--targets.)
 If you create a target, Place the target where you want the camera to stay focused, then set 'camera to face target', it will stay centered on the target while paning around and/or dollying in and out.
 Or, sorry if i have missed the gist of the discussion.
imho, the cameras in Anim8or are set up very well.

[nemyax]

johnar
This is about object mode, not scene mode (as cooldude234 mentioned earlier).

[johnar]

 Ahhhh. So you're talking about the 'árc-rotate' tool. (which isn't actually a camera).
 Now i see.