Use when scripting Roblox camera behavior, CFrame placement, screen raycasts, first or third-person views, or cutscenes.

Roblox Camera When to Load Load when scripting custom camera behavior (cutscenes, third person follow, custom rotation), manipulating CFrame for placement/rotation, raycasting from the screen, or building a non default player view. Client only. Quick Reference The Camera : workspace.CurrentCamera : one per client. Set CameraType = Scriptable to disable defaults and take full control. Without it, defaults overwrite your CFrame every frame. CameraType : Fixed , Attach / Watch / Track / Follow (subject following), Custom (default), Scriptable (no default), Orbital (fixed Y, rotates around player). CameraSubject cannot be nil : setting it reverts. Key properties : CFrame , CameraSubject , FieldOfView (deg), FieldOfViewMode ( Vertical / Diagonal ), NearPlaneZ , ViewportSize , HeadLocked , HeadScale , Focus . CFrame essentials : Operation Luau Position only CFrame.new(position) Look at target CFrame.lookAt(position, target, upVector) XYZ rotation CFrame.Angles(rx, ry, rz) Local to world cf Vector3.new(0, 0, 10) Interpolate cf:Lerp(goal, alpha) Unit axes cf.LookVector , cf.RightVector , cf.UpVector Custom camera loop : always PreRender , never Heartbeat : Raycasting from camera : camera:ScreenPointToRay(mx, my) (accounts for GUI inset) vs camera:ViewportPointToRay(mx, my) (raw, NO inset). ScreenPointToRay returns a unit Ray (1 stud); multiply Direction by length for the actual raycast. Pitfalls : Client only. Server sets silently dropped. Without Scriptable , defaults overwrite your CFrame every frame. PreRender for camera (visual sync). Heartbeat adds 1 frame lag. RenderStepped still works but is superseded by PreRender . Camera.CFrame lacks VR head rotation; use GetRenderCFrame() for the true view. SetRoll is outdated; apply roll via CFrame.Angles(0, 0, roll) on CFrame. CameraSubject = nil reverts to previous. CFrame.new(pos, lookAt) is legacy (back compat only); use CFrame.lookAt(at, lookAt) for new code. ScreenPointToRay ≠ ViewportPointToRay (GUI inset). Use ScreenPointToRay for mouse input. See references/full.md for first/third person recipes, cutscenes, screen shake, mouse look, full API.

roblox-camera