Surveillance camera

A surveillance camera is a video camera that is used to remotely monitor an area or building by transmitting recorded images to a central control room.

Usage
In military usage, surveillance cameras provide additional security in areas where it may be difficult to position a manned patrol unit, or used in tandem with a patrol to provide extra coverage. If a camera detects an anomaly, an intruder, or a disturbance, an alert is raised from the central control room, and personnel are dispatched to the area to investigate.

Surveillance cameras may operate continuously or only as required to monitor a particular event. During the 2009 Big Shell Incident, a camera of the latter type was set up in the Shell 1 Core of the Big Shell, in order to clear personnel for use of an elevator.

The gun camera, mounted with a heavy, rapid fire weapon, is also deployed in restricted areas, which automatically fire upon a detected intruder. They often act autonomously and are sometimes deployed within areas of high electronic jamming, in which a central control room cannot be alerted via wireless data transmission.

Gameplay
Cameras have a fairly large blind spot directly underneath them that can be exploited to hide in; if the player presses against the wall and only moves under the camera while the beam is facing the other direction. Using chaff grenades will also disable cameras in the area for a short period of time, allowing you to quickly run past them. From Metal Gear Solid 2 onward, the player has the ability to shoot out cameras by going into first person view, but only lethal weapons fire will disable the camera; tranquilizer rounds will have no effect. Passing through a camera's field of vision will not cause an alert if the player is successfully disguised as an enemy or is using Stealth Camouflage.

In 2D Metal Gear games, cameras could not be avoided by simply walking under them. The only chance the player has for evasion is to hide behind a wall or equip the cardboard box before it moved over him.