How to get raw preview data from Camera object at least 15 frames per second in Android?

Question

I need to obtain raw preview data from Camera object at least 15 frame per second, but I can only get a frame in 110 milliseconds which means I can get only 9 frames per second. I brief my code below.

Camera mCamera = Camera.open(); Camera.Parameters parameters = mCamera.getParameters(); parameters.setPreviewFrameRate(30); parameters.setPreviewFpsRange(15000,30000); mCamera.setParameters(parameters); mCamera.addCallbackBuffer(new byte[dataBufferSize]); //dataBufferSize stands for the byte size for a picture frame mCamera.addCallbackBuffer(new byte[dataBufferSize]); mCamera.addCallbackBuffer(new byte[dataBufferSize]); mCamera.setPreviewDisplay(videoCaptureViewHolder); //videoCaptureViewHolder is a SurfaceHolder object mCamera.setPreviewCallbackWithBuffer(new Camera.PreviewCallback() {   private long timestamp=0;   public synchronized void onPreviewFrame(byte[] data, Camera camera) {     Log.v("CameraTest","Time Gap = "+(System.currentTimeMillis()-timestamp));     timestamp=System.currentTimeMillis();     //do picture data process     camera.addCallbackBuffer(data);     return;   } } mCamera.startPreview(); 

In the briefed code above, dataBufferSize and videoCaptureViewHolder is defined and calculated or assigned in other statements.

I run my code, I can see preview on the screen and I get the log below:

... V/CameraTest( 5396): Time Gap = 105 V/CameraTest( 5396): Time Gap = 112 V/CameraTest( 5396): Time Gap = 113 V/CameraTest( 5396): Time Gap = 115 V/CameraTest( 5396): Time Gap = 116 V/CameraTest( 5396): Time Gap = 113 V/CameraTest( 5396): Time Gap = 115 ... 

This means onPreviewFrame(byte[] data, Camera camera) is called every 110 milliseconds so I can get no more than 9 frames per second. And no matter what preview frame rate I set by issue setPreviewFrameRate() and what preview Fps range I set by issue setPreviewFpsRange(), the log is the same.

Would some one give me some help on this problem? I need to obtain raw preview data from Camera object at least 15 frames per second. Thank you in advance.

I put my entire code below.

