Camera

The camera icon in GTA Vice City.

The camera used in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, GTA San Andreas, GTA Liberty City Stories and GTA Vice City Stories.

A camera is a device used to capture images, either as still photographs or as sequences of moving images (movies or videos). The term as well as the modern-day camera evolved from the Latin camera obscura for "dark chamber" for an early mechanism of projecting images where an entire room functioned as a real-time imaging system.

Description

The first Grand Theft Auto game to feature an interactable camera was Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, although, like later games Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, the player could only use it in one mission.

The device was also available in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, albeit with more functionality, allowing the player to use it freely. It can be used in San Fierro to collect snapshots, which is required to achieve 100% completion. Pictures taken with the camera can be saved. If the player recruits a gang member, the player can give the camera to him by walking up to him and pulling the left trigger. 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 and CJ will say something related to photo-shooting and she will wave. If you aim the camera at a gang member, CJ will say something like he says to his girlfriend, but the gang member will not respond or wave unless the player has recruited him.

In Grand Theft Auto IV, the player 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 cable car or train allows for first-person view. 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).