# Camera Distance in PLANAR views

**URL:** <https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/camera-distance-in-planar-views/116066>\
**Category:** Rhino\
**Tags:** windows\
**Created:** [January 12, 2021, 11:53am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/camera-distance-in-planar-views/116066 "2021-01-12T11:53:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Holo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/holo/32/496872_2.png) [@Holo](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Holo)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 11:53am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/camera-distance-in-planar-views/116066/1 "2021-01-12T11:53:45Z")

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Hi guys, I want to be able to set the camera distance to target for a planar view and expected to be able to adjust the distance to target and height in the panel, but this isn’t possible.

The reason is that I want to have a fixed scale. I can easily do this in a script, but I think Rhino should support this in the panel too.

(I CAN set target Z location and the camera Z location, but the distance to target is locked and thus automatically updates the other no matter which I change. That it doesn’t accept a lower Z for camera than the target makes sense though)

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/b/2/1/b21a26f5696fca1de6ffb52e7caeda36e28f28ee.png)

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**Author:** ![maje90](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/maje90/32/762888_2.png) [@maje90](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/maje90)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 12:19pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/camera-distance-in-planar-views/116066/2 "2021-01-12T12:19:59Z")

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> [@Holo](#):
>
> I CAN set target Z location and the camera Z location, but the distance to target is locked and thus automatically updates the other no matter which I change

That is not the problem.

With F6:  
 ![parallel_camera](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/d/7/4/d74351f90f1598a461dc0daab73262dc0405514d.gif)

Planar view is **parallel** projection.  
Like having an “infinitely far camera with infinite zoom”.  
Moving the camera location/target correctly do nothing. (other than changing view direction…)

> [@Holo](#):
>
> I can easily do this in a script, but I think Rhino should support this in the panel too.

In specific, what do you do with scripts?

* * *

I agree with you, camera tab should have an option to set “zoom factor” while in parallel projection, like perspective projection have camera lens length.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Holo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/holo/32/496872_2.png) [@Holo](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Holo)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 2:50pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/camera-distance-in-planar-views/116066/3 "2021-01-12T14:50:04Z")

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Well, it still is the problem because the Lens Length is always 50 and it is grayed out… even if you manipulate the widget… so something isn’t communicating with each other in the correct manner.

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/e/0/2/e025ff2f27eed8727b45715e877670622abacb2e.png)

PS! What tool do you use to make the view grab?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![maje90](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/maje90/32/762888_2.png) [@maje90](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/maje90)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2021, 3:16pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/camera-distance-in-planar-views/116066/4 "2021-01-12T15:16:28Z")

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> [@Holo](#):
>
> Lens Length is always 50 and it is grayed

That’s because lens length is not used at all in parallel view.

> [@Holo](#):
>
> PS! What tool do you use to make the view grab?

F6 keyboard button  
It shows current viewport camera as an object in other viewports.  
Oh, you meant the gif? ScreenToGif