How to change angle of 3D plot in Python?

Adjusting the Viewing Angle of 3D Plots in Python

When working with three-dimensional data visualizations in Python, particularly using Matplotlib's mplot3d toolkit, it's often essential to control the viewpoint to better understand the structure of the data. By adjusting the elevation and azimuth angles, you can rotate the 3D plot to view it from different perspectives, enhancing the clarity and insight of your visualizations.

Understanding Elevation and Azimuth

Matplotlib's Axes3D.view_init method allows you to set the elevation and azimuth angles of the 3D plot:

• Elevation (elev): Defines the vertical angle of the camera. A positive value moves the camera above the plot, while a negative value moves it below.
• Azimuth (azim): Defines the horizontal rotation of the camera around the z-axis. A positive value rotates the camera counterclockwise, while a negative value rotates it clockwise.

These parameters help in positioning the camera to view the plot from different angles, aiding in better data interpretation.

Example: Changing the View Angle

Here's an example demonstrating how to change the viewing angle of a 3D plot:

import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from mpl_toolkits.mplot3d import Axes3D

# Create data
z = np.linspace(0, 15, 1000)
x = np.sin(z)
y = np.cos(z)

# Create figure and 3D axis
fig = plt.figure(figsize=(8, 8))
ax = fig.add_subplot(111, projection='3d')

# Plot data
ax.plot3D(x, y, z, 'green')

# Set view angle
ax.view_init(elev=120, azim=30)

# Display plot
plt.show()

In this example, the view_init method is used to set the elevation to 120 degrees and the azimuth to 30 degrees, changing the perspective of the 3D plot.

Additional Customization

Beyond adjusting the view angle, you can further customize your 3D plots:

• Roll Angle: The roll parameter in view_init rotates the camera around the viewing axis. A positive value spins the camera clockwise, causing the scene to rotate counter-clockwise.
• Vertical Axis: The vertical_axis parameter allows you to align the vertical axis to 'x', 'y', or 'z', affecting the rotation behavior.
• Interactive Rotation: By enabling interactive rotation, you can manually adjust the view angle using the mouse, providing a dynamic way to explore the 3D plot.

These options provide greater flexibility in visualizing and interpreting three-dimensional data.

Conclusion

Adjusting the viewing angle of 3D plots in Python using Matplotlib's view_init method is a powerful way to enhance data visualization. By understanding and utilizing the elevation and azimuth parameters, you can gain better insights into your data from various perspectives, making your visualizations more informative and engaging.