---
id: capturing
title: Taking Photos/Recording Videos
sidebar_label: Taking Photos/Recording Videos
---

import useBaseUrl from '@docusaurus/useBaseUrl';

<div>
  <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="283" height="535" style={{ float: 'right' }}>
    <image href={useBaseUrl("img/demo_capture.gif")} x="18" y="33" width="247" height="469"  />
    <image href={useBaseUrl("img/frame.png")} width="283" height="535" />
  </svg>
</div>

## Camera Actions

The Camera provides certain actions using member functions which are available by using a [ref object](https://reactjs.org/docs/refs-and-the-dom.html):

```tsx
function App() {
  const camera = useRef<Camera>(null)
  // ...

  return (
    <Camera
      ref={camera}
      {...cameraProps}
    />
  )
}
```

The most important actions are:

* [Taking Photos](#taking-photos)
  - [Taking Snapshots](#taking-snapshots)
* [Recording Videos](#recording-videos)
* [Focussing](#focussing)

## Taking Photos

To take a photo you first have to enable photo capture:

```tsx
<Camera {...props} photo={true} />
```

Then, simply use the Camera's [`takePhoto(...)`](../api/classes/camera.camera-1#takephoto) function:

```ts
const photo = await camera.current.takePhoto({
  flash: 'on'
})
```

You can customize capture options such as [automatic red-eye reduction](../api/interfaces/photofile.takephotooptions#enableautoredeyereduction), [automatic image stabilization](../api/interfaces/photofile.takephotooptions#enableautostabilization), [combining images from constituent physical camera devices](../api/interfaces/photofile.takephotooptions#enablevirtualdevicefusion) to create a single high quality fused image, [enable flash](../api/interfaces/photofile.takephotooptions#flash), [prioritize speed over quality](../api/interfaces/photofile.takephotooptions#qualityprioritization) and more using the `options` parameter. (See [`TakePhotoOptions`](../api/interfaces/photofile.takephotooptions))

This function returns a [`PhotoFile`](../api/interfaces/photofile.photofile-1) which contains a [`path`](../api/interfaces/photofile.photofile-1#path) property you can display in your App using an `<Image>` or `<FastImage>`.

### Taking Snapshots

Compared to iOS, Cameras on Android tend to be slower in image capture. If you care about speed, you can use the Camera's [`takeSnapshot(...)`](../api/classes/camera.camera-1#takesnapshot) function (Android only) which simply takes a snapshot of the Camera View instead of actually taking a photo through the Camera lens.

```ts
const snapshot = await camera.current.takeSnapshot({
  quality: 85,
  skipMetadata: true
})
```

:::note
While taking snapshots is faster than taking photos, the resulting image has way lower quality. You can combine both functions to create a snapshot to present to the user at first, then deliver the actual high-res photo afterwards.
:::

:::note
The `takeSnapshot` function also works with `photo={false}`. For this reason, devices that do not support photo and video capture at the same time (see ["The `supportsPhotoAndVideoCapture` prop"](/docs/guides/devices/#the-supportsphotoandvideocapture-prop)) can use `video={true}` and fall back to snapshot capture for photos. (See ["Taking Snapshots"](/docs/guides/capturing#taking-snapshots))
:::

## Recording Videos

To start a video recording you first have to enable video capture:

```tsx
<Camera
  {...props}
  video={true}
  audio={true} // <-- optional
  />
```

Then, simply use the Camera's [`startRecording(...)`](../api/classes/camera.camera-1#startrecording) function:

```ts
camera.current.startRecording({
  flash: 'on',
  onRecordingFinished: (video) => console.log(video),
  onRecordingError: (error) => console.error(error),
})
```

For any error that occured _while recording the video_, the `onRecordingError` callback will be invoked with a [`CaptureError`](../api/classes/cameraerror.cameracaptureerror) and the recording is therefore cancelled.

To stop the video recording, you can call [`stopRecording(...)`](../api/classes/camera.camera-1#stoprecording):

```ts
await camera.current.stopRecording()
```

Once a recording has been stopped, the `onRecordingFinished` callback passed to the `startRecording` function will be invoked with a [`VideoFile`](../api/interfaces/videofile.videofile-1) which you can then use to display in a [`<Video>`](https://github.com/react-native-video/react-native-video) component.

## Focussing

To focus the camera to a specific point, simply use the Camera's [`focus(...)`](../api/classes/camera.camera-1#focus) function:

```ts
await camera.current.focus({ x: tapEvent.x, y: tapEvent.y })
```

The focus function expects a [`Point`](../api/interfaces/point.point-1) parameter which represents the location relative to the Camera View where you want to focus the Camera to. If you use react-native-gesture-handler, this will consist of the [`x`](https://docs.swmansion.com/react-native-gesture-handler/docs/api/gesture-handlers/tap-gh#x) and [`y`](https://docs.swmansion.com/react-native-gesture-handler/docs/api/gesture-handlers/tap-gh#y) properties of the tap event payload.

So for example, `{ x: 0, y: 0 }` will focus to the upper left corner, while `{ x: CAM_WIDTH, y: CAM_HEIGHT }` will focus to the bottom right corner.

Focussing adjusts auto-focus (AF) and auto-exposure (AE).

<br />

#### 🚀 Next section: [Frame Processors](frame-processors)
