Features of the new camera API in Android 5.0 Lollipop

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Many people know that camera applications from Google Play often can not give better image quality than stock applications from manufacturers. Be it support for HDR mode, exposure settings, various additions, for example, funny dinosaurs, as is done in devices from SONY. But after the arrival of the next version of Android, Google decided to fix this shortcoming by introducing new APIs for the camera. It is interesting to know more - take food and under the cut! (3.4MB of pictures, carefully).

Here's what the Android 5.0 release page says :
Android 5.0 introduces new camera APIs that will allow you to shoot RAW formats, such as YUV and Bayer RAW, as well as control settings such as exposure, sensitivity and number of frames in high-speed shooting mode. The new fully synchronized camera processing system allows you to shoot uncompressed YUV pictures at 30 frames per second on supporting devices.

Together with them, you can also take data in the form of noise information and other data.

Applications that broadcast video streams over the network can now use the H.265 HEVC video codec for optimized video encoding and decoding.

Android 5.0 also provides support for 4K content and joint playback of compressed video and audio data.


What does this mean for camera application developers? Now they can use things in their arsenal such as controlling shutter speeds and displaying photos in uncompressed RAW (DNG) format. This allows you to achieve better dynamics, reduce noise and all other features of uncompressed photo formats compared to compressed JPEGs.

The scheme of the camera application with the new APIs :



And here is the difference in high-speed shooting mode:




As you can see, the difference is on the face. Now you just have to wait for the final release of Android 5.0 with all the improvements and innovations that will help developers improve the quality of their camera applications.

But you can not wait, but try the camera application for Nexus 5, assembled by the new API from the developer PkmX - L Camera. Of course, you should have the latest development version of Android 5.0. The application is being developed with open source code. Application features include:

  • Full manual focus;
  • Manual exposure (0.8 ", 1/2, 1/4, 1/6, 1/8, 1/15, 1/30, 1/60, 1/100, 1/125, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, 1/2000, 1/4000, 1/8000, 1/16000);
  • Setting the ISO level (100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, 10000);
  • Image output to DNG;
  • Fast full-resolution shooting at 30 frames per second with constant focus.


An example based on this application on Nexus 5 with Android 5.0 DP:

Snapshot from Google Camera:



Snapshot from the L Camera application, slightly processed in RawTherapee:



As you can see from the example of one application, with new APIs for the camera, developers will have access to many new features, which was not in previous versions of Android, which is good news. Needless to say, really high-quality applications for taking pictures on mobile devices will soon appear.

Thanks zlyoha for the fix :)

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