This sample applies an end-to-end approach to demonstrate how to write a video recording camera application using the Windows.Media.Capture API in conjunction with orientation sensors to cover the functions that most camera apps will require. It will also use the Windows.Media.Core.SceneAnalysisEffect API to get information about the preview scene and give a recommendation on how beneficial an HDR capture would be. In addition, it will show a simple way to use the Windows.Media.Capture.AdvancedCapture API, which enables High Dynamic Range (HDR) captures, included in Windows. This sample is based on the CameraStarterKit.
Specifically, this sample will cover how to:
- Manage the MediaCapture object throughout the lifecycle of the app and through navigation events.
- Acquire a camera located on a specific side of the device. In this case, the sample attempts to get the rear camera.
- Start and stop the preview to a UI element, including mirroring for front-facing cameras.
- Take a regular picture to a file, taking into account the orientation of the device.
- Manage the Scene Analysis effect, including creation, activation/deactivation of the HighDynamicRangeAnalyzer, registering for the SceneAnalyzed event, and cleanup. The effect will be used throughout the lifetime of the app, and the output will be represented in the UI as a bar that fills up according to the information provided in the event raised by the effect.
- Configure the AdvancedPhotoControl to capture HDR images, create an instance of the AdvancedCapture, and register for the AllAllPhotosCaptured event, which signals that the camera is ready to capture again, and for the OptionalReferencePhotoCaptured, which will be raised only on devices that support delivering a reference image alongside the fused image, and carries the reference image in the payload.
- Take an HDR picture to a file, taking into account the orientation of the device.
- Handle rotation events for both, the device moving in space and the page orientation changing on the screen. Also apply any necessary corrections to the preview stream rotation.
- Handle MediaCapture Failed event to clean up the MediaCapture instance when an error occurs.
This sample also implements a custom UI to better simulate the experience that a camera application would provide, so any messages intended for the developer are printed to the debug console.
Samples
How to preview video from a webcam
Media capture using capture device
Reference
Windows.Media.Capture.MediaCapture namespace
Windows.Media.Capture.MediaCaptureInitializationSettings constructor
Windows.Media.Capture.MediaCaptureInitilizationSettings.VideoDeviceId property
Windows.Devices.Enumeration namespace
Windows.Devices.Enumeration.DeviceInformation class
Windows.Devices.Sensors.SimpleOrientationSensor class
Windows.Graphics.Display.DisplayInformation class
Windows.Phone.UI.Input.HardwareButtons.CameraPressed event
Windows.Graphics.Imaging.BitmapDecoder class
Windows.Graphics.Imaging.BitmapEncoder class
Hardware: Camera
Client: Windows 10
Server: Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview
Phone: Windows 10
- If you download the samples ZIP, be sure to unzip the entire archive, not just the folder with the sample you want to build.
- Start Microsoft Visual Studio 2015 and select File > Open > Project/Solution.
- Starting in the folder where you unzipped the samples, go to the Samples subfolder, then the subfolder for this specific sample, then the subfolder for your preferred language (C++, C#, or JavaScript). Double-click the Visual Studio 2015 Solution (.sln) file.
- Press Ctrl+Shift+B, or select Build > Build Solution.
The next steps depend on whether you just want to deploy the sample or you want to both deploy and run it.
Deploying the sample:
- Select Build > Deploy Solution.
Deploying and running the sample:
- To debug the sample and then run it, press F5 or select Debug > Start Debugging. To run the sample without debugging, press Ctrl+F5 or select Debug > Start Without Debugging.