Reverse perspective camera for OpenGL (Three.js)
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I've extended the standard OpenGL camera to allow smooth transition between normal perspective, orthographic, and reverse perspective projection. To demonstrate the effect, I built a demo using Three.js.Reverse perspective can feel a bit disorienting at first, but this demo is meant to highlight a few of its interesting advantages:1. An extended Dolly zoom effect. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolly_zoomYou can think of it as an extrapolation of the classic Dolly zoom into negative space. It produces a cinematic sense of vertigo or sudden insight, and also lets you pull the camera back from an object without distracting the viewer with surrounding geometry.2. A wider and more complete spatial view.Near objects no longer obscure distant ones; the viewer can see both the façade of a building and what’s happening on its roof, or even behind it.Code and details: https://github.com/bntre/reverse-perspective-threejs
HN · launched Nov 10, 2025 · 52 upvotes (top 16%) · 1 view
Niche: graphics rendering engines and libraries · 149 launches, 10 in the last 7 days ▼ -23% · Explore this niche →
Category and tags
- Horizontal
- Dev tools
- Developer
- Not AI
- Hobby / open-source project
Visit website ↗ Source listing ↗
More like this: all 149 launches in graphics rendering engines and libraries →
Could you build this?
Partial While the Three.js scene container is simple, formulating custom non-affine projection matrices and modifying vertex shaders for reverse perspective requires advanced 3D linear algebra.
What it would actually take: The system requires overriding the standard 4x4 OpenGL/Three.js projection matrix with a custom camera class that calculates non-standard perspective frustum transformations and depth-inversion mathematics, paired with custom vertex shaders to avoid clipping artifacts. Implementing this smoothly requires solid expertise in computer graphics, homogeneous coordinates, and matrix mathematics.
Discussion
8 comments analyzed.
Competitors mentioned: three.js (creative coding tool mentioned), Standard perspective/orthographic cameras
Concerns raised: No smooth transition between projections (like dolly zoom), Z-test behavior unclear in reverse perspective mode, Potential nausea/disorientation effects
Feature requests: More cross-eye content/stereo versions, Smooth transition between projections (dolly zoom support)
Competitors
Other products that read as similar to this one : 217 launches clear the similarity bar, closest 8 shown.
Attention rank: #41 of 218 (itself plus its competitors, highest first, normalized so YC and Product Hunt are compared fairly).
Looks like the first mover among its competitors.
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