Camera

Camera
Type:	Ranged Weapon
Function:	Stunning enemies, and killing the undead.
Source:	Shops
Cost:	$3000[Needs Research]
Damage:	n/a
Notes:	The flash can illuminate dark areas.

The Camera is a returning item from Spelunky. It is usually found inside shops.

Functionality

The camera is a somewhat ranged weapon. Upon being used, the screen will flash white, and enemies within the camera's range will be stunned. Even enemies that are usually unstunable, like snakes or spiders will be briefly stopped. The camera can make it easier to stomp enemies, however various enemies are unable to be hit while stunned making this a bit of a moot point. The camera will also instantly kill any undead caught in its range, like skeletons, vampires, and even bats. Despite being undead, The Ghost cannot be defeated by the camera, though it will strike a pose like in the GIF below. The range of the camera's stunning and undead killing abilities is limited to a large square about 1 and a half tiles in front of the player, about 2 and a half tiles wide, and tall.

The Camera in action

The Ghost's pose up-close

Camera
Type:	Ranged Weapon
Function:	Stuns or kills enemies
Source:	• Shops • Crates
Cost:	$4500 +500
Damage:	Stun / Instant Kill
Notes:	Produces light when used.

The size of the snapshot frame that hits enemies

The Camera is an unusual ranged weapon that has different effects on different enemies. When used, the Spelunker takes a photograph of the area directly in front of them. A large 3x2-tile snapshot frame will briefly appear over the screen.

Functionality

Most normal monsters will be stunned when caught in the frame, but won't receive damage. The stun time from the camera flash is significantly shorter than if they had taken damage, but monsters can easily be stun-locked by taking photos of them repeatedly.

The Camera will kill any undead monsters (such as Skeletons, Jiang Shi, Vampires or even Mummies) caught in the frame.

Other reactions to being snapped:

• Spiders will drop from the ceiling (even Spinner Spiders, which will then detach from their thread and hop around like regular spiders).
• Fire Frogs won't die immediately, but will swell up and explode after a short delay.
• Surprisingly, Bats will be killed by the camera flash. This might be a programming mistake stemming from their shared behavior with Vampires, or it could be explained as the Bat "going blind".
• Shopkeepers will become angry.
• The Ghost will stop chasing you for a brief period as it strikes a "sexy pose", making the Camera the only item in the game that has any effect on it. When combined with a jetpack, the camera makes Ghostrunning much safer.
• If you turn quickly enough after snapping a photo while running into the snapshot area, you can stun yourself, knocking yourself unconscious.
• Anubis won't produce any reaction to the flash.

Spelunky guy seems to get a lot of attention from full-figured women...

The Camera is also useful in dark levels, as the flash will momentarily light up the whole screen when a photo is taken.

The Camera can be used an unlimited number of times.

Trivia

• The idea of a camera being an effective weapon against ghosts and the undead may be a reference to the "Camera Obscura" of the Fatal Frame series.
• The Camera may be inspired by the camera in Nethack, which similarly stuns enemies.
• The Camera can also be used to stun ghosts of dead Spelunkers in co-op adventures and deathmatches. Each Spelunker has a different pose.

Bugs

• If the player uses a camera at the same time it's crushed, the level will remain with the light level of the camera's flash. This is easier to notice in dark levels