DYNAMIC PHOTO CAMERA (MINI)
Documentation for Unity developers. Developed by ©Octanta Studio 2026.
Overview
Dynamic Photo Camera Mini is an easy-to-use Unity asset tailored for in-game photography. It’s perfect for building interactive systems in detective quests and investigation gameplay. The demo version includes a basic location where players can take photos. For a more feature-rich option with a fully integrated investigation system, explore this advanced asset.
Technical details
- Developed using Unity 2022.3.20f1 (LTS).
- Tested on Windows 10 PCs. Mobiles not supported.
- Photo data size: typically 25-26 KB per image. Captured photos are stored in
Application.persistentDataPath. - Initially the asset is set to 3D. Tested and is functional in both 3D and 2D modes.
- The asset relies only on standard Unity components and classes.
| Feature | Free Version | Full Version |
|---|---|---|
| Photography with saving across sessions | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ease of setup | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sound effects | ✓ | ✓ |
| Smart object detection in photos | ⨉ | ✓ |
| Cross-platform support | ⨉ | ✓ |
| Photo interaction features | ⨉ | ✓ |
| Adjustable photo aspect ratio | ⨉ | ✓ |
| Custom photo card design | ⨉ | ✓ |
| Photo quest components | ⨉ | ✓ |
| Recognition modes | ⨉ | ✓ |
| Photo formats | ⨉ | ✓ |
| Object duplication system | ⨉ | ✓ |
Setup
PhotoController prefab to your scene- Assign your main game Camera to the InputController in the inspector and turn off the existing Camera from the prefab, OR keep the prefab Camera and turn off yours.
- The Camera should be assigned to the Current Camera field in the InputController component. If no Camera is assigned, the system will use Camera.main.
Usage Guide
- Hold click/touch for 1 second, until the square animation ends.
- Photo appears in the collection and is saved between sessions.
- Delete photos using the cross.
Core Components
PhotoController.cs
Main system controller managing photo capture, collection, file operations.
PhotoUIManager.cs
Handles UI functionality, photo interaction, gallery display, visual feedback.
InputController.cs
Cross-platform input system with automatic desktop/mobile 2D/3D configuration.
PhotoPrefab.cs
Script that controls every photo card behavior.
PhotoInputBlocker.cs
Add this component to any button so the photo is not taken accidentally by clicking. PhotoController reference must be set in the inspector.
Common issues
UI, canvas, interface elements
⛔ Problem: Photos do not respond to input. PhotoController prefab contains its Canvas with UI elements, and existing ones may overlap them or vice versa.
✅ Solution: Unpack prefab and move UICanvas content to existing Canvas or vice versa.
Input system
⛔ Problem: If you use a new input system, an error may occur: “InvalidOperationException: You are trying to read Input using the UnityEngine…”.
✅ Solution: Open Edit → Project Settings → Player, and set Active Input Handling to "both".
⛔ Problem: The input for taking photos may conflict with existing logic, for example, the shot starts when player presses the button.
✅ Solution: Use the PhotoInputBlocker.cs component (see Components). Add it to the existing buttons and assign a reference to the PhotoController in the inspector.
Demo scene
⛔ Problem: Materials and textures in the test scene are not loading properly.
✅ Solution: All materials & textures for the example objects are stored in the Materials folder. The materials use the "Standard" shader by default. For URP projects, change the shader to "URP/Lit" or any appropriate shader compatible with your render pipeline.
Ideas
- Use the camera to see what is hidden in the dark.
- By comparing photos from the crime scene and the changes in the state of the objects, you can determine the time of day when something happened here.
- If you photograph what you shouldn't, there is a risk of awakening an ancient force.
- Find and capture locations for the quests.
- Spy and obtain photo evidence.
Contacts
Need help? Contact us:
- Email: octantastudio@gmail.com.
- Discord: Join Octanta Studio channel https://discord.gg/6SPxKpFZFC and use branch ‘to-developers’. We will provide an answer or create a special YouTube tutorial.