How to Hack or Disable Cameras in Payday 3: The Ultimate Guide for New and Veteran Heisters

As a long-time Payday fan, I know mastering camera hacking is essential for pulling off stealth heists. Cameras are your biggest enemy when trying to operate undetected. One small slip up and you‘ll have the full force of law enforcement barreling down on you.

But with the right skills and know-how, you can turn cameras into powerful tools instead of obstacles. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll share all my tips and tricks for hacking or disabling cameras based on hundreds of hours in Payday 2 and the Payday 3 beta.

Whether you‘re a rookie heister or hardened pro, you‘ll learn multiple methods to own the cameras and enable stealthy approaches. Stick with me and you‘ll be looping and hacking cameras like a mastermind!

Do Your Homework – Research the Hacker Skill Tree

When preparing for a stealth heist, your first stop should be the Hacker skill tree. These skills form the core of your camera hacking and stealth abilities.

Here are the crucial skills to unlock in the Hacker tree:

Basic Hacking – This tier 1 skill lets you interact with hackable devices like cameras. It‘s absolutely mandatory for hacking cameras, so make it your first purchase. Without it, cameras are useless to you.
Advanced Hacking – Reduce your camera hack speed by 30% with this tier 3 skill. Shaves precious seconds off hacking time, letting you loop cameras quicker before guards notice.
Expert Hacking – Upgrade to this tier 6 skill for a further 30% decrease in hack speed. Combined with Advanced Hacking, you can hack cameras in seconds!
Camera Loop – The big kahuna of camera skills. This tier 3 skill lets you loop camera footage after hacking a camera. Disguises your illicit activities completely!
Extended Camera Loop – Double the duration of camera loops with this tier 5 skill. More loop time means more time to maneuver undetected.
Improved Camera Vision – At tier 4, this skill highlights guards in camera vision, even through walls. Extremely useful for tracking guard patrols.

With these skills equipped, you‘ll transform cameras from your worst nightmare into powerful reconnaissance tools. Prioritize Camera Loop and Extended Camera Loop above all else. These skills form the core of your stealth capabilities.

Eyes on the Prize – How to Hack Cameras

Alright, you‘ve done your prep work and purchased essential hacking skills. Now it‘s time to put those skills into action!

When scouting a location, identify all the camera positions. Then it‘s as simple as:

Approach the camera and look directly at it. Get close enough for the interaction prompt to appear.
Hold down the interaction key (default F on PC) when prompted to initiate the hack.
Watch the progress bar as your hacker works their magic. Resist the urge to move or prematurely break off the hack.
Bingo! With Camera Loop equipped, right click the camera once the hack completes to enable your loop.

The camera now shows an endless looped footage instead of live feed. You‘re free to operate right under the camera‘s nose with zero detection risk.

Pro Tip: Use Improved Camera Vision to see guards through walls. Track their patrol route and avoid hacking cameras they frequently pass.

Divide and Conquer – Disabling the Security Hub

In large facilities, cameras connect to a central Security Hub computer. Hack this hub, and you‘ll disable every linked camera in one fell swoop!

Find the hub terminal, identified by a desktop monitor with keyboard. Interact with it to hack the system.

With the Security Hub down, all connected cameras go dark simultaneously. Way faster than manual camera hacks! However, destroyed cameras may still alert guards.

For optimal results, try manipulating the hub instead of fully disabling it. This loops all camera feeds at once. Just make sure your Extended Camera Loop skill is upgraded.

When All Else Fails – Destroying Cameras

As a last resort, you can permanently knock cameras offline by destroying them.

Approach the camera and interact with it to forcibly rip it off the wall. Or, shoot the camera until it breaks.

Destroying cameras completely disables them without any hacking. However, it leaves clear evidence of tampering.

Patrolling guards will notice destroyed cameras and raise the alarm. Only destroy isolated, low-traffic cameras as a last option.

For most cameras, use non-destructive hacking. But in a pinch, demolishing a camera does get the job done quickly!

Thinking Outside the Box – Unconventional Camera Disabling Gadgets

Besides hacking skills, your inventory also contains unconventional gadgets that can disable cameras. Mix things up with:

EMP Grenades/Mines – EMP (electromagnetic pulse) devices disable all electronic devices, including cameras, within their blast radius. No destruction or lasting damage either.
ECM Jammers – Deploy an ECM like a grenade to jam all cameras within range for 10-20 seconds. Provides a brief window of undetected movement.

Creative camera gadgets like EMPs and ECMs are ideal for seasoned heisters confident in their abilities. But beware – their effects are temporary. And improperly timed use will torpedo your stealth approach.

Assume Nothing – Camera Loop Failsafes

With all my camera hacking advice, you may feel invisible and invincible. But caution is still required, even with camera loops active. Here are some loop failsafes:

Monitor the loop timer. The loop will eventually end, so don‘t overstay your welcome. Make an exit before that happens.
Suspicious behavior like shooting or sprinting can still attract guard attention and blow your cover. Tread carefully.
Don‘t move from the position the loop footage shows you in. Shifting away will make guards curious.
Cameras rebooted after an EMP will terminate any active camera loops. Plan EMP usage carefully around hacked cameras.
ECM jammer use also ends camera loops. Be extremely wary when combining both techniques.

Stay vigilant with these failsafes in mind. Masterfully looping cameras takes skill, but it‘s not foolproof.

One Stop Shop – Hacking Keypads and Terminals

Cameras aren‘t the only hackable devices. Keypads and terminals also provide opportunities:

Keypads – Hack to unlock doors or disable laser grids. Provides alternate pathways for bypassing cameras.
Terminals – Hack to control cameras, open safes, access restricted areas. Extremely versatile.

Success often requires an access code or dongle found on guards. After hacking a device, you‘ll gain total control to aid your heist.

For entering secure areas undetected, hacking alternate pathways is a must. Don‘t neglect these tools!

Choose Your Crew – Optimal Skills and Gear for Stealth

To complement your slick camera hacking skills, optimize your gear and skill set:

Silenced Weapons – Equip suppressors on your firearms to avoid detection when disposing of cameras.
Lockpicking – Upgrade this skill to pick locks on doors as an alternate stealth route. Lets you completely avoid cameras.
Optical Illusions – Used for distracting NPCs if your loop fails. Handy emergency stealth skill.
Shinobi – Sneak faster in stealth with this movement speed skill. Perfect for slipping past watchful cameras.
Cleaner – Remove dead bodies to prevent their detection. Critical skill when combined with camera loops.
Evasion – With this skill, your detection rate is reduced if spotted after a failed loop. Very helpful contingency.

As you can see, proper skills and gear complement camera hacking perfectly. Invest in these if you‘re committed to stealth.

Now Get Out There, New Blood!

That covers everything you need to know about hacking cameras in Payday 3! I know it was a lot of information, but stick with it and practice. Soon you‘ll be hackin‘ cameras and loopin‘ footage like a true mastermind.

Even us veteran heisters still learn new tricks every day. So get out there, try some stealth heists, and start putting your camera skills to work. I can‘t wait to see the creative ways you put these techniques into play!

Until next time, this is your friend Zack signing off. Happy heisting!