Disclosed is a camera control method for a portable terminal, by which a lens unit of a camera of the portable terminal can be automatically drawn into or out of the portable terminal when a call is received in a camera mode of the portable terminal. The method comprises the steps of: determining if a call is received in the camera mode in which a lens unit of the portable terminal has been drawn out of the portable terminal; controlling the lens unit to be automatically drawn into the portable terminal while reporting call reception when the call is received; shifting the portable terminal into a communication mode and performing communication when a communication key is input; shifting the portable terminal into an initial camera mode when the initial camera mode is selected after the communication is performed and shifting the portable terminal into a previous camera mode when the previous camera mode is selected after the communication is performed; and interrupting call reception and controlling the lens unit to be automatically drawn out of the portable terminal while maintaining the camera mode when a cancel key is selected.