Mastering Camera Image Controls in .NET Applications¶

Introduction to Camera Hardware Adjustments¶

When developing applications that utilize webcams or other video capture devices, having precise control over image quality parameters is essential for creating professional-grade software. The VideoHardwareAdjustment class provides developers with powerful tools to programmatically adjust camera settings such as brightness, contrast, hue, saturation, sharpness, gamma, and more.

Supported Hardware Adjustment Properties¶

The SDK supports numerous adjustment properties including:

Brightness
Contrast
Hue
Saturation
Sharpness
Gamma
White Balance
Backlight Compensation
Gain
Exposure

Note that not all cameras support every property. The SDK will gracefully ignore any property not supported by the specific camera hardware you're using.

Working with Camera Adjustments¶

Getting Property Value Ranges¶

Before setting adjustment values, it's important to understand the valid range for each property. Use the Video_CaptureDevice_VideoAdjust_GetRangesAsync method to retrieve the minimum, maximum, default values, and step size for any adjustment property:

// Retrieve the valid range of values for the brightness property
// This helps understand the boundaries within which you can adjust settings
var brightnessRange = await VideoCapture1.Video_CaptureDevice_VideoAdjust_GetRangesAsync(VideoHardwareAdjustment.Brightness);

// Check the minimum and maximum allowed values
int minValue = brightnessRange.Min;
int maxValue = brightnessRange.Max;
int defaultValue = brightnessRange.Default;
int step = brightnessRange.SteppingDelta;

Setting Adjustment Values¶

Once you know the valid range, you can set a specific value using the Video_CaptureDevice_VideoAdjust_SetValueAsync method:

// Create an adjustment value object with your desired settings
// You can specify a custom value and whether automatic adjustment should be used
var adjustmentValue = new VideoCaptureDeviceAdjustValue(75, false); // Value: 75, Auto: false

// Apply the brightness adjustment to the camera
await VideoCapture1.Video_CaptureDevice_VideoAdjust_SetValueAsync(VideoHardwareAdjustment.Brightness, adjustmentValue);

Retrieving Current Values¶

To read the current value of any adjustment property, use the Video_CaptureDevice_VideoAdjust_GetValueAsync method:

// Get the current brightness setting from the camera
// This returns both the current value and whether auto-adjustment is enabled
var currentBrightness = await VideoCapture1.Video_CaptureDevice_VideoAdjust_GetValueAsync(VideoHardwareAdjustment.Brightness);

// Access the current value and auto flag
int value = currentBrightness.Value;
bool isAuto = currentBrightness.Auto;

Best Practices for Camera Adjustments¶

Always check ranges first: Different camera models have different valid ranges for each property.
Handle unsupported properties: Always implement error handling for properties that might not be supported.
Consider saving user preferences: Store adjustment values in application settings for a consistent experience.
Provide UI controls: Create sliders with proper min/max values based on the ranges returned.
Consider automatic vs. manual: Some users may prefer auto-adjustment while others need precise manual control.

Additional Resources¶

Check out our GitHub repository for complete code samples and implementation examples.