If you Zwift on PC or Mac, it’s possible that Zwift’s automatic “springy camera” may be a bit overly springy. This is due to how your device is set up (refresh rates, framerates, etc) and how Zwift works.
Here’s an example of an overly springy view – notice how the view of my avatar is bouncing forward and backward:
If you’d like a less springy view, Zwifter Steve Clogg recently shared a little hack with the ZPCMR (Zwift PC Masters & Riders) group on Facebook for disabling the springy camera on PC or Mac.
Editing Config Files
Turning off the springy camera requires a simple edit to your Zwift config file. (The hardest part of the edit is finding and opening the file. This can be a bit confusing if you’ve never done it before.)
- On Windows these are located under:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Zwift\data\configs - On Mac OS they are located under:
~/Library/Application Support/Zwift/data/configs
You’ll need to edit the config file corresponding to the graphics profile Zwift is auto-assigning to your machine (basic, medium, high, or ultra). And you’ll need to have administrator privileges on your machine to do so.
Not sure which profile Zwift is using? Drop your log.txt on http://zwiftalizer.com
- On Windows, the logs are located under:
HOMEPATH%\Documents\Zwift\Logs - On Mac OS, the logs are located under:
~/Documents/Zwift/Logs
Changing Springy Camera Option
To turn off the springy camera, add this line to your config file:
set gUseSpringyCamera=falseTo turn the springy camera on, change the line to this (or just remove it entirely):
set gUseSpringyCamera=trueSample Video with No Springy Camera
Watch a clip with the springy camera disabled:
Notice how the actual camera angle is different, as well as perfectly stable. Perhaps not the preferred view for everyone, but if you’ve got an overly springy setup on your Mac or PC, this may be just what you’re looking for.
More Graphics Hacks
If you’re on a PC or Mac, there are lots of tweaks you can make to these graphics config files which may improve your game experience. Read “Zwift Config File Graphics Tweaks: 2019” for ideas.
Questions or Comments?
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Nice tip, I will give that a try. When Medium profile came to my M1 MacBook Pro, I got the camera yo-yo effect when the display was set to ProMotion. It went away when I set it to 60Hz.
Yeah, it’s definitely affected by refresh rates.
Awesome.
Now… how do we disable the lateral camera swing?
can you still change the camera distance?
You can still change camera angles and do the drone camera, yes.
Finally, I don’t have to get motion sickness on zwift.
I actually like the slightly higher position. Especially handy when the screen gets crowded with names and powerups
Why do they make springy the default. The effect seems like a bug.
/Library/Application Support/Zwift/data/configsThis map isn’t located in the Application Support folder. (Macbook air) Any idea where I can find it?Really want to solve this ’cause it makes me sea sick sometimes 🙂
Manon, first search for ‘graphics profile’ in log.txt located at /documents/zwift/logs. you should find ‘using () graphics profile’ – (basic, medium, high, or ultra). Then head to the folder you posted & add ‘set gUseSpringyCamera=false’ to your graphics profile file, e.g., basic.txt in case you found basic in your log.txt
I did that, profile was basic but I can’t find the folder to add the log
so when you paste ~/Library/Application Support/Zwift/data/configs/ in the Go to Folder dialog on your machine you don’t get 6 txt-files displayed incl the basic?
Thanks 🙂
THANK YOU! off now, it was giving me a headache.
All the work to create a “real world” experience in a virtual world.
Then add, without telling anyone, a completely unrealistic “Springy Camera”
With springy camera turned off the camera angle is very close. Not very good for racing as you dont see other riders catching up on the downhills before its too late. Also not good for sprints.
Seems like the view distance changes every time the framrate goes slighly over or slighly under 60fps in my case?
Any other way to fix this?
Vsync off and a faster hardware that keep fps over 60?
Or limit fps under 60 somehow?
I’m not very tech savvy.. I’m not seeing a zwift folder in Application Support (mac). Can someone point me in the right direction?
What is the purpose of Springy Camera in the first place? And what are the in game variables that make it react?