diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeDesc.cxx b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeDesc.cxx
index 5dffa09725..72d6ca0c8d 100755
--- a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeDesc.cxx
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeDesc.cxx
@@ -370,7 +370,9 @@ check_pseudo_joints(bool joint_above) {
       if (all_joints) {
         // Finally, if all children are joints, then we are too.
         if (_joint_type == JT_joint_parent) {
-          _joint_type = JT_pseudo_joint;
+          if (!get_name().empty()) { // make sure parent of root is not a joint
+            _joint_type = JT_pseudo_joint;
+          }
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeTree.cxx b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeTree.cxx
index 5c1ebcc0c2..a51142102a 100755
--- a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeTree.cxx
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeTree.cxx
@@ -71,12 +71,13 @@ build_node(const MDagPath &dag_path) {
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: MayaNodeTree::build_hierarchy
 //       Access: Public
-//  Description: Walks through the complete Maya hierarchy and builds
+//  Description: Walks through the complete Maya hierarchy if subroot
+//               is empty() else walks from the subroot down and builds
 //               up the corresponding tree, but does not tag any nodes
 //               for conversion.
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 bool MayaNodeTree::
-build_hierarchy() {
+build_hierarchy(const string &subroot) {
   MStatus status;
 
   MItDag dag_iterator(MItDag::kDepthFirst, MFn::kTransform, &status);
@@ -85,6 +86,33 @@ build_hierarchy() {
     return false;
   }
 
+  // if a subtree is specified ignore other nodes until the subtree
+  if (!subroot.empty()){
+    mayaegg_cat.info() << "subroot name: " << subroot << endl;
+    while (!dag_iterator.isDone()) {
+      string node_name;
+      string path = dag_iterator.fullPathName(&status).asChar();
+      if (!status) {
+        status.perror("MItDag::getPath");
+      } else {
+        size_t bar = path.rfind("|");
+        if (bar != string::npos) {
+          node_name = path.substr(bar + 1);
+          if (node_name == subroot) {
+            mayaegg_cat.info() << "node name: " << node_name << endl;
+            status = dag_iterator.reset(dag_iterator.item(),MItDag::kDepthFirst, MFn::kTransform);
+            if (!status) {
+              status.perror("MItDag constructor");
+              return false;
+            }
+            break;
+          }
+        }
+      }
+      dag_iterator.next();
+    }
+  }
+
   // Get the entire Maya scene.
     
   // This while loop walks through the entire Maya hierarchy, one
@@ -588,12 +616,16 @@ r_build_node(const string &path) {
     string parent_path, local_name;
     if (bar != string::npos) {
       parent_path = path.substr(0, bar);
+      //mayaegg_cat.info() << "parent_path: " << parent_path << endl;
       local_name = path.substr(bar + 1);
     } else {
       local_name = path;
     }
+    //mayaegg_cat.info() << "local_name: " << local_name << endl;
 
     MayaNodeDesc *parent_node_desc = r_build_node(parent_path);
+    if (parent_node_desc == (MayaNodeDesc *)NULL)
+      mayaegg_cat.info() << "empty parent: " << local_name << endl;
     node_desc = new MayaNodeDesc(this, parent_node_desc, local_name);
     _nodes.push_back(node_desc);
   }
diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeTree.h b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeTree.h
index d07e541866..77973db803 100755
--- a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeTree.h
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaNodeTree.h
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ class MayaNodeTree {
 public:
   MayaNodeTree(MayaToEggConverter *converter);
   MayaNodeDesc *build_node(const MDagPath &dag_path);
-  bool build_hierarchy();
+  bool build_hierarchy(const string &subroot);
 
   void tag_all();
   bool tag_selected();
diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaToEggConverter.cxx b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaToEggConverter.cxx
index 3981dbdbda..bcf5991d57 100644
--- a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaToEggConverter.cxx
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaToEggConverter.cxx
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ MayaToEggConverter(const MayaToEggConverter &copy) :
   _subsets(copy._subsets),
   _ignore_sliders(copy._ignore_sliders),
   _force_joints(copy._force_joints),
+  _subroot(copy._subroot),
   _tree(this),
   _maya(copy._maya),
   _polygon_output(copy._polygon_output),
@@ -213,6 +214,19 @@ convert_file(const Filename &filename) {
   return convert_maya();
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: MayaToEggConverter::set_subroot
+//       Access: Public
+//  Description: Sets a name pattern to the subroot node.  If
+//               the subroot node is not empty, then only the
+//               subroot node in the maya file will be
+//               converted.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+void MayaToEggConverter::
+set_subroot(const string &subroot) {
+  _subroot = subroot;
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: MayaToEggConverter::clear_subsets
 //       Access: Public
@@ -414,7 +428,7 @@ convert_maya() {
 
   frame_inc = frame_inc * input_frame_rate / output_frame_rate;
 
