Does the Nintendo Switch have a camera built into it? The answer is sort of…sort of.
Would you like to know if the Nintendo Switch has a camera on it? Let us tell you what we find out!
In spite of the many features and advantages that the Nintendo Switch offers, the presence or absence of a camera is a question that is often asked in relation to this device.
Even though rival consoles such as PlayStation and Xbox have (or have had) cameras for their VR and Kinect games, their lack of portability would make it fairly pointless for them to have cameras built into their consoles due to their lack of portability.
In the meantime, the Switch’s portability is one of the main selling points of the system. Is there a camera on the Nintendo Switch? It’s kind of like that. Everything will be explained to you in detail.
Does The Nintendo Switch Have A Camera?
As the Nintendo Switch does not have any lenses on the front or the back of the console, it does not count as a camera in the conventional sense of the word. This device certainly isn’t designed in such a way that you can take pictures while you are out and about, like you would with a smartphone or tablet.
I think when you consider the fact that most Switch users are likely to have a smartphone with them at all times when they are out and about, that makes sense. It is unlikely that the Switch will be used for that purpose at all.
However, that is not the end of the story. If you take a closer look at the underside of your Switch Joycon controller, you’ll notice that there is a small area of black among all the bright colours. In a sense, this is a camera of some sort. Despite the fact that it does not use a traditional lens, it is an infrared camera.
To put it simply, it is a device that uses infrared technology in order to map the area around it. As far as the use of the camera was concerned, at first, there wasn’t much use for it, but the Nintendo Labo kits have helped to make it much more useful. The first thing we need to do is take a look at what you can use it for.
How To Use The IR Camera On Nintendo Switch
There is a very simple way to use the IR camera on the Switch if you wish to do so, and that is to get games that make use of this feature. For instance, Nintendo Labo uses the IR sensor in a variety of creative ways, to provide feedback to the Switch in a variety of ways. Due to the fact that it uses infrared, the camera can also detect heat, and it can transmit real-time feedback to the Switch of any heat sources it detects.
As a result, it is not a conventional camera in the conventional sense. Additionally, its use is limited to whatever Nintendo creates for it to interact with in order to make it useful. However, if you’d like to use the Switch to view photos, is there anything you can do if you want to do this?
Photos on the Switch
It is possible to capture screenshots on your Switch by using the Camera button on the left Joycon. By going to the Album icon on your Home Screen, you will be able to see all of your photos. These images can also be shared on Twitter or Facebook, if your accounts are linked, if you want to share them there. In addition to this, there is also a MicroSD card slot under the kickstand. You can use this to store screenshots or games that you want to save. If you wish, you can revisit those screenshots at any time in the future.
The Nintendo Switch does have a camera, of a very specific kind, for a very specific purpose, and in conclusion, it does have a camera of a very specific kind. It does not come with a conventional camera that can be used for taking conventional photos. For the vast majority of people, this is probably fine.
There is no doubt that the vast majority of Switch users will have access to a smartphone that likely has a higher quality camera than anything Nintendo might have put on the Switch. It is also important to take into account the cost implications as well.
Nintendo would have had to increase the price of the console if they had added a camera, even with relatively modest specs, even if they had added a camera. In the end, it would have been a waste of time.