I didn't think it was possible but was hoping I missed some new feature. I suppose I could use the drone view, but the external view is more convenient and has flight info as well.

Can't understand why this isn't possible...as stated above it's in every other simulator.

2 hours ago, mikegrr said:

I can't understand why this isn't possible...as stated above it's in every other simulator.

Join the club. There are just so many badly thought out (or missing) features in MSFS.

I have a joystick POV hat mapped to give me instant access to either the info/external view and drone view, so I can flip back and forth easily. *However* I get infuriated every time I go into drone view (perfect for screenshots) only to remember that none of the flight controls work in that view ... and I have to flip to external, pause, then go back into drone view. It's a total mess.

I was poking around in the controls and found external camera zoom and unzoom mapped to Shift O and Shift U.  But there's only three different zoom levels... insanely close, super close, and close. 🙂

Interesting topic

My server has a 2 monitor view. I use 0.60 for zoom. I would like to use 0.50, but then the buildings/objects that show on the outer parts of the view start to lean backwarts. It depends on zoom factor and where I set in the cockpit. The closer I sit in front of the screens the more I can zoom out.

Is Chaseplane also capable to modify the cockpit view in the way that I can zoom out a little more out without seeing that distortion ?

Thanks 

1 hour ago, Virtual-Chris said:

I was poking around in the controls and found external camera zoom and unzoom mapped to Shift O and Shift U.  But there's only three different zoom levels... insanely close, super close, and close. 🙂

Something not right there ... my zoom levels (for the external camera) are totally fluid. I have it set up for keyboard and a POV hat.

BUT (as discussed previously) it zooms the *whole* scene - not what you were hoping to achieve.

On 7/16/2025 at 4:57 AM, Reader said:

Hello,
they never did and every time someone asks, people come along and misunderstand
what is meant, insisting that zooming everything is what is being asked for.
I think what you (and I) would like is the ability to move the eyepoint in the external view
towards and away from the aircraft, as can be done in FSX, P3D all versions and X Plane
11 and 12, but not MSFS 2020 or MSFS 2024.

 

5 hours ago, Blueline308 said:

So, after all this back & forth the answer to the OP's question is NO.

Exactly.

On 7/15/2025 at 8:13 PM, mikegrr said:

Is there a way in the external view to zoom just the plane and not the scenery in 2024? I don't think this was possible but maybe I missed the change.

Can it be done?

I presume it works in drone view.

Yes, it can be done- it is drone cam.

I have Button 12 on my joystick mapped to COCKPIT/ EXTERNAL VIEW MODE- Click that once to exterior view.

I have the Insert key on my keyboard mapped to TOGGLE DRONE CAMERA- Click that once

Now I can zoom, elevate, pan around the aircraft and the distance to the scenery does not change- only the distance to the aircraft is changing.

The scenery stays at a frozen distance.

I use Shift + Q,W,E,A,S,D keys to control the camera- I think these keys are mapped this way by default for changing your cockpit views.

For instance, Shift + E is mapped to INCREASE COCKPIT VIEW HEIGHT

Shift + W is mapped to TRANSLATE COCPIT VIEW FORWARD

To back out of it- I then hit button 12 again to go back to exterior spot view and click it once more to go back into the cockpit.

 

22 minutes ago, skully said:

Yes, it can be done- it is drone cam.

 

What is being asked about is the ability, in the external view, not the drone view and not the Chaseplane view, but the external view, to be able to move the eyepoint towards and away from the aircraft.
So the answer is still no.

1 hour ago, Reader said:

 

What is being asked about is the ability, in the external view, not the drone view and not the Chaseplane view, but the external view, to be able to move the eyepoint towards and away from the aircraft.
So the answer is still no.

I mentioned a couple of key bindings above to zoom and unzoom the external camera. It seemed limited in range but it’s something.  

21 hours ago, mikegrr said:

Can't understand why this isn't possible...as stated above it's in every other simulator.

It is very possible. Forget about the ludicrous semantics on display here. Get yourself a cheapie Xbox controller and explore the wonders of drone view...

3 hours ago, Reader said:

What is being asked about is the ability, in the external view, not the drone view and not the Chaseplane view, but the external view, to be able to move the eyepoint towards and away from the aircraft.
So the answer is still no.

Why are you getting hung up about the word "drone"? Do you think there's a drone there?? It's literally an external camera which does exactly what is asked for.  It is an external view that can move the eyepoint towards and away from the plane.

So yes, OP or anyone else who wonders, you can do this, it's simple and easy and works really well. In fact, you can use the external camera 2 to move all over the world, just like in XP where you can move the external camera all over. 

4 minutes ago, JonathanC said:

So yes, OP or anyone else who wonders, you can do this, it's simple and easy and works really well. In fact, you can use the external camera 2 to move all over the world, just like in XP where you can move the external camera all over. 

If you care to read the original point of this topic - it's about modifying the external [camera 1] view ONLY and NOT about any other camera views - regardless of what they're called.

Just now, Adamski_NZ said:

If you care to read the original point of this topic - it's about modifying the external [camera 1] view ONLY and NOT about any other camera views - regardless of what they're called.

?

The title reads "Did they ever implement a way to zoom the plane, not scenery". The answer is yes, it's been there since 2019 when the Alpha launched. 

Anyway, if you dont' want to use it, don't. This is getting way too pedantic for me. Blue skies. 

I'm yet to buy the new ChasePlane for FS2020 (was my last camera manager in P3D), but how does it transition from cockpit cameras to outside cameras? Just one joystick binding is enough to go from one camera directly to another? It's been several months since I don't fly FS2020, but I recall some trouble returning to a cockpit camera once outside, having to click more than one button.

As to zooming, many people apply/remove zoom instead of going closer/farther to an object. Personally, I hate using zoom itself, except for very specific situations, I always set thing up in order to actually move the PoV/camera closer to an object or move farther from it, which will never cause issues such as distortions.

5 hours ago, JonathanC said:

Why are you getting hung up about the word "drone"?

Apart from it not being the subject of the topic, the "drone" doesn't give the same view as the "external" camera
and also is cumbersome for someone with no Xbox controller to manipulate.
The main point is that for some reason the external camera eyepoint cannot be moved in relation to its distance from the aircraft, whereas in FSX, P3D and X Plane, it can.

Edited July 18, 2025Jul 18 by Reader