Camera

new Camera()

The camera is defined by a position, orientation, and view frustum.

The orientation forms an orthonormal basis with a view, up and right = view x up unit vectors.

The viewing frustum is defined by 6 planes. Each plane is represented by a Cartesian4 object, where the x, y, and z components define the unit vector normal to the plane, and the w component is the distance of the plane from the origin/camera position.
Example:
// Create a camera looking down the negative z-axis, positioned at the origin,
// with a field of view of 60 degrees, and 1:1 aspect ratio.
var camera = new Cesium.Camera(scene);
camera.position = new Cesium.Cartesian3();
camera.direction = Cesium.Cartesian3.negate(Cesium.Cartesian3.UNIT_Z);
camera.up = Cesium.Cartesian3.clone(Cesium.Cartesian3.UNIT_Y);
camera.frustum.fovy = Cesium.Math.PI_OVER_THREE;
camera.frustum.near = 1.0;
camera.frustum.far = 2.0;
Demo:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 74

Members

constrainedAxis :Cartesian3

If set, the camera will not be able to rotate past this axis in either direction.
Default Value: undefined
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 189

defaultLookAmount :Number

The default amount to rotate the camera when an argument is not provided to the look methods.
Default Value: Math.PI / 60.0
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 169

defaultMoveAmount :Number

The default amount to move the camera when an argument is not provided to the move methods.
Default Value: 100000.0;
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 162

defaultRotateAmount :Number

The default amount to rotate the camera when an argument is not provided to the rotate methods.
Default Value: Math.PI / 3600.0
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 176

defaultZoomAmount :Number

The default amount to move the camera when an argument is not provided to the zoom methods.
Default Value: 100000.0;
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 183

direction :Cartesian3

The view direction of the camera.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 115

directionWC :Cartesian3

Gets the view direction of the camera in world coordinates.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 576

frustum :Frustum

The region of space in view.
Default Value: PerspectiveFrustum()
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 152

heading :Number

Gets or sets the camera heading in radians.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 612

inverseTransform :Matrix4

Gets the inverse camera transform.
Default Value: Matrix4.IDENTITY
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 520

inverseViewMatrix :Matrix4

Gets the inverse view matrix.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 552

maximumTranslateFactor :Number

The factor multiplied by the the map size used to determine where to clamp the camera position when translating across the surface. The default is 1.5. Only valid for 2D and Columbus view.
Default Value: 1.5
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 196

maximumZoomFactor :Number

The factor multiplied by the the map size used to determine where to clamp the camera position when zooming out from the surface. The default is 2.5. Only valid for 2D.
Default Value: 2.5
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 203

position :Cartesian3

The position of the camera.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 104

positionWC :Cartesian3

Gets the position of the camera in world coordinates.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 564
The right direction of the camera.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 138

rightWC :Cartesian3

Gets the right direction of the camera in world coordinates.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 600

tilt :Number

Gets or sets the camera tilt in radians
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 644

transform :Matrix4

Modifies the camera's reference frame. The inverse of this transformation is appended to the view matrix.
Default Value: Matrix4.IDENTITY
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 90

up :Cartesian3

The up direction of the camera.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 127

upWC :Cartesian3

Gets the up direction of the camera in world coordinates.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 588

viewMatrix :Matrix4

Gets the view matrix.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 536

Methods

cameraToWorldCoordinates(cartesian, result) → Cartesian4

Transform a vector or point from the camera's reference frame to world coordinates.
Name Type Description
cartesian Cartesian4 The vector or point to transform.
result Cartesian4 optional The object onto which to store the result.
Returns:
The transformed vector or point.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 814

cameraToWorldCoordinatesPoint(cartesian, result) → Cartesian3

Transform a point from the camera's reference frame to world coordinates.
Name Type Description
cartesian Cartesian3 The point to transform.
result Cartesian3 optional The object onto which to store the result.
Returns:
The transformed point.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 834

cameraToWorldCoordinatesVector(cartesian, result) → Cartesian3

Transform a vector from the camera's reference frame to world coordinates.
Name Type Description
cartesian Cartesian3 The vector to transform.
result Cartesian3 optional The object onto which to store the result.
Returns:
The transformed vector.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 854

clone() → Camera

Returns a duplicate of a Camera instance.
Returns:
A new copy of the Camera instance.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 2062

