Add Camera & Plane

Click on the icon below to be displayed a panel to configure your Camera, the Plane and the Texture 2D.

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Camera Settings

Camera options will allow you to change :

  • the Film ratio

  • the Lens Settings (like a real camera)

  • the Focal Length

  • the Aperture

Plane Settings

By default, Planes will have the same ratio as the camera’s.

The Plane option Margins can be used to add extra margins outside the Camera view : this is very handy, especially if you need to modify the Plane position and size.

../../_images/planecamera-settings-margins.png

The option Relative Scaling will allow you to make the Plane bigger or smaller than the Camera view. You can even unlock the Relative Scaling to have a ratio different from the camera’s.

../../_images/planecamera-settings-margins-relativescaling.png ../../_images/planecamera-settings-margins-relativescaling-result.png

Texture Settings

In the Texture Area, you can change the Texture’s height in pixels. Width will be automatically calculated depending on the Plane’s properties. For instance: with a 16/9 ratio Camera, a Texture with a height of 1080px will have a width of 1920px.

World Outliner

After hitting the Camera button, you will add a Plane and a Camera Actor in your Level. Both will be then visible in the panel World Outliner.

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Storyboard Viewport and piloting Camera

When adding a new Plane + Camera, you will automatically pilot the Camera Actor and move the Plane simultaneously.

../../_images/planecamera-piloting.png

Using shortcuts Up, Down, Left and Right to move them shall help you to find the right angle and perspective. However, make sure these Shortcuts are not already assigned to specifics actions to the Sequencer, or you might create Camera Keys unintentionally.

To change the shortcuts, go to the Editor Preferences:

  • from the “Unreal Engine” top menu on Mac

  • from the “Edit” top menu on Windows

In the search bar at the top, type and unassign the following shortcuts, in the catergory “Sequencer”:

  • Jump to start assigned to the key Up

  • Play forward assigned to the key Down

  • Step Backward assigned to the key Left

  • Step Forward assigned to the key Right

This will prevent unwanted behaviours later. For more help about this part, we advise you to watch this video on YouTube.

You can also use your mouse buttons (LMB, MMB and RMB). Click on the Eject button to stop piloting the Camera.

../../_images/planecamera-piloting-eject.png