Hi all! I am lightwave user and i am just learning Houdini for about 1 month! Love this program. So, i’ve created domino test. For example, 100 domino straight, i wanted camera focus it to the first domino and then lead it through it to the end with last domino. I know how to use camera lead it to first domino by using a null but i don’t know how to lead it to the end with last domino. Can you please help?

Thanks for your help,

Keddy

P.S. Sorry about my bad english because i am deaf.

You can assign a camera to follow a path then animate the position channel from 0-1 to make the camera follow the path. However, I find free-form keyframing of the camera much easier and more flexible.

Thanks for your quick reply but i don't follow your instructions. I've been trying to do it like you saying but i'm confused with which one. Can you show visual step by step please that will be big help?

Thanks again

try this

Moin,

as far as I understand the original post, the goal is not to have the camera move along the path, but to pull the focus, so that the focus follows the “action” (the currently falling dominoe piece). So what you could do is take the path-example provided by Michael, but put a locator/Null on the path and link that object into the “look-at” channel/property of the camera. Then you would simply keyframe the position of the locator/Null to follow the action.

(Sorry for probably using the wrong terms, I am new to Houdini's terminology)

Marc

ok…a few things going on in this file

the camera is free, but it's lookat parameter now has the box - so the camera will always look at the box
it's Focus Distance has an expression that measures the distance between the Camera and the Box (a vector) and takes the Z value
abs(vtorigin(“/obj/cam1”, “/obj/box”))

then to set the f stop I selected the camera and in the viewport hit Enter
this brings up the camera handles - I RMB on the handle and select Focus Handle - then I used the little arrows to make the focal range just big enough to enclose the box

there is a ROP network, and inside I made a mantra node, made the resolution 1080p and turned on Enable Depth of Field.

have fun!

Great answers! I've sorted out with it after followed your instructions and it did went well! I want to saying big thanks for your help!