Figure 6.32. An element with a transform value of perspective(500px) rotate3d(1,1,1,-45deg)Orderreallymatterswhenworkingwiththeperspective()function.Agoodrule
ofthumbistolistitfirst,aswe’vedoneintheexampleshere.Youcanlistitelse-
whereinthetransformlist(forexample,rotate3d(1,0,1,-45deg) perspect-
ive(100px)),buttheresultingcurrenttransformmatrixdoesn’tcreatemuchofan
effect.
There’salsoapointofdiminishingreturnswiththeperspective()function(and
withtheperspectiveproperty,forthatmatter).Increasingtheargument’svalue
beyondacertainthresholdwillcreatelittledifferenceinhowtheelementandits
childrenarepaintedtothescreen.
The perspective() Function vs. the perspective Property
Awordofcaution:thetransformsspecificationdefinesbothaperspective()
functionandaperspectiveproperty.Thoughbothareusedtocalculatethe
perspectivematrix,theydifferinhowthey’reused.Theperspectiveproperty
affects—andmustbeappliedto—thecontainingelement.Itsetsanimaginary
distancebetweentheviewerandthestage.Theperspective()function,onthe
otherhand,canbeappliedtoelementsaspartofatransformlist.CSS Transforms 255