The document summarizes a presentation about building custom camera applications for Android. It covers topics like camera setup, image capture, camera parameters, face detection, and previews the new Camera2 API being introduced in Android L. It provides code snippets and recommendations for implementing core camera features like initializing the camera preview, taking pictures, and accessing camera metadata. It also discusses challenges like dealing with different device orientations and specifications.

1. BUILDING CUSTOM
CAMERA APPLICATIONS
Droidcon NYC 2014
Presented by Huyen Tue Dao
September 21, 2014
376dp
wrap_content
@+id/randomly_typing

2. BUILDING A CUSTOM CAMERA APPLICATION
Where to start
Camera setup
Image capture
Camera information
Camera parameters
Camera API in L
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3. ABOUT ME
Mobile developer: native Android
and native iOS
Android developer 4 years
(personally use one)
Computer Engineering, University
of MD, College Park
Gamer (video, board, card,
anything): mostly Dota 2, QuizUp
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© 2011 Adam C Beamish

4. WHERE TO START
What you want vs what you need
Balance having critical
features with supporting
target user base
What features
the API supports
deciding minimum SDK
using Build.VERSION
What features
the device camera has
using use-feature and PackageManager
querying support level from the Camera
being aware of manufacturer/device quirks
WANT
CAN
You can’t always get what you want.
But if you try sometimes well you just mind find
You get what you need.

5. CAMERA SETUP: THE MANIFEST
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />
Without any <uses-feature> specifications, to install a device would require:
a back-facing camera
a front-facing camera
auto-focus
flash
From docs: “This will automatically enforce the <uses-feature> manifest element for
all camera features.”
If any of the above are not requirements, specify <uses-feature>:
<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.camera.autofocus"
android:required="false"/>
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6. CAMERA SETUP: CAMERA + PREVIEW
The order of things…
Add a SurfaceView to your layout
for the camera preview
Implement a SurfaceHolder.Callback:
surfaceCreated(), surfaceChanged(),
surfaceDestroyed()
Pass the callback to the SurfaceHolder
instance of the SurfaceView
Get android.hardware.Camera
instance via Camera.open()
Call Camera.getParameters()
and perform any initial setup
wait for surface to be created: #surfaceCreated
Call Camera.setPreviewDisplay() with the SurfaceHolder
Call Camera.startPreview()

7. CAMERA SETUP: CAMERA + PREVIEW
Open/release camera

8. CAMERA SETUP: CAMERA + PREVIEW
Implementing SurfaceHolder.Callback

9. CAMERA SETUP: THINGS TO NOTE
“Did you speak the exact words?”
Must call Camera.setPreviewDisplay() after the
surface is created
Otherwise, no error, no preview
Preview size changes must be made between
Camera.stopPreview()/Camera.startPreview()
all Camera.release() in onPause() to free up the camera
The surface is destroyed when SurfaceView is View.INVISIBLE.
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10. IMAGE CAPTURE
Call Camera.takePicture(ShutterCallback, PictureCallback,
PictureCallback, PictureCallback)
The 3 PictureCallback parameters = 3 image formats
raw: uncompressed
postview: scaled, fully processed
JPEG: compressed
Raw and postview support depends on device
ShutterCallback (more or less) invoked the moment that camera
sensor captures an image
Camera.takePicture() stops the camera preview; call
Camera.startPreview() in/after picture taking callbacks
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11. IMAGE CAPTURE
with a JPEG callback

12. CAMERA INFO: SWITCHING IT UP
CameraInfo: per device camera
orientation: angle of rotation when facing the camera for the
image to match the natural orientation of the device
facing: front or back
whether the shutter sound can be disabled
Camera.getCameraInfo(): camera IDs are 0-based indices
Use CameraInfo to swap between front and back
Use PackageManager to check if a front camera exists if front
camera is not required by <use-feature>
Close the current camera before swapping
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13. CAMERA INFO
Finding the right camera

14. 14

15. 15

16. Natural camera orientation (looking at the device from the front)
Natural device orientation
90°
Camera.Info.orientation = 90
270°
Camera.Info.orientation = 270
DEVICE ORIENTATION VS CAMERA ORIENTATION
i.e. your camera is sideways

17. 17

18. CAMERA ROTATION
Camera/display rotation + configuration changes -> sucks
Complicated
Device and camera orientation changes don’t play nice
Option #1: change activity orientation animation (API 18+):
WindowManager.LayoutParams.html#rotationAnimation
Option #2: lock the activity orientation
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19. CAMERA PARAMETERS
Camera.Parameters information about and access to features
Device support:
PackageManager to check for auto-focus and flash
Otherwise check getter return values in Camera.Parameters
!isAutoWhiteBalanceLockSupported()
Or returns 0 or null
API level also a factor (of course)
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20. CAMERA.PARAMETERS SETTING

