Smartphone photography continues to evolve, catering to both casual users and enthusiasts alike. While the majority of smartphone users are satisfied with the default images produced by their devices, there remains a dedicated segment that seeks to enhance their photos before sharing them. The limitations of JPEG format, which is commonly used for saving images, can restrict the editing potential of these users. To address this, the upcoming update to the Jetpack CameraX library promises to introduce support for capturing RAW photos.
Understanding RAW Photography
RAW photography captures the unprocessed image data directly from the camera sensor, preserving the original quality without any compression. This format allows for greater flexibility in post-processing, enabling adjustments to critical aspects such as white balance, exposure, and sharpness. However, it is important to note that RAW files are significantly larger than their JPEG counterparts, which can be a concern for users with limited storage capacity on budget smartphones. While JPEG compression is lossy, the visual differences are often negligible for the average user.
Editing photos in RAW format requires time and a certain level of expertise, which is why many camera apps for Android do not default to this option. Although some apps do allow RAW capture, it typically requires users to enable the feature in the settings. Unfortunately, many applications utilizing the Jetpack CameraX library have been unable to support RAW photography due to technical limitations.
The Jetpack CameraX library, designed for applications that require basic camera functionality, has historically only supported JPEG image capture. In contrast, the Android Camera2 API has long offered RAW image capabilities, catering to more advanced photography applications. Given that CameraX is intended for simpler use cases—like social media apps that facilitate quick photo sharing—its lack of RAW support made sense. However, as developers increasingly seek to enhance their applications, Google has recognized the demand for more advanced features.
With the recent release of version 1.5.0-alpha03 of CameraX, Google has previewed exciting new functionalities slated for the stable release. Among these enhancements are two new output formats for the ImageCapture class: OUTPUTFORMATRAW and OUTPUTFORMATRAW_JPEG. The former captures a single RAW image, while the latter allows for simultaneous capture of both RAW and JPEG images. Notably, RAW images will be saved in the widely accepted Adobe DNG format, which is favored by many photographers.
The introduction of RAW photography support within CameraX is particularly noteworthy, considering the library’s original intent. As the demand for advanced camera functionalities grows, it is likely that more developers will advocate for additional features. While the specific applications planning to utilize this new capability remain undisclosed, the change is poised to expand the creative possibilities for third-party apps equipped with camera functionalities.
