The RCS-560 camera uses a miniature high-resolution Y-C format color TV camera, a precision non-browning right angle prism, and radiation shielding to achieve a radiation tolerance of 6.2 x 10⁵ rad (total dose) for 1.2 MeV gamma, and 4 x 10⁶ rad for 0.67 MeV gamma.

The RCS-560 incorporates both automatic focus and automatic iris control with manual override. The unit is supplied standard with a high resolution (470 TV lines) S-video format. The camera has an optical zoom range of 4.8:1 with an additional 4:1 digital zoom. The optical zoom provides a horizontal field of view from 23 to 4.86 degrees in air, and from 17.1 to 3.65 degrees underwater.

The camera is also equipped with a remotely controlled integration feature that greatly increases the effective light sensitivity. With integration off, the minimum scene illumination required by the camera is 2 lux. With the integration set to one second (maximum period) the light collected is 60 times that of the normal 1/60-second integration, and the minimum scene illumination is reduced to 0.033 lux.

The housing of the RCS-560 is stainless steel, and the viewing window is non-browning fused quartz. Modular construction is used throughout for easy replacement of the internal camera module, prism, or other components.