-  bool all_ok = _tree.build_hierarchy();
+  bool all_ok = _tree.build_hierarchy(_subroot);
 
   if (all_ok) {
     if (_from_selection) {
@@ -907,6 +921,28 @@ process_model_node(MayaNodeDesc *node_desc) {
       get_transform(node_desc, dag_path, egg_group);
       make_locator(dag_path, dag_node, egg_group);
     }
+
+  } else if (dag_path.hasFn(MFn::kCamera)) {
+    MFnCamera camera (dag_path, &status);
+    if ( !status ) {
+      status.perror("MFnCamera constructor");
+      mayaegg_cat.error() << "camera extraction failed" << endl;
+      return false;
+    }
+    
+    // Extract some interesting Camera data
+    mayaegg_cat.info() << "  eyePoint: "
+         << camera.eyePoint(MSpace::kWorld) << endl;
+    mayaegg_cat.info() << "  upDirection: "
+         << camera.upDirection(MSpace::kWorld) << endl;
+    mayaegg_cat.info() << "  viewDirection: "
+         << camera.viewDirection(MSpace::kWorld) << endl;
+    mayaegg_cat.info() << "  aspectRatio: " << camera.aspectRatio() << endl;
+    mayaegg_cat.info() << "  horizontalFilmAperture: "
+         << camera.horizontalFilmAperture() << endl;
+    mayaegg_cat.info() << "  verticalFilmAperture: "
+         << camera.verticalFilmAperture() << endl;
+
   } else {
     // Just a generic node.
     if (_animation_convert == AC_none) {
diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaToEggConverter.h b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaToEggConverter.h
index e141c2e5e8..62f75e134c 100644
--- a/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaToEggConverter.h
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaegg/mayaToEggConverter.h
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@ public:
   virtual bool convert_file(const Filename &filename);
   virtual DistanceUnit get_input_units();
 
+  void set_subroot(const string &subroot);
+
   void clear_subsets();
   void add_subset(const GlobPattern &glob);
 
@@ -160,6 +162,7 @@ private:
   vector_string _tex_names;
 
   bool _from_selection;
+  string _subroot;
   typedef pvector<GlobPattern> Globs;
   Globs _subsets;
   Globs _ignore_sliders;
diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaToEgg.cxx b/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaToEgg.cxx
index 95c9833d76..ed752dfa2e 100644
--- a/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaToEgg.cxx
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaToEgg.cxx
@@ -84,6 +84,16 @@ MayaToEgg() :
      "nodes that have the model flag or the dcs flag are preserved.",
      &MayaToEgg::dispatch_transform_type, NULL, &_transform_type);
 
+  add_option
+    ("subroot", "name", 0,
+     "Specifies that only a subroot of the hierarchy in the Maya file should "
+     "be converted; specifically, the animation under the node or nodes whose "
+     "name matches the parameter (which may include globbing characters "
+     "like * or ?).  This parameter may not be repeated multiple times to name "
+     "multiple roots.  If it is omitted altogether, the entire file is "
+     "converted.",
+     &MayaToEgg::dispatch_string, NULL, &_subroot);
+
   add_option
     ("subset", "name", 0,
      "Specifies that only a subset of the geometry in the Maya file should "
@@ -166,6 +176,8 @@ run() {
   converter._always_show_vertex_color = !_suppress_vertex_color;
   converter._transform_type = _transform_type;
 
+  converter.set_subroot(_subroot);
+
   vector_string::const_iterator si;
   if (!_subsets.empty()) {
     converter.clear_subsets();
diff --git a/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaToEgg.h b/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaToEgg.h
index 50a83971bc..990970011d 100644
--- a/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaToEgg.h
+++ b/pandatool/src/mayaprogs/mayaToEgg.h
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ protected:
   bool _respect_maya_double_sided;
   bool _suppress_vertex_color;
   MayaToEggConverter::TransformType _transform_type;
+  string _subroot;
   vector_string _subsets;
   vector_string _ignore_sliders;
   vector_string _force_joints;