# Slow zoom out

Camera / Camera move / Zoom and lens. Checked 2026-10-13.

Reveals context around a subject; what seemed central becomes small.

- Use when: Ending a video, showing a person is not alone, revealing the setting.
- Phrase: slow zoom out from the cup on the table until the whole café is in frame, the camera stays in place
- Page: https://directorchair.ai/move/slow-zoom-out
- JSON: https://directorchair.ai/api/move/slow-zoom-out.json

## Watch out

- A zoom keeps the perspective of one spot. For a reveal with depth, a dolly out reads more natural. (film-craft; Director Chair field notes on video prompting)

## Move card

- **Camera:** stays put while the lens widens
- **Pace:** slow and even
- **Keep:** the main subject readable as the surroundings appear
- **Ends:** a calm wider frame

## Reference: Slow zoom out

> slow zoom out. Movement: slowly decrease lens focal length toward a wider frame. Speed: gradual and even. Framing: keep the main visual target readable as more surrounding space appears. End: finish on a stable wider composition.

Credit: AI Camera Movements (aicameramovements.com). Source: https://aicameramovements.com/previews/hq/5b-slow-zoom-out-hq.mp4
Clip: https://directorchair.ai/media/aicameramovements/5b-slow-zoom-out-hq.mp4
Poster: https://directorchair.ai/media/aicameramovements/5b-slow-zoom-out-hq.jpg

## Prompts

### Seedance 2.5

```
Scene: [your subject] in [your setting].
Shot 1 (0:00 to 0:05): one continuous shot
Optics and camera: Slow zoom out from the cup on the table until the whole café is in frame, the camera stays in place. Camera: stays put while the lens widens. Pace: slow and even. Keep: the main subject readable as the surroundings appear. Ends: a calm wider frame.
Reference clip (Slow zoom out): https://directorchair.ai/media/aicameramovements/5b-slow-zoom-out-hq.mp4
```

### Seedance 2.0

```
Scene: [your subject] in [your setting].
Shot 1: one continuous shot
Optics and camera: Slow zoom out from the cup on the table until the whole café is in frame, the camera stays in place. Camera: stays put while the lens widens. Pace: slow and even. Keep: the main subject readable as the surroundings appear. Ends: a calm wider frame.
Reference clip (Slow zoom out): https://directorchair.ai/media/aicameramovements/5b-slow-zoom-out-hq.mp4
```

### Kling 3.0

```
[your subject]. The scene is [your setting]. Slow zoom out from the cup on the table until the whole café is in frame, the camera stays in place. Camera: stays put while the lens widens. Pace: slow and even. Keep: the main subject readable as the surroundings appear. Ends: a calm wider frame.
Reference clip (Slow zoom out): https://directorchair.ai/media/aicameramovements/5b-slow-zoom-out-hq.mp4
```

### Veo 3.1

```
Slow zoom out from the cup on the table until the whole café is in frame, the camera stays in place. Camera: stays put while the lens widens. Pace: slow and even. Keep: the main subject readable as the surroundings appear. Ends: a calm wider frame. [your subject] in [your setting]. Framing and subject stay as in the start image.
Reference clip (Slow zoom out): https://directorchair.ai/media/aicameramovements/5b-slow-zoom-out-hq.mp4
```

## Look further

- https://aicameramovements.com/ : a looping example clip of this move and a free prompt card (link only)
- https://shotdeck.com/ : real film examples of this camera move (paid, link only)
- https://flim.ai/ : film, ad and music-video stills of this camera move (free tier, link only)

## Goes well with

- Dolly out (pull back): https://directorchair.ai/move/dolly-out
- Slow zoom in: https://directorchair.ai/move/slow-zoom-in

## Source

Move names and the seven groups from aicameramovements.com (names and structure only); behaviour and numbers in our own words from Director Chair field notes on video prompting and the first Director Chair spec

Text CC BY 4.0, Director Chair (directorchair.ai). Reference clips and their card texts belong to their makers.