diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/object.c b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/object.c
index f88864be7b0..af17ebcfc25 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/object.c
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/object.c
@@ -455,6 +455,7 @@ void *add_camera()
 	cam->drawsize= 0.5f;
 	cam->ortho_scale= 6.0;
 	cam->flag |= CAM_SHOWTITLESAFE;
+	cam->passepartalpha = 0.2f;
 	
 	return cam;
 }
diff --git a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/readfile.c b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/readfile.c
index 2d1030ff67e..c974187fffc 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenloader/intern/readfile.c
+++ b/source/blender/blenloader/intern/readfile.c
@@ -5049,6 +5049,10 @@ static void do_versions(FileData *fd, Library *lib, Main *main)
 					if (!(cam->flag & CAM_SHOWTITLESAFE))
 					cam->flag |= CAM_SHOWTITLESAFE;
 				*/
+				
+				/* set an appropriate camera passepartout alpha */
+				if (!(cam->passepartalpha)) cam->passepartalpha = 0.2f;
+				
 				cam= cam->id.next;
 			}
 			sce= sce->id.next;
diff --git a/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_camera_types.h b/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_camera_types.h
index cc7ec27f815..6ccc48f217e 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_camera_types.h
+++ b/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_camera_types.h
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ typedef struct Camera {
 	ID id;
 	
 	short type, flag;
+	float passepartalpha, pad1;
 	float clipsta, clipend;
 	float lens, ortho_scale, drawsize;
 	
diff --git a/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_scene_types.h b/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_scene_types.h
index c8d22a63692..d8b8e921863 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_scene_types.h
+++ b/source/blender/makesdna/DNA_scene_types.h
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ typedef struct Scene {
 /* scemode */
 #define R_DOSEQ			0x0001
 #define R_BG_RENDER		0x0002
-#define R_PASSEPARTOUT	0x0004
+#define R_PASSEPARTOUT	0x0004	/* keep this for backward compatibility */
 
 #define R_EXTENSION		0x0010
 #define R_OGL			0x0020
diff --git a/source/blender/src/buttons_editing.c b/source/blender/src/buttons_editing.c
index e670970461f..1eeb7e7793f 100644
--- a/source/blender/src/buttons_editing.c
+++ b/source/blender/src/buttons_editing.c
@@ -2316,27 +2316,34 @@ if(cam->type==CAM_ORTHO) {
 	uiDefButF(block, NUM,REDRAWVIEW3D, "End:",
 			  0, 50, 150, 20, &cam->clipend, 1.0, 5000.0*grid, 100, 0, "Specify the endvalue of the the field of view");
 	uiBlockEndAlign(block);
+			
+	uiDefButF(block, NUM,REDRAWVIEW3D, "Size:",
+			  0, 25, 150, 20, &cam->drawsize, 0.1*grid, 10.0, 10, 0, "The size that the camera is displayed in the 3D View (different to the object's scale)");
 	
 	uiDefBut(block, LABEL, 0, "Show:", 160, 155, 150, 20, 0, 0.0, 0.0, 0, 0, "");
 
 	uiBlockBeginAlign(block);
-	uiDefButS(block, TOG|BIT|0,REDRAWVIEW3D, "Limits",
+	uiDefButS(block, TOG|BIT|0, REDRAWVIEW3D, "Limits",
 			  160, 135, 150, 20, &cam->flag, 0, 0, 0, 0, "Draw the field of view");
-	uiDefButS(block, TOG|BIT|1,REDRAWVIEW3D, "Mist",
+	uiDefButS(block, TOG|BIT|1, REDRAWVIEW3D, "Mist",
 			  160, 115, 150, 20, &cam->flag, 0, 0, 0, 0, "Draw a line that indicates the mist area");
 	uiBlockEndAlign(block);
 	
 	uiBlockBeginAlign(block);
-	uiDefButS(block, TOG|BIT|2,REDRAWVIEW3D, "Passepartout",
-			  160, 90, 150, 20, &cam->flag, 0, 0, 0, 0, "Draw a darkened passepartout over the off-screen area in camera view");
-	uiDefButS(block, TOG|BIT|3,REDRAWVIEW3D, "Title Safe",
+	uiDefButS(block, TOG|BIT|4, REDRAWVIEW3D, "Name",
+			  160, 90, 150, 20, &cam->flag, 0, 0, 0, 0, "Draw the active camera's name in camera view");
+		uiDefButS(block, TOG|BIT|3, REDRAWVIEW3D, "Title Safe",
 			  160, 70, 150, 20, &cam->flag, 0, 0, 0, 0, "Draw a the title safe zone in camera view");
-	uiDefButS(block, TOG|BIT|4,REDRAWVIEW3D, "Name",
-			  160, 50, 150, 20, &cam->flag, 0, 0, 0, 0, "Draw the active camera's name in camera view");
 	uiBlockEndAlign(block);
 	
-	uiDefButF(block, NUM,REDRAWVIEW3D, "Size:",
-			  160, 25, 150, 20, &cam->drawsize, 0.1*grid, 10.0, 10, 0, "Specify the drawsize of the camera");
+	uiBlockBeginAlign(block);	
+	uiDefButS(block, TOG|BIT|2, REDRAWVIEW3D, "Passepartout",
+			  160, 45, 150, 20, &cam->flag, 0, 0, 0, 0, "Draw a darkened passepartout over the off-screen area in camera view");
+	uiDefButF(block, NUMSLI, REDRAWVIEW3D, "Alpha: ",
+			160, 25, 150, 20, &cam->passepartalpha, 0.0, 1.0, 0, 0, "The opacity (darkness) of the passepartout");
+	uiBlockEndAlign(block);
+
+
 }
 
 /* yafray: extra camera panel to set Depth-of-Field parameters */
diff --git a/source/blender/src/drawview.c b/source/blender/src/drawview.c
index 0fb5f85427d..dfe0144c74d 100644
--- a/source/blender/src/drawview.c
+++ b/source/blender/src/drawview.c
@@ -920,11 +920,11 @@ static void drawviewborder(void)
 	x2= viewborder.xmax;
 	y2= viewborder.ymax;
 
-	/* passepartout, in color of backdrop minus 50 */
+	/* passepartout, specified in camera edit buttons */
 	if (ca->flag & CAM_SHOWPASSEPARTOUT) {
 		glBlendFunc( GL_SRC_ALPHA, GL_ONE_MINUS_SRC_ALPHA );
 		glEnable(GL_BLEND);
-		glColor4ub(0, 0, 0, 50);
+		glColor4f(0, 0, 0, ca->passepartalpha);
 		
 		if (x1 > 0.0) {
 			glRectf(0.0, (float)curarea->winy, x1, 0.0);