how to set “camera position” for 3d plots using python/matplotlib?

Question

I\'m learning how to use mplot3d to produce nice plots of 3d data and I\'m pretty happy so far. What I am trying to do at the moment is a little animation of a rotating surf

Answer 1

Minimal example varying azim, dist and elev

To add some simple sample images to what was explained at: https://stackoverflow.com/a/12905458/895245

Here is my test program:

#!/usr/bin/env python3

import sys

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from matplotlib import cm
from matplotlib.ticker import LinearLocator, FormatStrFormatter
import numpy as np

fig = plt.figure()
ax = fig.gca(projection='3d')

if len(sys.argv) > 1:
    azim = int(sys.argv[1])
else:
    azim = None
if len(sys.argv) > 2:
    dist = int(sys.argv[2])
else:
    dist = None
if len(sys.argv) > 3:
    elev = int(sys.argv[3])
else:
    elev = None

# Make data.
X = np.arange(-5, 6, 1)
Y = np.arange(-5, 6, 1)
X, Y = np.meshgrid(X, Y)
Z = X**2

# Plot the surface.
surf = ax.plot_surface(X, Y, Z, linewidth=0, antialiased=False)

# Labels.
ax.set_xlabel('x')
ax.set_ylabel('y')
ax.set_zlabel('z')

if azim is not None:
    ax.azim = azim
if dist is not None:
    ax.dist = dist
if elev is not None:
    ax.elev = elev

print('ax.azim = {}'.format(ax.azim))
print('ax.dist = {}'.format(ax.dist))
print('ax.elev = {}'.format(ax.elev))

plt.savefig(
    'main_{}_{}_{}.png'.format(ax.azim, ax.dist, ax.elev),
    format='png',
    bbox_inches='tight'
)

Running it without arguments gives the default values:

ax.azim = -60
ax.dist = 10
ax.elev = 30

main_-60_10_30.png

Vary azim

The azimuth is the rotation around the z axis e.g.:

• 0 means "looking from +x"
• 90 means "looking from +y"

main_-60_10_30.png

main_0_10_30.png

main_60_10_30.png

Vary dist

dist seems to be the distance from the center visible point in data coordinates.

main_-60_10_30.png

main_-60_5_30.png

main_-60_20_-30.png

Vary elev

From this we understand that elev is the angle between the eye and the xy plane.

main_-60_10_60.png

main_-60_10_30.png

main_-60_10_0.png

main_-60_10_-30.png

Tested on matpotlib==3.2.2.