camera_extended #

Extended Flutter camera plugin with native aspect ratio support (16:9, 4:3, 1:1).

Fork of the official camera package with sensor-level aspect ratio configuration for both iOS and Android.

What's New vs Original Camera Package #

Features #

• Native Aspect Ratio Selection - Configure camera aspect ratio at the sensor level
• 1:1 Square Format - Native 1:1 on Android (1088x1088), falls back to 4:3 on iOS
• 4:3 Standard Format - Classic aspect ratio with wider field of view
• 16:9 Widescreen Format - Modern widescreen ratio
• Full compatibility with original camera package API

Why This Package? #

The standard camera package doesn't allow you to configure the aspect ratio at the native level. This package extends it to:

1. Request specific aspect ratios from the camera sensor
2. Get wider field of view with 4:3 or 1:1 vs 16:9
3. Capture square photos/videos natively on supported devices

Aspect Ratio Comparison #

Installation #

Add to your pubspec.yaml:

dependencies:
  camera_extended: ^1.0.0

Usage #

Basic Setup #

import 'package:camera_extended/camera_extended.dart';

late List<CameraDescription> cameras;

Future<void> main() async {
  WidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();
  cameras = await availableCameras();
  runApp(MyApp());
}

Initialize with Aspect Ratio #

final controller = CameraController(
  cameras.first,
  ResolutionPreset.high,
  enableAudio: false,
  aspectRatio: CameraAspectRatio.ratio4x3, // NEW: aspect ratio parameter
);

await controller.initialize();

Available Aspect Ratios #

enum CameraAspectRatio {
  ratio16x9,    // 16:9 widescreen
  ratio4x3,     // 4:3 standard
  ratio1x1,     // 1:1 square
  ratioDefault, // Camera's default ratio
}

Complete Example #

import 'package:camera_extended/camera_extended.dart';
import 'package:flutter/material.dart';

late List<CameraDescription> cameras;

Future<void> main() async {
  WidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();
  cameras = await availableCameras();
  runApp(const CameraApp());
}

class CameraApp extends StatefulWidget {
  const CameraApp({super.key});

  @override
  State<CameraApp> createState() => _CameraAppState();
}

class _CameraAppState extends State<CameraApp> {
  CameraController? _controller;
  CameraAspectRatio _aspectRatio = CameraAspectRatio.ratio4x3;

  @override
  void initState() {
    super.initState();
    _initCamera();
  }

  Future<void> _initCamera() async {
    await _controller?.dispose();

    _controller = CameraController(
      cameras.first,
      ResolutionPreset.high,
      aspectRatio: _aspectRatio, // Set aspect ratio here
    );

    await _controller!.initialize();
    if (mounted) setState(() {});
  }

  void _changeAspectRatio(CameraAspectRatio ratio) {
    setState(() => _aspectRatio = ratio);
    _initCamera(); // Reinitialize camera with new ratio
  }

  @override
  void dispose() {
    _controller?.dispose();
    super.dispose();
  }

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return MaterialApp(
      home: Scaffold(
        body: Column(
          children: [
            Expanded(
              child: _controller?.value.isInitialized == true
                  ? CameraPreview(_controller!)
                  : const Center(child: CircularProgressIndicator()),
            ),
            Padding(
              padding: const EdgeInsets.all(16),
              child: SegmentedButton<CameraAspectRatio>(
                segments: const [
                  ButtonSegment(value: CameraAspectRatio.ratio16x9, label: Text('16:9')),
                  ButtonSegment(value: CameraAspectRatio.ratio4x3, label: Text('4:3')),
                  ButtonSegment(value: CameraAspectRatio.ratio1x1, label: Text('1:1')),
                ],
                selected: {_aspectRatio},
                onSelectionChanged: (selected) => _changeAspectRatio(selected.first),
              ),
            ),
          ],
        ),
      ),
    );
  }
}

Platform Support #

Android #

Uses CameraX with ResolutionSelector to request specific aspect ratios. Many Android devices support native 1:1 formats (e.g., 1088x1088, 720x720).

iOS #

Uses AVFoundation with format selection based on aspect ratio. iOS cameras typically don't offer native 1:1 formats, so 1:1 falls back to 4:3.

Permissions #

Android #

Add to AndroidManifest.xml:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO" />

iOS #

Add to Info.plist:

<key>NSCameraUsageDescription</key>
<string>Camera access is required for taking photos.</string>
<key>NSMicrophoneUsageDescription</key>
<string>Microphone access is required for recording video.</string>

Migration from camera Package #

This package is API-compatible with the original camera package. To migrate:

1. Replace camera with camera_extended in pubspec.yaml
2. Update imports: import 'package:camera_extended/camera_extended.dart'
3. Optionally add aspectRatio parameter to CameraController

// Before (camera package)
import 'package:camera/camera.dart';
CameraController(camera, ResolutionPreset.high);

// After (camera_extended)
import 'package:camera_extended/camera_extended.dart';
CameraController(camera, ResolutionPreset.high, aspectRatio: CameraAspectRatio.ratio4x3);

Handling Lifecycle States #

Same as the original camera package - you need to handle lifecycle changes:

@override
void didChangeAppLifecycleState(AppLifecycleState state) {
  final CameraController? cameraController = controller;

  if (cameraController == null || !cameraController.value.isInitialized) {
    return;
  }

  if (state == AppLifecycleState.inactive) {
    cameraController.dispose();
  } else if (state == AppLifecycleState.resumed) {
    _initCamera();
  }
}

License #

BSD 3-Clause License - same as the original Flutter camera package.

Credits #

Based on the official Flutter camera plugin by the Flutter team.

Extended with native aspect ratio support.