If you've been working through the Shrouded Sky update in ARC Raiders, you've probably run into one of the more frustrating project requirements: the Camera Lens. This item is needed for the fifth stage of the Weather Monitor System project, and many players have discovered that finding one isn't nearly as easy as it sounds.
A lot of the confusion comes from older guides. Early in the game's lifecycle, Camera Lenses could occasionally appear in a wider range of residential and office loot containers. However, recent player reports on Reddit suggest that spawn locations have become more concentrated in specific high-tech and industrial areas. As a result, many players spend hours searching the wrong places before finding their first lens.
This guide focuses on the locations most frequently reported by the ARC Raiders community.
For many players, Dam Battlegrounds remains the most reliable farming map.
The Hydroponic Dome Complex is one of the strongest farming locations. The area contains numerous loot containers packed into a relatively small space, allowing players to check a large number of potential spawns within a few minutes. If you can complete a run and extract successfully, you can often inspect 15 to 20 containers in a single trip.
Another popular location is the Control Tower. Because the structure sits near the center of the map, it attracts competition, but it also contains several valuable loot containers that have produced Camera Lenses for many players.
Reddit users have also repeatedly mentioned the Goalposts Box near the football field. While no spawn is guaranteed, multiple community reports claim they found Camera Lenses there during consecutive runs, making it worth adding to your route.
Stella Montis is another location frequently mentioned in community discussions.
Many successful players focus on the main lobby building and work their way toward the third floor. The higher levels tend to contain better technology-related loot, which appears to increase the chances of finding project items like Camera Lenses.
One useful strategy is to ignore most of the lower map sections and concentrate entirely on the upper layer. Several Reddit users reported finding Camera Lenses only after switching their farming routes to the elevated sections of Stella Montis.
For example, one player documented more than 10 runs without success while searching ground-level buildings, then found two Camera Lenses within four runs after moving to the upper zone.
If you're willing to accept more risk, DEM Tower and Spaceport can be extremely rewarding.
The locker areas inside DEM Tower contain a variety of technology-themed loot spawns. Although the competition is usually intense, many experienced players include the tower in their regular farming rotations because of its overall loot quality.
Spaceport is even more lucrative but comes with significantly greater danger. The launch towers in the center of the map contain valuable containers that can spawn rare project materials, including Camera Lenses.
The problem is that nearly every player on the map knows this.
A typical Spaceport run might offer access to 10-15 high-value containers, but your chances of encountering hostile players are also much higher than on safer routes.
The biggest mistake is searching random residential buildings.
Based on community findings, Camera Lenses appear far more frequently in locations associated with technology, research facilities, communications equipment, security infrastructure, and industrial operations.
Instead of spending 30 minutes checking ordinary houses, focus on locations that logically contain cameras, monitoring systems, computers, or scientific equipment.
That simple change can dramatically improve your farming efficiency.
Interestingly, many players discussing farming routes on Reddit also share broader progression tips, trading strategies, and blueprint farming advice. Communities surrounding the game often reference services such as U4N, buy arc raiders blueprints pc when discussing ways to speed up gear progression, though farming important project items yourself remains one of the most rewarding parts of the extraction experience.
If your only goal is obtaining a Camera Lens, a practical route would look like this:
Following this approach allows you to check the locations most consistently recommended by experienced players while minimizing wasted time in low-probability areas.
The Camera Lens is one of the more valuable project items introduced through the Shrouded Sky update, and finding one can feel frustrating if you're relying on outdated information. Current community reports point toward Dam Battlegrounds, Stella Montis, DEM Tower, and Spaceport as the strongest farming locations.
While there are no guaranteed spawns, concentrating your efforts on these technology-focused zones gives you the best chance of securing a Camera Lens and completing the Weather Monitor System project without spending dozens of unnecessary raids searching the wrong locations.