21. CAMERA SETTINGS: UPDATING
Camera.Parameters changes happen immediately (mostly)
Saving/restoring parameters
Camera.Parameters.flatten()
Camera.Parameters.unflatten()
Change values on a Camera.Parameters instance and pass it to
Camera.setParameters()
Always call Camera.getParameters()
Do not hold onto Camera.Parameters instances
Only flattened string makes it past Camera service
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22. 22

23. CAMERA FEATURES: AREAS
Camera.Area rectangular bounds within viewfinder
metering areas: measuring light to calculate exposure + WB
focus areas: prioritizing focus
Camera.Parameters.setMeteringAreas(List<Camera.Area>)
Camera.Parameters.setFocusAreas(List<Camera.Area>)
Relative to the current zoom: cannot be outside FOV
Camera viewfinder/sensor has its own coordinate system
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24. Camera
-1000
-1000 1000
(0,0)
H
1000
W
View
Viewfinder
Full FOV
Viewfinder
VIEWFINDER VS VIEW COORDINATES
Translating between what the camera sees and what the user sees
zoom = 1.5x
preview surface in layout

25. 25

26. FACE DETECTION
Camera.Parameters.getMaxNumDetectedFaces()
Camera
FaceDetectionListener, setFaceDetectionListener()
startFaceDetection(), stopFaceDetection()
Camera.Face: data object
ID: unique per face
face bounds
score: how confident are we that this is a face?
eye and face coordinates
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27. FACE DETECTION
FaceDetectionListener.onFaceDetection() is called frequently
Start only when actually needed
Avoid intensive work inside the callback
No event when no faces are detected
Modifying the UI in response to face detection: timer or
postDelayed to reset UI after some time without detection event
27

28. CAMERA API 2 IN L: THE FUTURE IS AWESOME
Driven by a new Hardware Abstract Layer (HAL3)
HAL Version 1: black box: 3 modes (preview, still, video)
HAL3: all requests handled same way, “unified view”
More user control for both capture and post-processing
Maintainability and efficiency
28

29. HAL V1 VS HAL V3
https://source.android.com/devices/camera/camera3.html

30. HAL3 (EXPANDED)
https://source.android.com/devices/camera/camera3_requests_hal.html

31. CAMERA API 2 IN L: THE FUTURE IS AWESOME
More metadata
Camera information
Capture configuration part of request and result
Dynamic metadata: timestamps, exposure time
More output options
Multiple Surface instances receive results from a single request
App-visible JPEG, YUV, RAW Bayer buffers
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32. CAMERA API 2 IN L: THE FUTURE IS AWESOME
Camera (static bits) -> CameraManager
AvailabilityListener: removable cameras
Asynchronous opening + CameraDevice.StateListener
Camera (function access) -> CameraDevice
Actually get the ID of the camera!
CameraCaptureSession/CaptureRequest
Parameters -> CaptureRequest.Builder.set() to configure
CameraInfo -> CameraCharacteristics
CameraMetadata parent of CameraCharacteristics, CaptureRequest,
CaptureResult, TotalCaptureResult
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33. CAMERA API 2 IN L: THE FUTURE IS AWESOME
Lessons from API 1 do not go away (remember the words)
More complex… but more is still better
More control and performance
More consistency in the API
More for developers to leverage
It’s going to be…
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34. THANK YOU +
QUESTIONS?
Huyen Tue Dao
Lead developer | Owner
Randomly Typing
!
@queencodemonkey
!
huyen@randomlytyping.com
randomlytyping.com
!
speakerdeck.com/randomlytyping
slideshare.net/randomlytyping
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Code will coming to github
!
Things To check out
!
Building Apps with Multimedia: Capturing Photos
developer.android.com/training/camera/
index.html
!
Android Design in Action: Camera Apps
youtube.com/watch?v=OLSa7fErTAM
!
Standford Digital Image Processing Class
stanford.edu/class/ee368/Android/index.html
!
DevBytes: Android L - Camera2 API
youtube.com/watch?v=Xtp3tH27OFs
!
Sample Camera 2 API app:
github.com/googlesamples/android-
Camera2Basic/blob/master/Camera2BasicSample
!
Digital Camera Sensor Sizes
gizmag.com/camera-sensor-size-guide/26684/