---
title: camera
type: components
layout: docs
parent_section: components
---

The camera component defines from which perspective the user views the scene.
The camera is commonly paired with controls components that allow input devices
to move and rotate the camera.

## Example

A camera situated at the average height of human eye level (1.6 meters).

```html
<a-entity camera="userHeight: 1.6" look-controls></a-entity>
```

## Properties

| Property   | Description                                                                                                                     | Default Value |
|------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------|
| active     | Whether the camera is the active camera in a scene with more than one camera.                                             | true          |
| far        | Camera frustum far clipping plane.                                                                                              | 10000         |
| fov        | Field of view (in degrees).                                                                                                     | 80            |
| near       | Camera frustum near clipping plane.                                                                                             | 0.005         |
| userHeight | How much height to add to the camera when *not* in VR mode. The default camera has this set to 1.6 (meters, to represent average eye level.). | 0             |
| zoom       | Zoom factor of the camera.                                                                                                      | 1             |

## VR Behavior

When not in VR mode, `userHeight` translates the camera up to approximate
average height of human eye level. The injected camera has this set to 1.6
(meters). When entering VR, this height offset is *removed* such that we used
absolute position returned from the VR headset. The offset is convenient for
experiences that work both in and out of VR, as well as making experiences look
decent from a desktop screen as opposed to clipping the ground if the headset
was resting on the ground.

When exiting VR, the camera will restore its rotation to its rotation *before*
it entered VR. This is so when we exit VR, the rotation of the camera is back
to normal for a desktop screen.

## Changing the Active Camera

When the `active` property gets toggled, the component will notify the camera system
to change the current camera used by the renderer:

```js
var secondCameraEl = document.querySelector('#second-camera');
secondCameraEl.setAttribute('camera', 'active', true);
```

## Fixing Entities to the Camera

To fix entities onto the camera such that they stay within view no matter where
the user looks, you can attach those entities as a child of the camera. Use
cases might be a heads-up display (HUD).

```html
<a-entity camera look-controls>
  <a-entity geometry="primitive: plane; height: 0.2; width: 0.2" position="0 0 -1"
            material="color: gray; opacity: 0.5"></a-entity>
</a-entity>
```

Note that you should use HUDs sparingly as they cause irritation and eye strain
in VR. Consider integrating menus into the fabric of the world itself. If you
do create a HUD, make sure that the HUD is more in the center of the field of
view such that the user does not have to strain their eyes to read it.