The Camera is an item featured in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, and a mission-only item in Grand Theft Auto V.
In the HD Universe titles, the item's functionality is merged with Mobile Phones as a feature.
Description[]
The Camera is a device used to capture images, either as still photographs or as sequences of moving images (film or video).
3D Universe Overview[]
Damage | Fire Rate [?] | Range (m / ft) |
Ammo Specifications/ Capacity |
Reload Mechanism | Reload Speed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 (GTA Vice City) |
500 (GTA Vice City) |
100 (GTA Vice City) |
36 (GTA Vice City) |
N/A | 1401 (GTA Vice City) |
N/A | 62 RPM (GTA Vice City)
38 RPM (GTA San Andreas) 60 RPM (GTA Liberty City Stories) 26 RPM (GTA Vice City Stories) |
Cannot be determined | 36 pictures (GTA Vice City and GTA San Andreas) |
Film replacement | N/A |
Design[]
3D Universe[]
In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, the Camera is reminiscent of models like the Canon AE1, and is characterized by its long, "eye-like" lens. In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, the Camera gains a shorter lens and the switches are mirrored from the previous model.
During the final cutscene of The Green Sabre, when C.R.A.S.H. drops CJ off in Whetstone, the camera Officer Pulaski gives to CJ is a different model to the one in GTA San Andreas. It is white with a detachable flash, and the lens is wider, yet shorter and more detailed than the in-game model.
GTA Vice City was the first game to feature an interactive camera, although the player could only use it in one mission and will be unable to use it afterwards. The player can zoom in and out using the camera, similar to sniper rifle scopes and their controls. Tourists are seen with cameras, although when the player kills them, they cannot pick up those cameras.
The device is also available in GTA San Andreas, albeit with more functionality, allowing Carl to use it freely. It can be used in San Fierro to collect snapshots, which are required to achieve 100% completion. The camera has a capacity of 36 pictures per film, and pictures taken can be saved. If the player recruits a gang member, the player can give the camera to him by walking up to him and following the prompt. After that, the game is viewed through the perspective of the gang member and pictures of CJ can be taken. The player can also aim the camera at a girlfriend or a Grove Street gang member and CJ will say unique dialogues related to photo-shooting. Girlfriends and recruited gang members will wave to the camera.
In Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, the camera is only obtained in particular missions. However, unlike GTA Vice City, the camera can be kept in the player's inventory for the remainder of the game. In GTA Liberty City Stories, one can get a camera by doing the Tourist missions and when the same have access, steal it.
Grand Theft Auto IV[]
In Grand Theft Auto IV, the Camera no longer appears as an usable item, but is replaced by a similar one, integrated into the mobile phone.
Niko Bellic's phone is equipped with a Whiz camera phone during the mission "Photo Shoot". The camera is used in certain missions where a picture is required. Outside of missions, snapshots can be taken, but there is no way of saving them. Accessing the camera function of the phone when in a Subway Car or Cable Car allows for first-person view inside these vehicles (something missing in the standard views). In a player-controlled vehicle; however, the car will stop immediately when the camera is selected, no matter what speed (this glitch was fixed in the PC version). In Episodes from Liberty City, a camera phone option is available from the start of the game, and can be used to provide a first-person perspective at any time Johnny Klebitz or Luis Fernando Lopez are on foot.
In some tourist spots like Firefly Projects, some pedestrians are seen using the camera. When they drop the camera, the player can pick it up, but are still unable to use it (instead the player can throw it like other objects). In The Ballad of Gay Tony, in the first Club Management mission at Maisonette 9, where Luis has to save Clay Jackson from paparazzi, the paparazzi are using cameras with a different design to that of GTA IV (now seen with a large telephoto lens). Although they cannot be used by the player, they can be picked up and thrown like other objects.
The camera itself appears to be a digital SLR reminiscent of models like the Olympus E-3 or the Leica S2. The one used by the paparazzi is a tweaked variation with larger body, larger lens and attached flash.
Grand Theft Auto V[]
In Grand Theft Auto V, the regular SLR camera model is used by few NPCs, notably Beverly Felton in the "Paparazzo" Strangers and Freaks mission series. Franklin actually gets to use the item once, during the mission Paparazzo - The Sex Tape. For the remainder of the game, the camera is replaced by the Snapmatic app on the protagonists' smartphones.
In the mission Casing the Jewel Store, Lester gives Michael a pair of glasses fitted with a camera, to study Vangelico's vents and security systems, which cannot be used outside of missions.
