The da Vinci SP robot features a single fully articulating 3D-HD endoscope that enters the body through the same cannula as the three robotic instruments. Unlike multi-port systems, the SP camera is not interchangeable with other ports, although the entrance order can be rotated (the system will require information on whether the endoscope is “above” or “bellow, relative to the instruments)”. It is the only endoscope used, and its flexibility is central to how visualization and instrument control are managed during surgery.
To optimize the surgeon’s control on the surgical view, the SP console offers three distinct “camera modes” — Adjust, Camera, and Relocate — each defining how the endoscope and instruments move relative to one another.
“Camera mode” therefore refers to the three different modes to move the endoscope, and it is important to understand how each of them works.
Adjust Mode
Moves the endoscope tip and joints within the surgical workspace while the instruments stay where they are. It is ideal for fine tuning the viewing position without altering instrument position or tension.
It is useful when you want to refine visualization of a structure without changing your dissection configuration. In Adjust Mode, the camera essentially “sculpts” the view around the instruments. In this mode, the system actually moves the instruments so that they apparently remain stationary in the surgical field while the cannula moves to accommodate the endoscope position. This is a genuine new endoscope movement, and is the default mode in the camera menu. This mode is an adaptation of the robotic endoscope movement to the Single Port, necessary because the endoscope and the instruments share the same cannula (and are tied to the same remote center).
Camera Mode
It allows the surgeon to actively steer the camera independently. In this mode, the instruments and the cannula remain stationary, while the endoscope moves. This is the main way to reposition the endoscope mid-case without moving the instruments.
It is similar to the “old” endoscope movement, but not exactly the same, because in this mode the cannula remains stationary (the is no movement in the remote center).
Relocate Mode
It moves the entire instrument cluster and camera together so that the camera and instruments can be repositioned as a unit. It is similar to the original additional clutch pedal for the cannula (which no longer exists in the current version of the SP).
It is used during larger surgical field changes, where both instruments and camera need new alignment. Because all components move together, instrument positioning relative to the endoscope remains the same. The cannula might pivot around the remote center.
Understanding the 0° Articulating Endoscope & “Cobra” Configuration
Unlike many laparoscopic systems with different fixed-angle scopes (e.g., 0°, 30°), the SP endoscope is essentially a 0° endoscope with articulation at its elbow joint. This means the surgeon can change viewing angle dynamically rather than inserting and removing different scopes.
Because of this flexibility, the SP endoscope can be positioned in a range of viewing configurations — including what is called the “cobra” view: the camera elbow is raised upward while the tip angles downward into the workspace, producing an anatomic view similar to a 30°-down perspective (or alternatively a 30º-up if the endoscope is on a bellow configuration).
This creates excellent visualization in confined anatomic spaces. The cobra configuration isn’t a separate mode per se, but rather a camera pose achievable within standard camera control functions. It’s especially useful when you need to visualize behind or beneath an instrument without moving instruments themselves.
The opposite position would be the “straighten” position, with the endoscope aligned with the cannula. Cobra and Straighten pose can also be reached using the touch screen menu.
Practical Use — How to Switch and Control
In all the previous versions of the da Vinci (Standard through Xi multiport) there is a dedicated clutch pedal for the camera. Also in the SP, but camera control is more complex because of the single cannula. In the first version of the SP, there was an additional pedal for repositioning the common cannula. Later the company moved the current configuration with a pedal-hand camera clutch system. So:
- The camera pedal is the only pedal to enter to camera control. Once pressed, the surgeon chooses within the camera menu (which appears in the display) with the right-hand master manipulator.
- Selecting modes: on the SP console, engaging the camera pedal switches you into Camera Mode. Default camera mode is Adjust. You can activate Relocate moving your wrist anti-clockwise, or Camera, moving your wrist clockwise.
- Mode awareness: as explained above, each mode has specific ergonomic and workflow implications — for example, Adjust and Camera modes preserve instrument positioning, while Relocate moves them together with the camera for broader repositioning (an specific acoustic signal will be on while relocating).
Summary
Three camera modes — Adjust, Camera and Relocate — regulate how the SP camera and instruments move relative to each other to optimize visualization and ergonomics.
The SP system uses a single articulating 0° endoscope, and dynamic viewing angles (like cobra view) are achieved by flexing the camera within the workspace.
The camera menu is entered via the camera pedal, and control is effected with hand controllers (while camera pedal continues to be pressed). Familiarity with these modes enhances intraoperative visualization without unnecessary instrument motion.
J Granell. Dec 22, 2025