Camera plugin

Build a live camera preview with the camera package.

The camera package

The camera package provides direct access to the device camera and lets you build a live preview. You initialize the camera with CameraController and display the feed with the CameraPreview widget. Unlike image_picker, it lets the user see the camera stream before capturing.

final controller = CameraController(camera, ResolutionPreset.high);
await controller.initialize();

The CameraPreview widget

CameraPreview is the widget that displays the controller's live feed on screen. It is used as CameraPreview(controller). Using this widget before the controller is initialized throws an error.

CameraPreview(controller);

Exercise Initialize the controller and check it

Create a CameraController, initialize it with initialize and print controller.value.isInitialized.

Show example solution

class CameraDescription {
  final String name;
  CameraDescription(this.name);
}

enum ResolutionPreset { low, medium, high }

class CameraValue {
  final bool isInitialized;
  CameraValue(this.isInitialized);
}

class CameraController {
  final CameraDescription camera;
  final ResolutionPreset resolution;
  bool _initialized = false;
  CameraController(this.camera, this.resolution);
  CameraValue get value => CameraValue(_initialized);
  Future<void> initialize() async {
    _initialized = true;
  }
}

void main() async {
  final controller = CameraController(
    CameraDescription('0'),
    ResolutionPreset.high,
  );
  await controller.initialize();
  print(controller.value.isInitialized);
}

Test yourself

What is the main difference between the camera package and image_picker?
- They are completely identical
- The camera package only picks from the gallery
- The camera package provides a live camera preview
- image_picker is faster
Show answer

The camera package provides a live camera preview — The camera package provides a live camera stream and preview; image_picker only opens the system picker.

Initialize the controller

await controller.____;

Show answer

await controller.initialize();

camera package parts

camera

Camera access package
CameraController

Camera controller
CameraPreview

Live preview widget
initialize

Initialization method

Next lesson: CameraController

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