I agree, half the time you don't even see what is going on with the cinematic view and you change to free camera mode. And when you finally get the free camera in a position you like, the battle is most likely over anyway. You can pause, but I would prefer pressing just one button over adjusting the camera every fight...
If you can't do anything during a battle but watch, I hoped before purchasing it that GalCiv3 would have at least a better staging. Something epic, like for example in the Star Trek movies:
In addition to the bad staging, 80% of the time the only thing I hear is the background music and no effects at all. That is not very exciting (and I bet it's a bug). I have an Idea for another camera option: let the player chose a flagship. And add an option where you can set the camera to "bridge". Let the player "experience" a fight and give him the feeling he would stand on the main bridge and look out of the "window" - star destroyer style 
(that would require an option in the ship designer to place a bridge position marker though).
I have the feeling that the battle viewer is just an example for a bigger problem. The game seems to be a bit bland. The campaign is a joke (3 small maps with a non-challenging drengin AI) - no offense, you never said you would focus on it - and the different races have no charm and "sexappeal". I think the game is not very good in selling its own major races and build up atmosphere or a bond to the different main actors. Yes, we have color and ship themes...but there are no specific sounds, no languages, not even a small video or sound effect if something got researched. I am looking at Birth of the Federation (a good example of how you add more race specific atmosphere to a game) or Earth2150 with its research breakethrough videos or the pictures you got presented in Fallen Haven (They used atmospheric pictures, you use generic text messages):
Even a small intro for every race at the start of a sandbox game would had been awesome. There are not a lot of different weapons to research that would make the races distinctive etc. A little bit more "atmosphere" would increase the replayability of the game a lot. Right now I only think that I have to play as Terran some day, because every game I start, they really fail compared to everyone else. It is hard to explain, but if you don't add more characteristic experiences to the races, all that is left is a good sandbox game. But in 10 years, you won't remember a certain race, video, song or technology that keeps you coming back like starcraft and BotF did.
Another example: Minor races. In Birth of the Federation, taking over such races would give you access to unique ship designs or structures. That was a big driving force to search them and invade or persuade them before other races did. You were looking forward to search the galaxy and find the minor race you like before others did. In GalCiv3 however, they just inhabit a planet you want and build up a gigantic fleet of standard "sniper" ships...
That was long, sorry 
but I had to get it out of my system. Just to clarify: I like the game and think that it is a solid and good start (despite dozens of small non-game-breaking bugs). I just hope you take the chance and add more spice to it in order to make it epic and catchy. I am looking forward to the modding tools and steam workshop support 
Good work so far, keep it up and thanks for a promising game!
