camera1-to-camerax

Step 0: Add Dependencies

Check for and add the required CameraX dependencies. Use version 1.3.0 or higher for interoperability, or version 1.5.0 or higher for Compose extensions.

If you are using a Version Catalog (

libs.versions.toml

), add the following:

kotlin

[versions]
camerax = "<minimum_version_needed>"

[libraries]
androidx-camera-core = { group = "androidx.camera", name = "camera-core", version.ref = "camerax" }
androidx-camera-camera2 = { group = "androidx.camera", name = "camera-camera2", version.ref = "camerax" }
androidx-camera-lifecycle = { group = "androidx.camera", name = "camera-lifecycle", version.ref = "camerax" }
androidx-camera-view = { group = "androidx.camera", name = "camera-view", version.ref = "camerax" }
androidx-camera-compose = { group = "androidx.camera", name = "camera-compose", version.ref = "camerax" }

And in your

build.gradle.kts

(or

build.gradle

kotlin

implementation(libs.androidx.camera.core)
implementation(libs.androidx.camera.camera2)
implementation(libs.androidx.camera.lifecycle)
implementation(libs.androidx.camera.view)
implementation(libs.androidx.camera.compose)

Without a Version Catalog, fall back to these standard Gradle dependencies:

kotlin

implementation "androidx.camera:camera-core:<minimum_version_needed>"
implementation "androidx.camera:camera-camera2:<minimum_version_needed>"
implementation "androidx.camera:camera-lifecycle:<minimum_version_needed>"
implementation "androidx.camera:camera-view:<minimum_version_needed>"
implementation "androidx.camera:camera-compose:<minimum_version_needed>"

Step 1: Remove Legacy Implementation

Delete all
```
android.hardware.Camera
```
instances.

Delete

SurfaceView

and

SurfaceHolder.Callback

implementations (

surfaceCreated

surfaceChanged

surfaceDestroyed

Remove custom lifecycle handling that opens or releases the camera in
```
onResume
```
or
```
onPause
```
.
Remove manual matrix calculations for orientation.

Step 2: Initialize ProcessCameraProvider

Request the

ProcessCameraProvider

and bind use cases to the Activity or Fragment lifecycle.

kotlin

val context = LocalContext.current
val lifecycleOwner = LocalLifecycleOwner.current
LaunchedEffect(context, lifecycleOwner) {
  val cameraProviderFuture = ProcessCameraProvider.getInstance(context)
  cameraProviderFuture.addListener({
      val cameraProvider = cameraProviderFuture.get()

      val cameraSelector = CameraSelector.Builder()
        .requireLensFacing(CameraSelector.LENS_FACING_BACK)
        .build()

      val preview = Preview.Builder().build()
      val imageCapture = ImageCapture.Builder()
        .setCaptureMode(ImageCapture.CAPTURE_MODE_MINIMIZE_LATENCY)
        .build()

      cameraProvider.unbindAll() // Unbind before rebinding

      val camera = cameraProvider.bindToLifecycle(
        lifecycleOwner,
        cameraSelector,
        preview,
        imageCapture
      )
      val cameraControl = camera.cameraControl
    }, ContextCompat.getMainExecutor(context)
  )
}

Step 3: Implement the Preview & Tap-to-Focus

Choose exactly one of the following patterns based on the app's UI toolkit:

Option A: For Android Views (XML Legacy)

Use

androidx.camera.view.PreviewView

1. Set up preview:

kotlin

preview.setSurfaceProvider(previewView.surfaceProvider)

2. Handle tap-to-focus:

kotlin

val factory = previewView.meteringPointFactory
val point = factory.createPoint(x, y) // x, y from touch event
val action = FocusMeteringAction.Builder(point, FocusMeteringAction.FLAG_AF).build()
cameraControl?.startFocusAndMetering(action)

Option B: For Jetpack Compose

Use

androidx.camera.compose.CameraXViewfinder

1. Set up preview and SurfaceRequest:

kotlin

var surfaceRequest by remember { mutableStateOf<SurfaceRequest?>(null) }
val preview = remember {
  Preview.Builder().build().apply {
    setSurfaceProvider { request -> surfaceRequest = request }
  }
}

