Gaming Guide

Enshrouded: How to Craft the Camera and Use Photo Mode

Build the Camera tool from a single Metal Scraps and two Wood Logs, then frame and capture shots in first or third person.

Build the Camera tool from a single Metal Scraps and two Wood Logs, then frame and capture shots in first or third person.

Image: Keen Games GmbH

Photo Mode in Enshrouded runs through a craftable item called the Camera. Once you build it and place it on your action bar, you get a free-framing view with zoom, a first-person toggle, and a one-click capture for screenshots of Embervale.

Quick answer: Craft the Camera at a Workbench (1 Metal Scraps, 2 Wood Logs), move it to an action bar slot, hold it, press the Photo Mode key, then left-click to take a photo.


Camera crafting recipe and requirements

The Camera is a Common tool crafted at a standard Workbench. Its item description reads, “You can take screenshots with this item.” You only need two materials, both of which are common early-game resources.

RequirementDetail
StationWorkbench
CategoryEssentials (Unassorted)
Metal Scraps1
Wood Logs2
RarityCommon

Craft and equip the Camera

Walk up to a Workbench and open it. Switch to the Essentials tab and select the Camera recipe from the list.
Workbench recipe selection00:16Workbench recipe selection
The Camera recipe sits under the Essentials tab at any Workbench. Shown at 00:16 in HeRo Survival Guides’s video. Image: Keen Games GmbH
Press the craft key to build the Camera. With only one Metal Scraps and two Wood Logs required, you can usually make it the moment you reach your first Workbench.
Open your backpack inventory and drag the Camera into any active action bar slot. Select that slot to hold the Camera in hand.
Crafting and equipping the Camera00:26Crafting and equipping the Camera
Move the Camera onto the action bar and hold it before entering Photo Mode. Shown at 00:26 in HeRo Survival Guides’s video. Image: Keen Games GmbH

Enter Photo Mode and frame your shot

With the Camera in hand, press the Photo Mode key. The on-screen prompt shows B as the default to enter Photo Mode, though some keybind layouts use Tab instead. The view switches to a framing reticle with the control prompts along the edge.

Photo Mode perspectives and controls00:36Photo Mode perspectives and controls
Photo Mode overlays the zoom, perspective, and capture controls on screen. Shown at 00:36 in HeRo Survival Guides’s video. Image: Keen Games GmbH

From here you can reposition the view, change the perspective, and zoom before you capture. The controls are fixed to these keys:

ActionKey
Enter Photo ModeB (or Tab)
Toggle first/third personF
Zoom inPage Up
Zoom outPage Down
Take photoLeft Mouse Button
Close Photo ModeEsc

Pressing F swaps between third-person and first-person views. First person pulls the camera forward so your character no longer blocks the frame, which helps when you want to shoot close to NPCs or buildings.

Use Page Up and Page Down to fine-tune the composition before capturing, especially for wide landscape shots where you want to pull back from distant terrain.


Take the photo and confirm it saved

Once the frame looks right, click the Left Mouse Button to capture. The interface briefly fades and a “Screenshot Taken – Enshrouded” message appears, which confirms the shot was saved. Press Esc to leave Photo Mode and return to normal play.

Taking landscape photos01:03Taking landscape photos
The screenshot-taken notice confirms the capture was saved. Shown at 01:03 in HeRo Survival Guides’s video. Image: Keen Games GmbH

Hide the HUD as an alternative

If you want a clean frame without the Camera’s reticle and prompts, you can hide the interface instead. Press Esc to open the menu and select the Hide HUD option, which removes the map, hotbar, and other on-screen elements. Toggle it again to bring the HUD back when you are done.

This approach keeps the standard third-person view locked to your character rather than giving you the free framing and perspective toggles of the Camera tool, so the Camera remains the better option when you want to position the shot freely.