A switching mechanism for a camera includes: a control unit; a driving device coupled with and actuated by the control unit; a first gear set coupled with the driving device; a second gear coupled with the first gear set and centrally provided with a rotary shaft having a shaft hole formed with threads; a spindle being female-connected to the shaft hole and which has an axial surface formed with outer threads corresponding to the threads of the shaft hole, thus allowing the second gear to move along and relative to the spindle; and a translation member positioned perpendicular to the spindle and provided with a rack for engaging with the second gear and thus driving the translation member to move perpendicular to the spindle. The second gear drives or does not drive the rack as the engagement therebetween is made or broken.