2. Render viewfinder:

kotlin

surfaceRequest?.let { request ->
  CameraXViewfinder(
    surfaceRequest = request,
    coordinateTransformer = coordinateTransformer,
    modifier = Modifier
  )
}

3. Handle tap-to-focus in Compose:

kotlin

// Inside your tap gesture handler...
val surfaceCoords = with(coordinateTransformer) { offset.transform() }
val factory = SurfaceOrientedMeteringPointFactory(
  request.resolution.width.toFloat(),
  request.resolution.height.toFloat()
)
val point = factory.createPoint(surfaceCoords.x, surfaceCoords.y)
val action = FocusMeteringAction.Builder(point, FocusMeteringAction.FLAG_AF).build()
cameraControl?.startFocusAndMetering(action)

4. Update target rotation for Compose:

kotlin

LaunchedEffect(configuration) {
  if (!view.isInEditMode) {
    val rotation = view.display?.rotation ?: Surface.ROTATION_0
    imageCapture.targetRotation = rotation
    preview.targetRotation = rotation
  }
}

Step 4: Capture Photo

Use the

ImageCapture

use case to take the picture. The

ImageProxy

handles rotation directly.

kotlin

imageCapture.takePicture(
  cameraExecutor,
  object : ImageCapture.OnImageCapturedCallback() {
    override fun onCaptureSuccess(image: ImageProxy) {
      val buffer = image.planes[0].buffer
      val bytes = ByteArray(buffer.remaining())
      buffer.get(bytes)
      val bitmap = BitmapFactory.decodeByteArray(bytes, 0, bytes.size)

      // Adjust rotation natively via ImageProxy
      val matrix = Matrix()
      matrix.postRotate(image.imageInfo.rotationDegrees.toFloat())
      if (lensFacing == CameraSelector.LENS_FACING_FRONT) {
        matrix.postScale(-1f, 1f) // Mirror for front camera
      }

      val rotatedBitmap = Bitmap.createBitmap(
        bitmap, 0, 0, bitmap.width, bitmap.height, matrix, true
      )

      // MUST close proxy
      image.close()
    }

    override fun onError(exception: ImageCaptureException) {
      Log.e("CameraX", "Capture failed: ${exception.message}", exception)
    }
  }
)

Step 5: Switch Cameras

To flip between front and rear cameras, change the

CameraSelector

and re-trigger the

ProcessCameraProvider

logic.

kotlin

lensFacing = if (lensFacing == CameraSelector.LENS_FACING_BACK) {
  CameraSelector.LENS_FACING_FRONT
} else {
  CameraSelector.LENS_FACING_BACK
}

Constraints

Don't manage the camera lifecycle manually : Bind the camera to a
```
LifecycleOwner
```
through the
```
ProcessCameraProvider
```
. Avoid manual camera open or close logic in
```
onResume
```
or
```
onPause
```
.
Don't calculate focus matrices manually :
```
MeteringPointFactory
```
handles coordinate transformations, including device rotation offsets. Avoid custom matrix implementations.
Don't forget to close the ImageProxy : Remember to invoke
```
image.close()
```
in the capture callback. Skipping this call locks the capture pipeline and interrupts subsequent photos.
Don't wrap
PreviewView
in
AndroidView
for Compose code : For Compose UI layouts, use
```
CameraXViewfinder
```
. Compiling
```
PreviewView
```
in an
```
AndroidView
```
is an old fallback option that introduces resizing issues.

camera1-to-camerax

NPX Install

Tags

SKILL.md Content

Step 0: Add Dependencies

Step 1: Remove Legacy Implementation

Step 2: Initialize ProcessCameraProvider

Step 3: Implement the Preview & Tap-to-Focus

Option A: For Android Views (XML Legacy)

Option B: For Jetpack Compose

Step 4: Capture Photo

Step 5: Switch Cameras

Constraints