CameraTest.java

package test.cameratest;  import java.io.IOException; import java.util.Iterator; import java.util.List; import android.app.Activity; import android.graphics.ImageFormat; import android.hardware.Camera; import android.hardware.Camera.ErrorCallback; import android.hardware.Camera.Parameters; import android.hardware.Camera.Size; import android.os.Bundle; import android.util.Log; import android.view.SurfaceHolder; import android.view.SurfaceView; import android.view.SurfaceHolder.Callback;  public class CameraTestActivity extends Activity {     SurfaceView mVideoCaptureView;     Camera mCamera;     @Override     public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {         super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);         setContentView(R.layout.main);         mVideoCaptureView = (SurfaceView) findViewById(R.id.video_capture_surface);         SurfaceHolder videoCaptureViewHolder = mVideoCaptureView.getHolder();         videoCaptureViewHolder.setType(SurfaceHolder.SURFACE_TYPE_PUSH_BUFFERS);         videoCaptureViewHolder.addCallback(new Callback() {             public void surfaceDestroyed(SurfaceHolder holder) {             }              public void surfaceCreated(SurfaceHolder holder) {                 startVideo();             }              public void surfaceChanged(SurfaceHolder holder, int format,                     int width, int height) {             }         });     }     private void startVideo() {         SurfaceHolder videoCaptureViewHolder = null;         try {             mCamera = Camera.open();         } catch (RuntimeException e) {             Log.e("CameraTest", "Camera Open filed");             return;         }         mCamera.setErrorCallback(new ErrorCallback() {             public void onError(int error, Camera camera) {             }         });          Camera.Parameters parameters = mCamera.getParameters();         parameters.setPreviewFrameRate(30);         parameters.setPreviewFpsRange(15000,30000);         List<int[]> supportedPreviewFps=parameters.getSupportedPreviewFpsRange();         Iterator<int[]> supportedPreviewFpsIterator=supportedPreviewFps.iterator();         while(supportedPreviewFpsIterator.hasNext()){             int[] tmpRate=supportedPreviewFpsIterator.next();             StringBuffer sb=new StringBuffer();             sb.append("supportedPreviewRate: ");             for(int i=tmpRate.length,j=0;j<i;j++){                 sb.append(tmpRate[j]+", ");             }             Log.v("CameraTest",sb.toString());         }          List<Size> supportedPreviewSizes=parameters.getSupportedPreviewSizes();         Iterator<Size> supportedPreviewSizesIterator=supportedPreviewSizes.iterator();         while(supportedPreviewSizesIterator.hasNext()){             Size tmpSize=supportedPreviewSizesIterator.next();             Log.v("CameraTest","supportedPreviewSize.width = "+tmpSize.width+"supportedPreviewSize.height = "+tmpSize.height);         }          mCamera.setParameters(parameters);         if (null != mVideoCaptureView)             videoCaptureViewHolder = mVideoCaptureView.getHolder();         try {             mCamera.setPreviewDisplay(videoCaptureViewHolder);         } catch (Throwable t) {         }         Log.v("CameraTest","Camera PreviewFrameRate = "+mCamera.getParameters().getPreviewFrameRate());         Size previewSize=mCamera.getParameters().getPreviewSize();         int dataBufferSize=(int)(previewSize.height*previewSize.width*                                (ImageFormat.getBitsPerPixel(mCamera.getParameters().getPreviewFormat())/8.0));         mCamera.addCallbackBuffer(new byte[dataBufferSize]);         mCamera.addCallbackBuffer(new byte[dataBufferSize]);         mCamera.addCallbackBuffer(new byte[dataBufferSize]);         mCamera.setPreviewCallbackWithBuffer(new Camera.PreviewCallback() {             private long timestamp=0;             public synchronized void onPreviewFrame(byte[] data, Camera camera) {                 Log.v("CameraTest","Time Gap = "+(System.currentTimeMillis()-timestamp));                 timestamp=System.currentTimeMillis();                 try{                     camera.addCallbackBuffer(data);                 }catch (Exception e) {                     Log.e("CameraTest", "addCallbackBuffer error");                     return;                 }                 return;             }         });         try {             mCamera.startPreview();         } catch (Throwable e) {             mCamera.release();             mCamera = null;             return;         }     }     private void stopVideo() {         if(null==mCamera)             return;         try {             mCamera.stopPreview();             mCamera.setPreviewDisplay(null);             mCamera.setPreviewCallbackWithBuffer(null);             mCamera.release();         } catch (IOException e) {             e.printStackTrace();             return;         }         mCamera = null;     }     public void finish(){         stopVideo();         super.finish();     }; } 

AndroidManifest.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"       package="test.cameratest"       android:versionCode="1"       android:versionName="1.0">     <uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="9" android:targetSdkVersion="10" android:maxSdkVersion="10"/>     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.VIBRATE" />     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_WIFI_STATE" />     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WAKE_LOCK" />     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO" />     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.MOUNT_UNMOUNT_FILESYSTEMS"/>     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_CONTACTS"/>     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.MODIFY_AUDIO_SETTINGS"/>     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE"/>     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.PROCESS_OUTGOING_CALLS"/>     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CALL_PHONE"/>     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BOOT_COMPLETED"/>     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"/>     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_SETTINGS" />         <application android:icon="@drawable/icon" android:label="@string/app_name">         <activity android:name=".CameraTestActivity"                   android:label="@string/app_name">             <intent-filter>                 <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />                 <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />             </intent-filter>         </activity>     </application> </manifest> 

Answer 1

I'm affraid, you can not. Preview framerate setting is hint for camera appplication ( which runs in separate process) - and it is free to accept or silently ignore it. It is also not related with preview frame retrieval

When you request preview frame, you just say external application that you would like to have it. Buffer for it is allocated in camera application and then passed to your activity via mmaped memory segment - this takes time.

You may get desired performance on some devices, but not necessarily on one you are playing with.

If you need defined frame rate, you will have to capture video and then parse / decompress resulting binary stream.

Answer 2

Me experience with the camera stuff has been fiddly and hardware dependent. So try running it on other hardware sometime if you can.

Also might be worth trying some more camera settings.

• Checkout setRecordingHint (boolean hint).
• Could even try FOCUS_MODE.

Thanks for including a code sample btw.