Suggestion to Revise Camera Lock/Unlock Icon
Hi!
I’ve noticed an inconsistency in the camera lock/unlock functionality in Blender. Currently:
When the camera movement is locked, the icon displays an unlocked padlock. When the camera movement is unlocked, the icon displays a locked padlock. This feels counterintuitive. Typically, a locked padlock would signify that the feature is restricted (camera movement locked), while an unlocked padlock would indicate that the feature is free to use (camera movement unlocked).
This mismatch has been confusing me constantly while working, as the icon states don’t align with what I would intuitively expect.
I suggest swapping the icon states to improve the intuitiveness of the interface and make it easier for users to understand at a glance.
3 Comments
On the contrary, it's actually quite intuitive: if locked, then the view is locked to the camera and they move as one unit, when unlocked, the view is not bound to the camera and both move separately.
You on the other hand don't focus the view, but rather the camera itself, that's why it feels counterintuitive for you
I appreciate your explanation, and I now understand the reasoning behind the icon logic.
However, from a user perspective, it still feels counterintuitive because the padlock metaphor often symbolizes restrictions or movement constraints. In this context, many users (myself included) might interpret a locked padlock as restricting the camera’s ability to move, rather than locking the view to the camera.
Additionally, the view itself isn’t truly locked—it can still be moved independently. Because of this, it might make more sense to prioritize displaying the status of the camera being fixed or free to move, as that is the more tangible interaction.
For example, in the iPhone camera app, icons reflect the current status. If the flash is off, the icon shows a crossed-out lightning bolt; if it’s on, the icon shows a regular lightning bolt. Following a similar approach here, a locked padlock could indicate that the camera is fixed, while an unlocked padlock could indicate that it’s free to move.
Tbh i don't even know if this is the "official" reasoning behind the icon logic; used it the first time today, didn't even know it existed ^^