createCorrectPositionAnimation(duration) → Object

Create an animation to move the map into view. This method is only valid for 2D and Columbus modes.
Name Type Description
duration Number The duration, in milliseconds, of the animation.
Returns:
The animation or undefined if the scene mode is 3D or the map is already ion view.
Throws:
  • DeveloperException : duration is required.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 2039

getMagnitude() → Number

Gets the magnitude of the camera position. In 3D, this is the vector magnitude. In 2D and Columbus view, this is the distance to the map.
Returns:
The magnitude of the position.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1375

getPickRay(windowPosition, result) → Object

Create a ray from the camera position through the pixel at windowPosition in world coordinates.
Name Type Description
windowPosition Cartesian2 The x and y coordinates of a pixel.
result Ray optional The object onto which to store the result.
Returns:
Returns the Cartesian3 position and direction of the ray.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1880

getRectangleCameraCoordinates(rectangle, result) → Cartesian3

Get the camera position needed to view an rectangle on an ellipsoid or map
Name Type Description
rectangle Rectangle The rectangle to view.
result Cartesian3 optional The camera position needed to view the rectangle
Returns:
The camera position needed to view the rectangle
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1694

look(axis, angle)

Rotate each of the camera's orientation vectors around axis by angle
Name Type Description
axis Cartesian3 The axis to rotate around.
angle Number optional The angle, in radians, to rotate by. Defaults to defaultLookAmount.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1077

lookAt(eye, target, up)

Sets the camera position and orientation with an eye position, target, and up vector. This method is not supported in 2D mode because there is only one direction to look.
Name Type Description
eye Cartesian3 The position of the camera.
target Cartesian3 The position to look at.
up Cartesian3 The up vector.
Throws:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1459

lookDown(amount)

Rotates the camera around its right vector by amount, in radians, in the opposite direction of its up vector.
Name Type Description
amount Number optional The amount, in radians, to rotate by. Defaults to defaultLookAmount.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1057

lookLeft(amount)

Rotates the camera around its up vector by amount, in radians, in the opposite direction of its right vector.
Name Type Description
amount Number optional The amount, in radians, to rotate by. Defaults to defaultLookAmount.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1012

lookRight(amount)

Rotates the camera around its up vector by amount, in radians, in the direction of its right vector.
Name Type Description
amount Number optional The amount, in radians, to rotate by. Defaults to defaultLookAmount.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1027

lookUp(amount)

Rotates the camera around its right vector by amount, in radians, in the direction of its up vector.
Name Type Description
amount Number optional The amount, in radians, to rotate by. Defaults to defaultLookAmount.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1042

move(direction, amount)

Translates the camera's position by amount along direction.
Name Type Description
direction Cartesian3 The direction to move.
amount Number optional The amount, in meters, to move. Defaults to defaultMoveAmount.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 899

moveBackward(amount)

Translates the camera's position by amount along the opposite direction of the camera's view vector.
Name Type Description
amount Number optional The amount, in meters, to move. Defaults to defaultMoveAmount.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 939

moveDown(amount)

Translates the camera's position by amount along the opposite direction of the camera's up vector.
Name Type Description
amount Number optional The amount, in meters, to move. Defaults to defaultMoveAmount.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 968

moveForward(amount)

Translates the camera's position by amount along the camera's view vector.
Name Type Description
amount Number optional The amount, in meters, to move. Defaults to defaultMoveAmount.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 924

moveLeft(amount)

Translates the camera's position by amount along the opposite direction of the camera's right vector.
Name Type Description
amount Number optional The amount, in meters, to move. Defaults to defaultMoveAmount.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 997

moveRight(amount)

Translates the camera's position by amount along the camera's right vector.
Name Type Description
amount Number optional The amount, in meters, to move. Defaults to defaultMoveAmount.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 982

moveUp(amount)

Translates the camera's position by amount along the camera's up vector.
Name Type Description
amount Number optional The amount, in meters, to move. Defaults to defaultMoveAmount.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 953

pickEllipsoid(windowPosition, ellipsoid, result) → Cartesian3

Pick an ellipsoid or map.
Name Type Default Description
windowPosition Cartesian2 The x and y coordinates of a pixel.
ellipsoid Ellipsoid Ellipsoid.WGS84 optional The ellipsoid to pick.
result Cartesian3 optional The object onto which to store the result.
Returns:
If the ellipsoid or map was picked, returns the point on the surface of the ellipsoid or map in world coordinates. If the ellipsoid or map was not picked, returns undefined.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1792

rotate(axis, angle, transform)

