How to Programmatically Take Photos While Recording Video

Question

The iPhone 5S is capable of taking pictures while recording video and I am trying to figure out how I would do this programatically. I know I would be utilizing AVFoundation, however, I couldn't find anything in the programming guide regarding this. I have also checked the sample projects (AVFoundation-related) and it doesn't look like there is anything there that does what I am looking for. if you could help point me in the right direction that would be great.

means you want capture photo from video (like video cover image) ?? — Mitul Bhadeshiya, Apr 08 '14 at 05:37
No, thanks for asking. On the iPhone 5S in the camera app, when doing a video recording, you may take pictures (by tapping a white button off to the side). I want to achieve this sort of thing in my app, programatically. I will even go so far to consider private APIs. — Stunner, Apr 08 '14 at 06:07

score 6 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 11 '14 at 03:04

6

Actually you can do it with any device that can record video:

Create and configure a AVCaptureVideoDataOutput.
Add it to your AVCaptureSession.
Add a AVCaptureVideoDataOutputSampleBufferDelegate.
Implement captureOutput:didOutputSampleBuffer:fromConnection: in the delegate and get the image with imageFromSampleBuffer:.

Some similar code can be found here, where images are captured at a given interval, but you only want one image.

answered Apr 11 '14 at 03:04

Rivera

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Can't we use this process for getting chunks of video clips while recording the same video? – E J Chathuranga Sep 29 '17 at 04:09

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 16 '14 at 13:46

In iOS7 there has a new api to capture UIView, we can get image and do something.

eg:

UIView+Screenshot.h
-(UIImage *)convertViewToImage;

UIView+Screenshot.m

-(UIImage *)convertViewToImage
{
    UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(self.bounds.size);
    [self drawViewHierarchyInRect:self.bounds afterScreenUpdates:YES];
    UIImage *image = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext();
    UIGraphicsEndImageContext();

    return image;
}

Apple's Document: drawViewHierarchyInRect:afterScreenUpdates:

Wow! This new method really works with video, unlike the old one [CALayer renderInContext:] — Pavel Alexeev, Oct 23 '15 at 11:11

score 1 · Answer 3 · edited Apr 15 '14 at 09:41

Through AVCaptureSession you can easily achieve iPhone 5S in the camera app functionality. In your view touch event:

- (void)captureOutput:(AVCaptureOutput *)captureOutput didOutputSampleBuffer:(CMSampleBufferRef)sampleBuffer fromConnection:(AVCaptureConnection *)connection "

You can get current frame on above delegate method and save it in your gallery.

Please go through below link:

https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/samplecode/RosyWriter/Introduction/Intro.html

score 0 · Answer 4 · edited Apr 15 '14 at 09:45

I agree with Rivera's answer ! You are going to need AV

And this is how I do it after the hole AV stuff

CGImageRef bigImage = image.CGImage;
CGRect rectImage = CGRectMake(self.scannArea.origin.x*widhtRatio,
                              self.scannArea.origin.y*heightRatio - 50,
                              self.scannArea.size.width*widhtRatio,
                              self.scannArea.size.height*heightRatio);
CGImageRef part = CGImageCreateWithImageInRect(bigImage, rectImage);
UIImageWriteToSavedPhotosAlbum([UIImage imageWithCGImage:part], nil, nil, nil);

image = [self drawImage:[UIImage imageNamed:@"overlaygraphic.png"] 
                inImage:image 
                atPoint:CGPointMake(self.scannArea.origin.x*widhtRatio, 
                                    self.scannArea.origin.y*heightRatio - 50)];
UIImageWriteToSavedPhotosAlbum(image, nil, nil, nil);

if you want to see the hole sample np. I will upload my class

How to Programmatically Take Photos While Recording Video

4 Answers4

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