locking a camera to a moving object

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locking a camera to a moving object

hey i searched for this in the forums but couldn't find it anywhere. I'd like to lock a camera to an object moving through 3d space.
I have a particle emitter releasing little spheres, and i'd like the camera to follow one of the spheres. I was hoping that there was a way to lock on to one of the spheres without having to keyframe all of the camera motion.

MBP 2.4Ghz 2GB RAM, Mac OS X (10.5.1)

Posted on Nov 29, 2007 12:31 PM

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Answer 1

Nov 29, 2007 12:40 PM in response to www.m-68.org

Well, you could have the camera follow a layer through a few different methods - the Point At behavior, a Match Move, an Attractor - but one particle of a particle system isn't a layer. You could try to track the particle, and apply the tracking data to the camera....

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Answer 2

www.m-68.org Author

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Nov 29, 2007 12:57 PM in response to Mark Spencer4

so if i created a second object that was identical to the particles, but was actually a single stand alone layer, i could then animate that layer by giving it a motion path through 3d space, and then use one of the behaviors you listed to have the camera then automatically lock on and follow that layer/particle.
yay? nay?

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Answer 3

Nov 29, 2007 1:09 PM in response to www.m-68.org

Even easier, put the camera and that object in the same group, and apply the motion path to the group the camera will follow it perfectly. If you want the camera to jiggle a little, apply Wriggle parameter behaviors to its position and rotation.

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Answer 4

Nov 29, 2007 1:11 PM in response to www.m-68.org

Dude, If you're considering creating a layer under the particle layer, animating that layer and having the camera follow it's path why not skip a step and just animate the CAMERA?!?

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Answer 5

www.m-68.org Author

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Nov 29, 2007 10:03 PM in response to  Certified

because i would have to animate both. The idea is to have the camera lock on to the objects anchor point, which in this case is the center of object. I don't want it to feel like the camera is chasing the object, but rather that the camera is directly connected to the object and its every move, also allowing me to rotate around the object without losing the centered framing of the object.

Not sure if that makes any sense at all.

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Answer 6

www.m-68.org Author

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Nov 29, 2007 10:06 PM in response to Mark Spencer4

thanks mark I'll give it a try.

Message was edited by: www.m-68.org

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