Expanded support for RAW Photos in third-party Android camera apps
Google is making strides to enhance the quality of smartphone photography by bringing RAW photo support to more third-party camera apps through an update to the CameraX library. While the default JPEG photos from smartphones are sufficient for casual use, photography enthusiasts often prefer RAW images due to their superior editing capabilities.
Understanding RAW Photography
RAW photography captures unprocessed image data directly from the camera sensor. Unlike JPEG, which compresses and processes the image, RAW files retain more details, allowing photographers to adjust settings like white balance, exposure, and sharpness in post-processing. However, RAW files are significantly larger, consuming more storage space, which can be a concern for users with budget devices.
Current Limitations in Android Apps
Many camera apps on Android either do not support RAW photography or require manual activation due to its limited utility for most users. This gap exists because many developers opt to use the simpler CameraX library instead of the more complex Camera2 API. While Camera2 has supported RAW capture for a long time, CameraX, designed for ease of use and broader device compatibility, initially only supported JPEG output.
CameraX simplifies the integration of camera features into apps like social media platforms that do not need advanced camera functionalities. The trade-off has been the lack of advanced options like RAW photo capture. However, Google is addressing this by adding RAW capture capabilities in the upcoming release of CameraX version 1.5.0.
Upcoming Features in CameraX 1.5.0
With the 1.5.0 update, CameraX will introduce two new output formats: OUTPUT_FORMAT_RAW for capturing a single RAW image and OUTPUT_FORMAT_RAW_JPEG for capturing both RAW and JPEG images simultaneously. These RAW images will be saved in Adobe’s DNG format, a widely adopted standard in digital photography. This addition aims to bridge the feature gap between CameraX and Camera2, making RAW photo support more accessible to a broader range of apps.
Implications for Developers and Users
This update will empower app developers who use CameraX to provide users with more advanced photography options without resorting to the more complex Camera2 API. It also reflects Google’s commitment to enhancing CameraX, making it a viable choice even for apps with more demanding camera requirements. As a result, more third-party camera apps may soon start offering RAW capture, appealing to users who prefer extensive photo editing and better image quality.
Conclusion
Google’s efforts to add RAW photo support to CameraX demonstrate an ongoing push to offer professional-grade features in a simpler package. This move is expected to make high-quality, detailed photography accessible even in apps that were previously limited to basic JPEG captures, enriching the overall Android photography experience for both developers and users.