  We present the results of a four-year photometric study of the high-amplitude
$\delta$ Scuti star (HADS) UY Camelopardalis. Analyses on the available data
from 1985 to 2003 show that UY Cam is monoperiodic. Fourier solutions for
individual data sets do not reveal period changes in the star. Although forced
parabolic fits to the $O-C$ residuals indicate measurable period change, the
distribution of the data points in $O-C$ diagram and the deviations between
fits and observations suggest the period change is still not established. We
evidence the presence of cycle-to-cycle and longer time-scale amplitude
variations. The pulsation amplitude seemed to change from 1985 to 2000s, but it
kept constant in 2000--2003. UY Cam locates in the upper portion of the
instability region of $\delta$ Sct variables. Photometric properties and
estimated physical parameters reveal that UY Cam is an interesting object
concerning its poorer metallicity, longer period, higher luminosity, lower
surface gravity and larger radius among the HADS. UY Cam could be a younger
(age=0.7$\pm$0.1 Gyr) Population I HADS with poor metal abundances (Z=0.004)
evolving on its post main sequence shell hydrogen-burning evolutionary phase.
UY Cam intervenes among the Pop. I/II HADS and RRc Lyr variables. These
characteristics suggest the star to be an analogue of HADS, SX Phe and RRc
Lyr-type variables.