Rotates the camera around axis by angle. The distance of the camera's position to the center of the camera's reference frame remains the same.
Name Type Description
axis Cartesian3 The axis to rotate around given in world coordinates.
angle Number optional The angle, in radians, to rotate by. Defaults to defaultRotateAmount.
transform Matrix4 optional A transform to append to the camera transform before the rotation. Does not alter the camera's transform.
Example:
// Rotate about a point on the earth.
var center = ellipsoid.cartographicToCartesian(cartographic);
var transform = Cesium.Matrix4.fromTranslation(center);
camera.rotate(axis, angle, transform);
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1165

rotateDown(angle, transform)

Rotates the camera around the center of the camera's reference frame by angle downwards.
Name Type Description
angle Number optional The angle, in radians, to rotate by. Defaults to defaultRotateAmount.
transform Matrix4 optional A transform to append to the camera transform before the rotation. Does not alter the camera's transform.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1195

rotateLeft(angle, transform)

Rotates the camera around the center of the camera's reference frame by angle to the left.
Name Type Description
angle Number optional The angle, in radians, to rotate by. Defaults to defaultRotateAmount.
transform Matrix4 optional A transform to append to the camera transform before the rotation. Does not alter the camera's transform.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1282

rotateRight(angle, transform)

Rotates the camera around the center of the camera's reference frame by angle to the right.
Name Type Description
angle Number optional The angle, in radians, to rotate by. Defaults to defaultRotateAmount.
transform Matrix4 optional A transform to append to the camera transform before the rotation. Does not alter the camera's transform.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1266

rotateUp(angle, transform)

Rotates the camera around the center of the camera's reference frame by angle upwards.
Name Type Description
angle Number optional The angle, in radians, to rotate by. Defaults to defaultRotateAmount.
transform Matrix4 optional A transform to append to the camera transform before the rotation. Does not alter the camera's transform.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1211

setPositionCartographic(cartographic)

Moves the camera to the provided cartographic position.
Name Type Description
cartographic Cartographic The new camera position.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1431

setTransform(transform)

Sets the camera's transform without changing the current view.
Name Type Description
transform Matrix4 The camera transform.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 730

twistLeft(amount)

Rotate the camera counter-clockwise around its direction vector by amount, in radians.
Name Type Description
amount Number optional The amount, in radians, to rotate by. Defaults to defaultLookAmount.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1106

twistRight(amount)

Rotate the camera clockwise around its direction vector by amount, in radians.
Name Type Description
amount Number optional The amount, in radians, to rotate by. Defaults to defaultLookAmount.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1120

viewRectangle(rectangle, ellipsoid)

View an rectangle on an ellipsoid or map.
Name Type Default Description
rectangle Rectangle The rectangle to view.
ellipsoid Ellipsoid Ellipsoid.WGS84 optional The ellipsoid to view.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1720

worldToCameraCoordinates(cartesian, result) → Cartesian4

Transform a vector or point from world coordinates to the camera's reference frame.
Name Type Description
cartesian Cartesian4 The vector or point to transform.
result Cartesian4 optional The object onto which to store the result.
Returns:
The transformed vector or point.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 754

worldToCameraCoordinatesPoint(cartesian, result) → Cartesian3

Transform a point from world coordinates to the camera's reference frame.
Name Type Description
cartesian Cartesian3 The point to transform.
result Cartesian3 optional The object onto which to store the result.
Returns:
The transformed point.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 774

worldToCameraCoordinatesVector(cartesian, result) → Cartesian3

Transform a vector from world coordinates to the camera's reference frame.
Name Type Description
cartesian Cartesian3 The vector to transform.
result Cartesian3 optional The object onto which to store the result.
Returns:
The transformed vector.
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 794

zoomIn(amount)

Zooms amount along the camera's view vector.
Name Type Description
amount Number optional The amount to move. Defaults to defaultZoomAmount.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1339

zoomOut(amount)

Zooms amount along the opposite direction of the camera's view vector.
Name Type Description
amount Number optional The amount to move. Defaults to defaultZoomAmount.
See:
Source: Scene/Camera.js, line 1358