Zooming the timeline and preview in Video by Zaweba
Use the Hand and Zoom tools in Video by Zaweba to move round the timeline, and zoom the preview from 100 to 800 percent for precise masks and handles.
Fine detail needs a closer look. A mask edge round a face, a title placed against a guide, a cut that sits between two frames: all of these are easier when you can zoom in. Video by Zaweba has two tools for moving around, and a zoom for the preview picture that goes to 800 percent.
The Hand tool
Press H for the Hand tool. Drag with it to move round the timeline, or round the picture when the preview is zoomed in. It moves your view without moving anything in the edit, so you can drag freely without nudging a clip by accident.
On a long timeline, the Hand tool is a quick way to slide along to a later section. On a zoomed preview, it moves you round the picture to look at a different part of the frame.
The Zoom tool
Press Z for the Zoom tool. Click to zoom in, and Alt+click to zoom out. On the timeline, zooming in spreads the clips out so you can see individual frames and place edits precisely. Zooming out shows more of the film at once, for moving big sections or getting an overview.
Between H and Z you can move around a project quickly, then press V to go back to the Select tool.
Preview zoom
The preview picture can zoom from 100 to 800 percent. Hold Ctrl and turn the mouse wheel over the preview, or use View > Preview zoom. At high zoom levels, each pixel of the picture is shown large, which helps with very fine work.
The important part is that masks and handles stay lined up when you zoom. A mask drawn at 400 percent sits exactly where it should when you zoom back to 100. The handles for position, rotation and anchor, and the points of a mask, follow the zoomed picture, so you can grab them precisely.
Jobs that benefit
Masks are the main one. Drawing a pen mask round a person's hair, or adjusting the points of a mask that has to follow an edge, is far easier at 300 or 400 percent. Zoom in, use the Hand tool to move round the edge, adjust points, and zoom out to check the whole shape.
Placing titles and graphics precisely against rulers and guides is another. At high zoom you can see whether a logo really sits on the guide.
Checking detail is a third. Looking at the edges of a key, the sharpness of focus, the grain in a dark area or the artefacts from a speed change all need a close look. At 100 percent on a small preview, they are easy to miss.
Tips for working zoomed in
Zoom in for the detail, but zoom out often. A mask edge can look perfect at 800 percent and still be in the wrong place for the shot as a whole. Flick between close and full views.
Use the Hand tool rather than scrollbars when zoomed. Dragging feels natural and is quicker.
Remember that zooming the preview is only a way of looking. The export is not affected; it is always rendered from your original files.
How it fits with the rest of the app
Preview zoom works with the other viewing aids in the View menu, such as safe margins, rulers and guides, and the comparison view. Together, they make Video by Zaweba comfortable for detailed work on masks, motion paths and placement, without needing a separate program for fine compositing.
