camera

helpneeded23 wrote: how can I turn on the built in camera ...

Software applications control the camera(s) on Macs. To turn the camera on, simply launch the app that does what you want.

Some common examples are shown in OS X Mountain Lion: Use your Mac’s built-in camera.

Of course, your Mac's FaceTime for Mac works with your camera, too. You can also use your camera to record video with OS X 10.8.x's QuickTime Player 10.x.

If you need other functions for your camera, search the web or your Mac's

 > App Store... to find compatible apps that meet those needs.

Message was edited by: EZ Jim

P.S. Once you have launched an app on your Mac, you can use its "Help" menu command to learn how to use the app, including help using the camera in that app.

Different apps work different, so you may need to use the Help info until you are fully familiar with each app you use with your camera. Here are a couple of examples of how different your camera's applications can operate:

Preview: Sign a PDF document

Photo Booth: Use effects and backdrops in Photo Booth