---
title: Lights and cameras
framework: realitykit
role: collectionGroup
role_heading: API Collection
path: realitykit/scene-content-lights-and-cameras
---

# Lights and cameras

Control the lighting and point of view for a scene.

## Overview

Overview In RealityKit, cameras define the point of view from which RealityKit renders a scene. In AR mode, RealityKit creates and controls the camera for you based on the location and orientation of the device. In non-AR mode, you can control the camera by adding an entity that holds one of the camera components below and changing its Transform. Lighting and shadows are an essential part of creating immersive and realistic experiences. You can craft dynamic and visually appealing environments that respond naturally to the viewer’s movement and other actions by strategically placing and configuring lights and cameras.

## Topics

### Cameras

- [PerspectiveCameraComponent](realitykit/perspectivecameracomponent.md)
- [OrthographicCameraComponent](realitykit/orthographiccameracomponent.md)
- [CameraFieldOfViewOrientation](realitykit/camerafieldofvieworientation.md)
- [ProjectiveTransformCameraComponent](realitykit/projectivetransformcameracomponent.md)
- [PerspectiveCamera](realitykit/perspectivecamera.md)

### Point lights

- [PointLightComponent](realitykit/pointlightcomponent.md)

### Directional lights and their shadows

- [DirectionalLightComponent](realitykit/directionallightcomponent.md)
- [DirectionalLightComponent.Shadow](realitykit/directionallightcomponent/shadow.md)
- [DirectionalLightComponent.Shadow.ShadowProjectionType](realitykit/directionallightcomponent/shadow/shadowprojectiontype.md)
- [DirectionalLightComponent.Shadow.ShadowMapCullMode](realitykit/directionallightcomponent/shadow/shadowmapcullmode.md)

### Spotlights and their shadows

- [SpotLightComponent](realitykit/spotlightcomponent.md)
- [SpotLightComponent.Shadow](realitykit/spotlightcomponent/shadow.md)
- [SpotLightComponent.Shadow.ShadowClippingPlane](realitykit/spotlightcomponent/shadow/shadowclippingplane.md)
- [SpotLightComponent.Shadow.ShadowMapCullMode](realitykit/spotlightcomponent/shadow/shadowmapcullmode.md)

### Image-based lights

- [ImageBasedLightComponent](realitykit/imagebasedlightcomponent.md)
- [ImageBasedLightComponent.Source](realitykit/imagebasedlightcomponent/source-swift.enum.md)
- [ImageBasedLightReceiverComponent](realitykit/imagebasedlightreceivercomponent.md)

### General shadows

- [GroundingShadowComponent](realitykit/groundingshadowcomponent.md)
- [DynamicLightShadowComponent](realitykit/dynamiclightshadowcomponent.md)

### Environment

- [EnvironmentResource](realitykit/environmentresource.md)
- [EnvironmentLightingConfigurationComponent](realitykit/environmentlightingconfigurationcomponent.md)
- [VirtualEnvironmentProbeComponent](realitykit/virtualenvironmentprobecomponent.md)
- [VirtualEnvironmentProbeComponent.Probe](realitykit/virtualenvironmentprobecomponent/probe.md)
- [VirtualEnvironmentProbeComponent.Source](realitykit/virtualenvironmentprobecomponent/source-swift.enum.md)

### Entity compliance

- [HasPerspectiveCamera](realitykit/hasperspectivecamera.md)
- [PointLight](realitykit/pointlight.md)
- [HasPointLight](realitykit/haspointlight.md)
- [SpotLight](realitykit/spotlight.md)
- [HasSpotLight](realitykit/hasspotlight.md)
- [DirectionalLight](realitykit/directionallight.md)
- [HasDirectionalLight](realitykit/hasdirectionallight.md)

## See Also

### Scene content

- [Hello World](visionos/world.md)
- [Enabling video reflections in an immersive environment](visionos/enabling-video-reflections-in-an-immersive-environment.md)
- [Creating a spatial drawing app with RealityKit](realitykit/creating-a-spatial-drawing-app-with-realitykit.md)
- [Generating interactive geometry with RealityKit](realitykit/generating-interactive-geometry-with-realitykit.md)
- [Combining 2D and 3D views in an immersive app](realitykit/combining-2d-and-3d-views-in-an-immersive-app.md)
- [Transforming RealityKit entities using gestures](realitykit/transforming-realitykit-entities-with-gestures.md)
- [Responding to gestures on an entity](realitykit/responding-to-gestures-on-an-entity.md)
- [Models and meshes](realitykit/scene-content-models-and-meshes.md)
- [Materials, textures, and shaders](realitykit/scene-content-materials-and-shaders.md)
- [Anchors](realitykit/scene-content-anchors.md)
- [Content synchronization](realitykit/scene-content-content-synchronization.md)
- [Audio](realitykit/scene-content-audio.md)
- [Videos](realitykit/scene-content-videos.md)
- [Images](realitykit/scene-content-images.md)
- [Mesh deformation](realitykit/scene-content-mesh-deformation.md)