A switchable imaging apparatus having a transparent viewing mode and an image capture mode, comprising: a transparent plate having a front surface, wherein a scene is viewable through the transparent plate when the imaging apparatus is in the transparent viewing mode; an optical beam deflector positioned within the transparent plate, wherein the optical beam deflector is switchable between a first non-deflecting state and a second deflecting state, such that when the optical beam deflector is in the second deflecting state imaging light from the scene is deflected into a camera positioned in a location peripheral to the transparent plate; and a controller which synchronously switches the optical beam deflector between the first non-deflecting state and the second deflecting state, thereby providing the transparent viewing mode and the image capture mode.