A backup camera for mounting on a vehicle tailgate. The backup camera includes a mounting base and an optical support housing rotatably engaged to the mounting base, the optical support housing rotatable between a first housing position and a second housing position; A lens element, generating a field of view, is mounted on the optical support housing and a digital imaging sensor is in communication with the lens element. The field of view is at least partially perpendicular to the tailgate plane when the optical support housing is in the first housing position. The field of view is at least partially parallel to the tailgate plane when the optical support is in the second housing position.