[Bf-interface] Blender’s terminology for “zooming” is wrong, “zooming” behaviour in Camera View is inconsistent

[Chris Offner]

Hey there,

I recorded a little video here regarding a UI/UX and terminology issue I've
encountered with regards to "zooming".

https://vimeo.com/214022315

Many people have utterly incorrect notions of camera work, and conflate the
terms zoom, dolly and crop into a single term - usually "zoom".

Blender's terminology and behaviour is also misleading there.

To clarify:

   - A *zoom* is changing the focal length of your lens.
   The camera does not move from a zoom. It stays put.
   - A *dolly-in* or *dolly-out* is where you move the camera forward or
   backward.
   A dolly itself does not change the focal length but does change the
   position of the camera.
   - A *crop* changes neither the focal length nor the position of the
   camera.
   Instead it changes what area of the sensor/film back gets exposed.

In Blender in Perspective View, going *View* > *Navigation* > *Zoom In* / *Zoom
Out* does not perform a *zoom*, it performs a *dolly*. The focal length of
the view does not change, the position of the *viewport camera* does.

But then if you go into Camera View, there are two alternative behaviours:

A) With *Lock Camera to View* turned *ON*, it behaves just like in
Perspective View, i.e. it dollies in and out.

B) With *Lock Camera to View* turned *OFF*, it scales the canvas in and
out. It's not even a crop because it doesn't affect the content of the
rendered frame - just the content of the viewport.

So *View* > *Navigation* > *Zoom In* / *Zoom Out* in Blender is *never a
zoom*.
It almost always is a *Dolly*, except when in Camera View with *Lock Camera
to View* turned *OFF*.

Then it's a *Scale Canvas Up* / *Scale Canvas Down*.

But even with that all said, I don't know how to scale in and out of the
canvas while *Lock Camera to View* is on (which it always is to me because
that's the only way I ever use the Camera View, like in any other DCC).

Any thoughts on this? I do think terminology matters - both for more
competent/knowledgeable artists and for UX/UI.
Words have meaning, and you wouldn't randomly use "focal length" when you
mean "sensor size" either, because that'd be confusing.

Moreover it's also confusing that Blender lists "Dolly" as a "Zoom Style".
All three options are "Dolly" moves - they move the camera, don't change
the focal length.
https://gfycat.com/CompassionateFatJerboa

Any thoughts on this?

Cheers,
Chris
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