A camera is a device that captures images of a scene by letting light in through a small opening and focusing it onto a light‑sensitive surface, such as film or a digital sensor. That light‑sensitive surface records the pattern of light as a photograph or video, which can then be viewed, stored, or shared. However, a Maya camera is a virtual camera object that defines how your 3D scene is viewed and rendered, similar to a real-world film or digital camera, but with more flexible controls. It controls framing, perspective, and what is visible in the final image through settings such as focal length, angle of view, and clipping planes.