# LookAt vs makePerspective

**URL:** <https://discourse.threejs.org/t/lookat-vs-makeperspective/87820>\
**Category:** Questions\
**Created:** [October 30, 2025, 10:51am UTC](https://discourse.threejs.org/t/lookat-vs-makeperspective/87820 "2025-10-30T10:51:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jeremie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e47c2d/32.png) [@Jeremie](https://discourse.threejs.org/u/Jeremie)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2025, 10:51am UTC](https://discourse.threejs.org/t/lookat-vs-makeperspective/87820/1 "2025-10-30T10:51:38Z")

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A little ask about how threejs function.

LookAt is needed to init a camera yes or not? There is a relationship with makePerspective or its two thing completly different ?

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**Author:** ![Chaser\_Code](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.threejs.org/chaser_code/32/20199_2.png) [@Chaser\_Code](https://discourse.threejs.org/u/Chaser_Code)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2025, 12:40pm UTC](https://discourse.threejs.org/t/lookat-vs-makeperspective/87820/2 "2025-10-30T12:40:36Z")

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`makePerspective` Creates a perspective projection matrix.  
`makeOrthographic` Creates a orthographic projection matrix.  
`LookAt` Sets the rotation component of the transformation matrix, looking from “eye” towards “target”, and oriented by the up-direction.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![manthrax](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/discourse.threejs.org/manthrax/32/2596_2.png) [@manthrax](https://discourse.threejs.org/u/manthrax)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2025, 6:16pm UTC](https://discourse.threejs.org/t/lookat-vs-makeperspective/87820/3 "2025-10-30T18:16:28Z")

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completely different. .lookAt can be used to make an object (not just cameras) “point” towards another point.. (making its Z axis point towards another point)

the make\*\* methods are used to change a projection matrix.
