Confusing pan/zoom - potential solutions?

Great observation - 

When a user is starting to pan horizontally, that they probably also are going to want to pan vertically in a continuous path?

Most of the cases - if someone starts moving left or right, they might also want to move up and down, especially if they're exploring a big area or moving around a picture. This usually makes sense because it's how people usually move around. But not everyone will do this, so it's important to have options that let people move the way they like.

Disable zoom in that case until user input slows to a threshold / no more trackpad input.

If we stop the zoom until the user slows down or stops using the 
trackpad, it can help avoid accidental zooming when they're moving around. 
This means the zoom feature only works when the user isn't actively panning around, which makes it less likely for them to zoom by mistake.

Does it matter the orientation of fingers? Is this something returned to the browser?

The way you place your fingers on the trackpad can affect how it responds to your gestures, like swiping or pinching. 
However the exact angle or orientation of your fingers usually is not something the browser knows about directly. 
Instead the trackpad detects your movements and tells the browser what action you're trying to do, like scrolling or zooming

I noticed that in the instructions that the user’s hand is vertical. Who sits like that with a laptop? 

Great observation on this point - 

You're right! Most people don't sit with their hands up and down while using a laptop. Usually, they have their hands flat on the keyboard or trackpad. Instructions should match how people actually use their laptops to make sense and be easy to follow

it's a good idea to report Lucid 

Disabling pan unless using the hand tool?

if we disable panning unless you select the hand tool, it means you'd only be able to move around the canvas when you specifically choose that tool. 
This helps prevent accidental movements and gives you more control over how you navigate within Lucid's interface

Hi @ConJay! I’m sorry that the experience has been unintuitive. If you set your navigation mode to “Trackpad,” does vertical panning work as expected?