Aperture Camera Presets - ApertureViewer/Aperture-Viewer GitHub Wiki
Aperture Viewer includes a dedicated Camera Preset system, accessible from the Camera (Cam) Tab within the Aperture Phototools Suite (APS). This system allows you to save and quickly recall specific camera positions, focus points, and orientations (roll) for both standard Viewer Camera operations and 3D Mouse/Joystick (Flycam) use.
This is separate from the comprehensive Aperture Graphics Presets which save your entire visual setup. The Camera Presets are specifically for camera views.
Overview
The Camera Preset system provides two independent sets of 12 preset slots each:
- 12 Slots for Viewer Camera: Located on the "Viewer Camera" sub-tab.
- 12 Slots for 3D Mouse/Joystick (Flycam) Camera: Located on the "Joystick" sub-tab.
This separation allows you to maintain distinct sets of preferred views depending on how you are controlling your camera.
What is Saved in a Camera Preset?
Each camera preset saves the following information:
- Camera Position: The precise X, Y, Z global coordinates of the camera in the sim.
- Focus Point: The X, Y, Z global coordinates of the point the camera is looking at.
- Camera Roll/Orientation: The rotational orientation of the camera, including its roll (tilt).
How to Use Camera Presets
Within both the "Viewer Camera" sub-tab and the "Joystick" sub-tab in the APS Camera Tab, you will find two rows of buttons, each numbered 1 through 12.
Saving a Camera Preset
- Position your camera (either standard viewer camera or flycam) exactly how you want it – get the angle, zoom (FOV), focus, and roll just right.
- Open the APS (
Ctrl+Shift+P
) and navigate to the "Camera" tab. - Select the appropriate sub-tab ("Viewer Camera" or "Joystick") based on the camera mode you were using.
- In the section labeled "Save to Slot:", click one of the numbered buttons (1 through 12).
- The current camera view (position, focus, roll) will be saved to that numbered slot for that specific camera mode (Viewer or Joystick).
[!TIP] There is currently no direct way to name these individual camera preset slots within the UI. You may want to keep a personal note of what view each numbered slot corresponds to if you use many.
Loading a Camera Preset
- Open the APS (
Ctrl+Shift+P
) and navigate to the "Camera" tab. - Select the appropriate sub-tab ("Viewer Camera" or "Joystick") corresponding to the type of preset you wish to load.
- In the section labeled "Load From Slot:", click one of the numbered buttons (1 through 12) that contains a previously saved preset.
- Your camera will instantly move to the saved position, focus, and orientation.
[!CAUTION] If you attempt to load a camera preset that was saved in a very distant location (e.g., a different sim or far across the current sim) and that location is beyond your current Draw Distance, the camera may not be able to move there, or the view may be empty. The system will typically provide a message like "You cannot load a camera position if your distance from that position is greater than your current draw distance."
Global Nature of Presets
Aperture Camera Presets are global per account. This means:
- A preset saved in slot #1 on the "Viewer Camera" sub-tab will be the same preset in slot #1 for the Viewer Camera regardless of which sim you are in or which avatar you are logged in as (if you use multiple accounts on the same viewer installation, they are distinct per account settings).
- They are not sim-specific. This makes them very useful for:
- Returning to favorite photo spots across different regions.
- Setting up consistent camera angles in a personal photo studio that you might re-rez in different locations.
- Quickly switching between common viewpoints for general exploration.
Known Issues & Future Considerations
- Camera Roll Saving (v1.0.0 Hotfix Pending):
[!IMPORTANT] In the initial v1.0.0 release of Aperture Viewer, there is a known bug where camera roll is not correctly saved or loaded for the Viewer Camera presets. This issue is slated to be fixed in an upcoming hotfix. The behavior of roll saving for Joystick/Flycam presets has also been historically complex and is under ongoing review for consistency.
- Preset Management: Currently, there is no in-viewer UI to delete individual camera preset slots or rename them. Management would require manually editing settings files (not recommended for typical users). Future enhancements might include more robust in-viewer management options.
- Number of Slots: While 12 slots per camera mode (24 total) are provided, future consideration might be given to expanding this if strong user demand exists, though UI space is a constraint.
These dedicated camera presets offer a quick and efficient way to manage frequently used camera views, streamlining your photography and videography workflow in Aperture Viewer.