Problem with viewport in 3ds max

AeHarbor

Hello, please tell me the solution: I select the image for the background in the viewport configuration window and at the bottom of three options I choose match bitmap. The image is set as needed, but when I select another viewport it stretches a lot, apparently the match bitmap option is reset itself and set differently. How to fix it? Thank you in advance.

poopipe

this brings back memories from 25 years ago for some reason

i (and i think everyone else) just put the images onto planes in the scene because it's a better way to work 

AeHarbor

poopipe said:

this brings back memories from 25 years ago for some reason

i (and i think everyone else) just put the images onto planes in the scene because it's a better way to work 

Thanks for the answer, but the way you described is very uncomfortable and impractical. To relate the model with picture, you need in addition to the camera move/rotate plane, which somehow needs to be created exactly perpendicular to the camera, and the many planes around the model will interfere a lot.

Eric Chadwick

I would recommend creating cameras specifically for each angle, rather than using the built-in ortho views. You can set a camera as ortho, and align it to the plane with the ref on it. Then you can lock the camera position/rotation so it won't accidentally move. That's what I would do. Especially since you have an angled ref.

Eric Chadwick

Also it would help to update your software to the latest version, as 2021 is really old. Autodesk has made a lot of improvements lately!

AeHarbor

Eric Chadwick said:

Also it would help to update your software to the latest version, as 2021 is really old. Autodesk has made a lot of improvements lately!

I tried the 2024 and 2025 versions and the problem was not solved.

Eric Chadwick said:

I would recommend creating cameras specifically for each angle, rather than using the built-in ortho views. You can set a camera as ortho, and align it to the plane with the ref on it. Then you can lock the camera position/rotation so it won't accidentally move. That's what I would do. Especially since you have an angled ref.

The problem is that I import cameras from Image Modeler and they are initially at an unknown angle relative to axes xyz. In such conditions it is not clear how to make plane clearly perpendicular to the camera.

 Do you use this method with planes? Is it really comfortable for you?

pxgeek

maybe resizing your ref images to the same aspect ratio.

it's low tech, but it might work?

sacboi

Indeed, it's how every mechanical hard surface artist I know of would set up their workspace as well as splitting their viewport to either top - side - front or back orthographic view, with bitmaps simply assigned too planes (...toggle visibility or adjust opacity)

A workflow btw that's neither impractical nor inefficient as you may think because correctly scaled modeling references are crucial when accuracy is required. I'd also recommend working off of 'blueprints' albeit line drawn or vector rather than typically focal length skewed images, in my experience photographs are usually for checking details once you're past the blockout stage. 

poopipe

AeHarbor said:

Eric Chadwick said:

Also it would help to update your software to the latest version, as 2021 is really old. Autodesk has made a lot of improvements lately!

I tried the 2024 and 2025 versions and the problem was not solved.

Eric Chadwick said:

I would recommend creating cameras specifically for each angle, rather than using the built-in ortho views. You can set a camera as ortho, and align it to the plane with the ref on it. Then you can lock the camera position/rotation so it won't accidentally move. That's what I would do. Especially since you have an angled ref.

The problem is that I import cameras from Image Modeler and they are initially at an unknown angle relative to axes xyz. In such conditions it is not clear how to make plane clearly perpendicular to the camera.

 Do you use this method with planes? Is it really comfortable for you?

Sorry, somehow I kinda missed the fact you're working off wonky photo ref.  When you don't have nice orthographic images planes aren't actually that useful

There are various camera matching solutions (there's a rudimentary example supplied with max iirc).
Usually they rely on knowing something about the way the image was shot (focal length, lens type  etc)  and it's very easy to get something wrong that looks right if you're just guessing.  Things have probably improved over the years though, it has been a while since I worked off references like that

AeHarbor

pxgeek said:

maybe resizing your ref images to the same aspect ratio.

it's low tech, but it might work?

It does work, but for no more than two viewports per layer, which is clearly not enough.

sacboi said:

Indeed, it's how every mechanical hard surface artist I know of would set up their workspace as well as splitting their viewport to either top - side - front or back orthographic view, with bitmaps simply assigned too planes (...toggle visibility or adjust opacity)

A workflow btw that's neither impractical nor inefficient as you may think because correctly scaled modeling references are crucial when accuracy is required. I'd also recommend working off of 'blueprints' albeit line drawn or vector rather than typically focal length skewed images, in my experience photographs are usually for checking details once you're past the blockout stage. 

Unfortunately, these "blueprints" have nothing to do with reality, it's easier to work with photos right away. The method with real photos and the ImModel works, but this bug greatly hinders.