The googlearchive/android-Camera2Basic repository is a sample Android application that demonstrates the use of the Camera2 API, which is the latest camera API introduced in Android Lollipop (API level 21). The app provides a basic implementation of a camera preview and the ability to capture photos.

Pros

• Demonstrates the Camera2 API: The project serves as a learning resource for developers who want to understand and implement the Camera2 API in their Android applications.
• Provides a starting point: The project can be used as a starting point for building more complex camera-based applications, as it includes the necessary boilerplate code and structure.
• Supports multiple camera features: The app supports various camera features, such as auto-focus, auto-exposure, and flash control, which can be useful for developers.
• Well-documented: The project includes detailed comments and documentation, making it easier for developers to understand and modify the code.

Cons

• Limited functionality: The app provides only a basic implementation of camera functionality, and may not be suitable for more advanced use cases.
• Outdated dependencies: The project uses some dependencies that may be considered outdated, such as the support library, which could be replaced with the newer AndroidX libraries.
• Lack of error handling: The project does not include comprehensive error handling, which could be important for a production-ready application.
• No support for newer Android versions: The project may not be compatible with the latest Android versions and their camera-related features.

Code Examples

// Initializing the camera
private void initializeCamera() {
    try {
        cameraManager = (CameraManager) getSystemService(Context.CAMERA_SERVICE);
        cameraId = cameraManager.getCameraIdList()[0];
        cameraCharacteristics = cameraManager.getCameraCharacteristics(cameraId);
        // Set up the camera preview
        createCameraPreviewSession();
    } catch (CameraAccessException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
}

This code initializes the camera by getting the camera manager, selecting the first available camera, and creating a camera preview session.

// Capturing a photo
private void capturePhoto() {
    if (null == cameraDevice) {
        return;
    }
    CameraManager manager = (CameraManager) getSystemService(Context.CAMERA_SERVICE);
    try {
        CameraCharacteristics characteristics = manager.getCameraCharacteristics(cameraDevice.getId());
        Size[] jpegSizes = null;
        if (characteristics != null) {
            jpegSizes = characteristics.get(CameraCharacteristics.SCALER_STREAM_CONFIGURATION_MAP)
                    .getOutputSizes(ImageFormat.JPEG);
        }
        int width = 640;
        int height = 480;
        if (jpegSizes != null && 0 < jpegSizes.length) {
            width = jpegSizes[0].getWidth();
            height = jpegSizes[0].getHeight();
        }
        ImageReader reader = ImageReader.newInstance(width, height, ImageFormat.JPEG, 1);
        List<Surface> outputSurfaces = new ArrayList<Surface>(2);
        outputSurfaces.add(reader.getSurface());
        outputSurfaces.add(new Surface(textureView.getSurfaceTexture()));
        final CaptureRequest.Builder captureBuilder = cameraDevice.createCaptureRequest(CameraDevice.TEMPLATE_STILL_CAPTURE);
        captureBuilder.addTarget(reader.getSurface());
        captureBuilder.set(CaptureRequest.CONTROL_MODE, CameraMetadata.CONTROL_MODE_AUTO);
        // Capture the photo
        cameraDevice.createCaptureSession(outputSurfaces, new CameraCaptureSession.StateCallback() {
            @Override
            public void onConfigured(CameraCaptureSession session) {
                try {
                    session.capture(captureBuilder.build(), null, null);
                } catch (CameraAccessException e) {
                    e.printStackTrace();
                }
            }
            @Override
            public void onConfigureFailed(CameraCapture