Thanks everyone.  Up until now i've been navigating my scenes a bit like a drunken sailor, but the parenting idea works really well.  I haven't had much luck with the frame control - I don't know if it's just me, but it seems a bit eratic.  Quite often the camera ends up either miles away from the framed object, or inside it or below it.  But parenting a camera to a simple prop is really good.  Thanks again.