Image Gallery[]
In-game model[]
HUD icon[]
Prominent Appearances in Gameplay[]
The Camera appears as an item solely for surveillance and notable evidences in some missions.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City[]
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[]
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories[]
- Snappy Dresser
- Stop the Press
- See the Sight Before Your Flight (side mission)
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories[]
Grand Theft Auto V[]
Locations[]
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas[]
- Ganton - On the second floor of Johnson's House.
- Avispa Country Club - In front of the main entrance of the main building.
- Calton Heights
- Behind a cathedral near a small parking lot.
- In front of a garage door in the third lowest curve of the Windy Windy Windy Windy Street.
- City Hall - In the middle of the "sculpture" in the central plaza.
- Cranberry Station - On the west side of the "Tickets/Information" cabin.
- Downtown
- On the northwestern sidewalk of Garver Bridge, near the northeastern end of a fallen highway.
- Inside the Zombotech building, on the west side of the huge DNA sculpture.
- Easter Basin - At the far end of the DUDE Crane rail.
- Easter Bay Airport - On the southeastern green area in front of the airport portal.
- Esplanade North
- In front of a door, behind The Well Stacked Pizza Co., near a tunnel that passes though some houses.
- On the last floor of a huge parking lot building.
- Foster Valley - At the end of a wide ramp, under a building, that leads to two large metal doors.
- Financial - Under the Big Pointy Building on the side facing the Vank Hoff Hotel.
- Garcia - Near the Burger Shot door, beside the menu.
- Juniper Hill - On the higher end of an alley that leads to the Chinatown portal.
- Missionary Hill - On the west end of the Missionary Hill Radio Tower parking lot.
- Ocean Flats - Inside an area (possibly a parking lot) that has an open gate, behind the Cluckin' Bell.
- Palisades - Behind the Tuff Nut Donuts shop.
- Santa Flora - At the end of the covered parking lot of the San Fierro Medical Center.
Trivia[]
General[]
- Aside from capturing a screenshot of the game, the camera also stops nearby vehicles, and temporarily slows down speeches (as they were heard on the slow-motion cheats of the game).
3D Universe[]
- In GTA San Andreas, the player can immediately switch to third-person view whilst the screen flashes. This can be done by hitting both mouse buttons simultaneously (PC), allowing the player to take a brief photo of CJ.
- If one looks closely at the GTA Vice City model of the camera, its lens slightly resembles an eye.
- In GTA Vice City, if the player manages to acquire the Camera during free roam, they can use it to rob stores, like any other aimed weapon.
- If the player is walking with a camera in the hand and one starts tapping the aim button while walking, CJ will suddenly stop and will be stuck in the walking position. He will be floating in mid air with both his legs bent, as if he is in the middle of his walking animation, but he won't be moving. To start moving again, one should let go of the analog stick and CJ's stance will return back to normal.
- There is a glitch that if the player accidentally falls or gets pushed off of a boat and falls into water while aiming with the camera, they can swim while still in aim mode. They can even dive in the water (but it lasts only 2 seconds and they cannot really move underwater), although the player cannot take photos while in the water, and releasing the aim button will permanently stop the glitch until starting it again. It is unknown if it works on any platform other than PC.
- If the player has the camera in hand, and enters the Hunter or Hydra and uses first-person view, the HUD will be that of the camera.
- This can make aiming with the vehicle's weapons easier as it gives the player a square in the middle of the screen which works as a makeshift sight.
- NPCs can be found taking pictures of certain places or landmarks (e.g. World's Largest Cock). If the player attacks an NPC that is holding a camera, the NPC will begin taking pictures of the player. This is because the camera is defined as a weapon in the game's weapon files, and taking a picture is technically "firing" it.
- There is a suicidal photographer in the south part of a trailer park in Flint Intersection, appearing as a random pedestrian. When the player approaches the pedestrian, they will take photos of the skyline and then walk away into the water, drowning in the process.
- If the player tries to take a picture while standing over the Tram, the player will fall into Blue Hell for few seconds before the game teleports the player back to the world.
- If the player gives a recruited gangbanger a camera and switch to the sniper rifle, the rifle's reticle will appear on the screen. The cause of this may be the fact that the game thinks the gangbanger is the player aiming their selected weapon.[1]
- When recruited gang members take pictures of CJ, it does not use up the cameras "ammunition."
- Gang members (even hostile ones) will throw gang signs if the player tries to take a picture of them.
- In the 10th anniversary edition, the picture gallery feature was removed completely.
Grand Theft Auto V[]
- The "Hipster Filter" and "Anti Demon Eyes" functions can be found on the screen of GTA V 's camera model. These are respectively references to filters in image sharing mobile apps and the infamous "demon eye" effect that happens when the flash of a camera bounces off the eye of a person or animal.