About CamLab
CamLab teaches the language of the camera by letting you move one. It pairs a 3D scene with clear written explanations, so you can see a technique and understand why it works.
Why CamLab exists
Most cinematography terms are easy to define and hard to picture. Anyone can read that a truck moves sideways and a pan rotates in place, but the difference in how the background slides is much clearer when you watch it happen.
CamLab is meant for students, filmmakers, creators and photographers who want that kind of understanding without needing a studio or expensive gear. Every topic combines something to watch with something to read.
The goal is practical. After a few sessions you should be able to look at a scene, name the camera choices behind it, and pick your own on purpose, whether you are planning a short film, a product video or a set of photographs.
How the site is built
CamLab is a static website. The 3D scene is built with three.js and runs in your browser. There are no accounts, no sign-up and no forms. You can search the whole site with Ctrl/Cmd+K, switch between a light and dark theme, and use every control from the keyboard. If your system prefers reduced motion, scenes stay paused until you press Play.
The site is available in eight languages: English, Korean, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese.
What the 3D model does and does not simulate
The scene shows camera position, movement, height, angle, framing and field of view accurately enough to teach them. Field of view uses full-frame 36 x 24 mm math, so the focal length numbers match what you would expect from a full-frame camera.
It does not fully simulate real optics. There is no true lens distortion, sensor response, exposure or depth-of-field blur, and the effect bars on the Lens page are a visual approximation. The city and the figure are simplified stand-ins. Treat the model as a sketch of the idea and judge final results on real footage. A lens that looks right in the scene still needs a test with your own camera, because real glass adds character the model leaves out.
Editorial approach
Each page tries to explain why a choice works: what the viewer feels, what changes in the image, and how a technique differs from a similar one. We prefer general, verifiable craft examples over claims about specific productions, and we leave out stories about who invented what when the history is disputed.
If we find an error, we correct it. Reports from readers are welcome, and the Contact page explains how to send one.
Who runs it
CamLab is operated by A&B Network (https://anb-network.com) and is an evoa.one project. A&B Network also takes business inquiries, which you can send through the Contact page.
The site is maintained as a single, small project. Pages are revised as the viewer grows and as readers point out places where an explanation could be clearer, so the content you read here may be updated over time.