A pan is a camera movement that rotates horizontally on a fixed axis. The camera stays in one place and turns left or right. It is one of the simplest and most common camera moves. It can follow a moving subject, reveal a new part of the scene, or connect two elements in the frame. A slow pan can be meditative. A fast pan can be disorienting. The speed and direction of the pan shape the effect.

The pan is often used to establish a location. The camera starts on one detail and pans across to reveal the wider scene. It is used to follow a character as they walk or run. It is used to show a conversation between two people, panning from one to the other. It is used in sports to track the ball. It is used in horror to reveal something that was not there before. The pan is a versatile tool.

The pan is not the same as a tracking shot, which moves the camera through space. A pan rotates the camera in place. The distinction matters. A pan keeps the camera at a fixed distance from the subject. A tracking shot changes the distance. Both create movement, but they create different effects. A pan is simpler and cheaper. It requires only a tripod with a fluid head. A tracking shot requires a dolly or a Steadicam. The pan is the foundation of camera movement.