Twice a month we revisit some of our reader’s favorite posts from throughout the history of Cgtuts+. Today we have an awesome Modo tutorial by former Cgtuts+ editor Matt Brealey. In this 5 part tutorial series, Matt guides us through the creation of a high poly Canon A1 camera. This tutorial was first published back in January of 2010 and proved to be incredibly popular with our Modo users! Let’s take a look back…
Creating complex hard-surface objects using subdivision surfaces (SDS) can often be a tricky and time-consuming ordeal, although this does not necessarily have to be the case. In this intermediate to advanced level tutorial, we’ll be using Modo 302′s feature-rich toolset to accurately model the Canon A1 camera, resulting in an object that is almost entirely SDS.
This tutorial is Day 1 in a series – Go to Day 2, or Day 3.
Final Effect Preview

Tutorial Details
Video 1
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Note: click the ‘Monitor’ icon to view tutorial in full-screen HD.
Video 2
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Note: click the ‘Monitor’ icon to view tutorial in full-screen HD.
This tutorial is Day 1 in a series – Go to Day 2, or Day 3.
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Thanks, Mate! It’s pretty cool to watch these tutorials in other programs, which now can be the serious alternative for max and maya.
Thank you!
I love modo.
Wow many thanks, where is the template?
BingoShado
Not an easy job, cool render!
Hi, Matt Brealey
Thanks for the tutorial.Seems challenging.I like to follow along this tutorial.
Please provide link to ref images.
Sorry bout that! Check the top of the post, under Tutorial Details -> Supporting Files.
Matt Brealey,
Thanks, got ref images.I’m now set to go.
haven’t even seen the tutorial yet, but if it’s anywhere near the swiss army knife, i know it’ll be a good one. thanks
OMG !!!!!! Thank’ you !!!
Texturing, rigging and rendering in modo 402? You know something we don’t?
Anyways, going to start watching now. Looks promising!
Thanks everyone! Give me a shout either here or in the following thread on the Modo forums if you have any questions. And I’d love to see some WIPs!
Matt
http://forums.luxology.com/discussion/topic.aspx?id=43519
Are you going to teach us how to texture it as well?
Can you continue this tut. with a rendering and a material adding ???!!! I’ll be very grateful …!
I just can’t get the second movie to play on Safari 4.0.4. The loading icon just spins. Anyone else?
Hey. I opened up the reference scene after I downloaded it, in Modo and the images don’t come up. It shows that the files are all there in the item menu, so I’m thinking something might be turned off to prevent me from seeing the images. But the eye icon is visible but can’t figure out what else it might be. I tried a new file and importing one of my images as a reference and I can’t see that either. If anyone has any ideas or could help, it would be much appreciated. Thanks.
Hi Geof,
Can you click on where it says ‘Shaded’ or ‘Textured’ at the top of your viewport, then click on ‘Visibility Options’, and check to see if ‘Show Backdrop’ is ticked. If not give it a click and see if that helps.
If not, hit the ‘o’ key whilst hovering over a viewport, and check that in the Backdrop Image section, the overlay box is checked and that your is around 60-70%.
If neither of those things work, let me know and we’ll try and figure it out another way :)
Cheers!
Matt
‘and that your TRANSPARENCY is around 60-70%.’
Matt
Hey, really awesome tutorial.Not familiar with this software though. I’m also a bit new to 3d so does anyone know if there’s a similar tutorial with similar techniques for 3ds max?
Well, this is really just a modeling tutorial….and when it comes to 3ds Max, there are thousands of modeling tutorials available online…CGTuts+ has several excellent ones. As for the subject of the Cannon camera…I’m sure there is one…but as long as you are learning how to model, the subject is not really important.
the modelling in both programs use many of the same tools anyway so its the same principle
2nd video not working for me , HELP ME PLEASE
y do u dont hav more maya tutorials….
Heyy this tut is great but you mentioned that you’ve done it in maya before.. would you have a tutorial for that? If so it would be great if not I’ll look for that 3ds max one.. thanks :]
http://imageshack.us/f/690/capturepun.jpg/ working out the final details, moving stuff in position (refs didn’t match perfectly but I managed) and finishing the bottom plate (tripod screw and whatnot)
Btw, can’t find the .eps anywhere, can we get a link to it, please? Thx in advance!
great tutorial, but will not let me watch the video number 2 of day 1, why?
Hey Giuseppe,
That’s a strange one, I’m also having a problem playing video 2. It’s probably just a glitch with Blip.tv, which hosts our videos. They have been changing some things on their website recently and unfortunately it seems to occasionally cause problems with our embedded videos. I’m sure it will be working soon, but if you’d like to watch part 2 immediately, you can download the video by right clicking on the “Video 2″ link above the video and choosing “Save Link As” or “Save Target As”. This will let you download it to your hard-drive!
Hope this helps and sorry for the inconvenience!
Cheers,
Ben
Thanks a lot for this widely useful tutorial well explained. There is only a few things i can’t understand but i think further experience would fix it:) Coming from Max let me say Modo totally rocks!
Thanks again mate!
What can the problem be when, activating the x symmetry in the bottom view (in order to create the bottom of the camera) the symmetry doesn’t work? I did the exactly the same passages as you did in the tutorial..
thanks!