diff --git a/libraries/AP_Camera/AP_Camera_Backend.cpp b/libraries/AP_Camera/AP_Camera_Backend.cpp
index 516d418684bef..4c2a165836468 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Camera/AP_Camera_Backend.cpp
+++ b/libraries/AP_Camera/AP_Camera_Backend.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ AP_Camera_Backend::AP_Camera_Backend(AP_Camera &frontend, AP_Camera_Params &para
 void AP_Camera_Backend::update()
 {
     // Check camera options and start/stop recording based on arm/disarm
-    if ((_params.options.get() & (uint8_t)Options::RecordWhileArmed) != 0) {
+    if (option_is_enabled(Option::RecordWhileArmed)) {
         if (hal.util->get_soft_armed() != last_is_armed) {
             last_is_armed = hal.util->get_soft_armed();
             if (!record_video(last_is_armed)) {
diff --git a/libraries/AP_Camera/AP_Camera_Backend.h b/libraries/AP_Camera/AP_Camera_Backend.h
index 41d383527ec4b..6c5543cf826a7 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_Camera/AP_Camera_Backend.h
+++ b/libraries/AP_Camera/AP_Camera_Backend.h
@@ -37,9 +37,12 @@ class AP_Camera_Backend
     CLASS_NO_COPY(AP_Camera_Backend);
 
     // camera options parameter values
-    enum class Options : int8_t {
+    enum class Option : uint8_t {
         RecordWhileArmed = (1 << 0U)
     };
+    bool option_is_enabled(Option option) const {
+        return ((uint8_t)_params.options.get() & (uint8_t)option) != 0;
+    }
 
     // init - performs any required initialisation
     virtual void init() {};