diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index dbda488..dd54c9d 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "skate-spots",
   "private": true,
-  "version": "1.0.68",
+  "version": "1.0.69",
   "type": "module",
   "homepage": "https://skate-spots.com",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/src/lib/quickCapture.ts b/src/lib/quickCapture.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..16a2a50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/quickCapture.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+/**
+ * Quick Snap capture helper — platform-aware, camera-first.
+ *
+ * NATIVE (Capacitor APK): uses the runtime-injected Camera plugin
+ *   (window.Capacitor.Plugins.Camera) with source:'CAMERA', which forces the
+ *   real OS camera and ships its own preview + retake UI. We read the plugin
+ *   off the runtime object rather than importing '@capacitor/camera', so no
+ *   bare specifier ends up in the bundle (that was the white-screen cause).
+ *
+ * WEB: there is no reliable way to force the camera from JS, so the caller
+ *   falls back to a file input with capture="environment" (a hint the browser
+ *   may honor). This module only handles the native path; isNativeCapture()
+ *   tells the caller which route to take.
+ */
+
+interface CapacitorCameraPlugin {
+  getPhoto(options: {
+    resultType: string;
+    source: string;
+    quality: number;
+    correctOrientation: boolean;
+  }): Promise<{ dataUrl?: string }>;
+}
+
+function getNativeCamera(): CapacitorCameraPlugin | null {
+  const cap = (window as unknown as {
+    Capacitor?: {
+      isNativePlatform?: () => boolean;
+      Plugins?: { Camera?: CapacitorCameraPlugin };
+    };
+  }).Capacitor;
+  if (!cap?.isNativePlatform?.()) return null;
+  return cap.Plugins?.Camera ?? null;
+}
+
+/** True when the native Camera plugin is available (i.e. inside the app). */
+export function isNativeCapture(): boolean {
+  return getNativeCamera() !== null;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Open the native camera and return the captured photo as a File.
+ * Returns null if the user cancels. Throws if the plugin is unavailable or
+ * errors (caller should fall back to the web file input).
+ */
+export async function captureFromNativeCamera(): Promise<File | null> {
+  const Camera = getNativeCamera();
+  if (!Camera) throw new Error('Native camera unavailable');
+
+  let photo: { dataUrl?: string };
+  try {
+    photo = await Camera.getPhoto({
+      resultType: 'dataUrl', // CameraResultType.DataUrl
+      source: 'CAMERA', // CameraSource.Camera — forces the camera, not the gallery
+      quality: 90,
+      correctOrientation: true,
+    });
+  } catch (err) {
+    // Capacitor throws with a "cancel" message when the user backs out — treat
+    // that as a benign null rather than an error.
+    const msg = err instanceof Error ? err.message.toLowerCase() : String(err).toLowerCase();
+    if (msg.includes('cancel')) return null;
+    throw err;
+  }
+
+  if (!photo.dataUrl) return null;
+  const res = await fetch(photo.dataUrl);
+  const blob = await res.blob();
+  return new File([blob], `skate-spot-${Date.now()}.jpg`, { type: 'image/jpeg' });
+}
diff --git a/src/pages/MapPage.tsx b/src/pages/MapPage.tsx
index 7bb8c85..a56257e 100644
--- a/src/pages/MapPage.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/MapPage.tsx
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ import { SpotChat } from '@/components/SpotChat';
 import { useUploadFile } from '@/hooks/useUploadFile';
 import { useToast } from '@/hooks/useToast';
 import { cn } from '@/lib/utils';
+import { isNativeCapture, captureFromNativeCamera } from '@/lib/quickCapture';
 
 
 type ViewMode = 'map' | 'list';
@@ -604,10 +605,10 @@ export default function MapPage() {
   // Mobile layers popover
   const [layersOpen, setLayersOpen] = useState(false);
 
-  // Quick Snap — uses the native OS camera/gallery picker via a file input.
-  // This is more robust than a custom in-app camera (no Capacitor camera
-  // permission plumbing) and works identically on web and native. A single
-  // photo is all a spot snap needs.
+  // Quick Snap — camera-first. On native (the APK) we open the OS camera
+  // directly via the runtime Camera plugin (with its built-in preview/retake).
+  // On web there's no reliable way to force the camera from JS, so we fall back
+  // to a file input hinting the rear camera. A single photo is all a spot needs.
   const quickSnapInputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
   const { mutateAsync: uploadFile, isPending: isUploadingQuickPhoto } = useUploadFile();
   const { toast } = useToast();
@@ -762,7 +763,27 @@ export default function MapPage() {
     navigate(`/create-spot?lat=${lat.toFixed(6)}&lng=${lng.toFixed(6)}`);
   };
 
-  // Native file-input change → hand the chosen photo to the upload flow.
+  // Quick Snap entry point — camera-first on native, file input on web.
+  const handleQuickSnap = async () => {
+    setAddDialOpen(false);
+    if (isNativeCapture()) {
+      try {
+        const file = await captureFromNativeCamera();
+        if (file) handleQuickCameraCapture(file);
+        return; // handled natively
+      } catch (err) {
+        console.warn('[QuickSnap] native camera failed, falling back to file input:', err);
+        toast({
+          title: 'Camera unavailable',
+          description: 'Opening the photo picker instead.',
+        });
+        // fall through to the web/file-input path below
+      }
+    }
+    quickSnapInputRef.current?.click();
+  };
+
+  // Web file-input change → hand the chosen photo to the upload flow.
   const handleQuickSnapInput = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
     const file = e.target.files?.[0];
     // Reset the input so picking the same file again still fires onChange.
@@ -1709,9 +1730,9 @@ export default function MapPage() {
                           </span>
                         </Link>
                       ))}
-                      {/* Quick Snap — opens the native camera/gallery picker */}
+                      {/* Quick Snap — camera-first (native) / file-input (web) */}
                       <button
-                        onClick={() => { setAddDialOpen(false); quickSnapInputRef.current?.click(); }}
+                        onClick={handleQuickSnap}
                         className="flex items-center gap-2.5 animate-in fade-in slide-in-from-bottom-2 duration-200"
                         style={{ animationDelay: '200ms' }}
                       >
@@ -1802,9 +1823,9 @@ export default function MapPage() {
         </div>
       </div>
 
-      {/* Quick Snap — hidden native camera/gallery input.
-          `capture="environment"` hints the rear camera on phones; on desktop
-          it falls back to a normal file picker. Single photo is all we need. */}
+      {/* Quick Snap — web fallback input (native uses the Camera plugin above).
+          `capture="environment"` hints the rear camera; browsers may honor it
+          or show a chooser. Single photo is all we need. */}
       <input
         ref={quickSnapInputRef}
         type="file"