I’ve already written about Camera2 API in two previous blog posts (#6 & #10) but a couple of years have passed since and I felt like taking another look at the topic now that we’re in 2021. 

Just in case you don’t have a clue what I’m talking about here: Camera2 API is a software component of Google’s mobile operating system Android (which basically runs on every smartphone today expect Apple’s iPhones) that enables 3rd party camera apps (camera apps other than the one that’s already on your phone) to access more advanced functionality/controls of the camera, for instance the setting of a precise shutter speed value for correct exposure. Android phone makers need to implement Camera2 API into their version of Android and not all do it fully. There are four different implementation levels: “Legacy”, “Limited”, “Full” and “Level 3”. “Legacy” basically means Camera2 API hasn’t been implemented at all and the phone uses the old, way more primitive Android Camera API, “Limited” signifies that some components of the Camera2 API have been implemented but not all, “Full” and “Level 3” indicate complete implementation in terms of video-related functionality. “Level 3” only has the additional benefit for photography that you can shoot in RAW format. Android 3rd party camera apps like Filmic Pro, Protake, mcpro24fps, ProShot, Footej Camera 2 or Open Camera can only unleash their full potential if the phone has adequate Camera2 API support, Filmic Pro doesn’t even let you install the app in the first place if the phone doesn’t have proper implementation. “adequate”/”proper” can already be “Limited” for certain phones but you can only be sure with “Full” and “Level 3” devices. With some other apps like Open Camera, Camera2 API is deactivated by default and you need to go into the settings to enable it to access things like shutter speed and ISO control.

How do you know what Camera2 API support level a phone has? If you already own the phone, you can use an app like Camera2 Probe to check but if you want to consider this before buying a new phone of course this isn’t possible. Luckily, the developer of Camera2 Probe has set up a crowd sourced list (users can provide the test results via the app which are automatically entered into the list) with Camera2 API support levels of a massive amount of different Android devices, currently over 3500! The list can be accessed here and it’s great that you even get to sort the list by different parameters like the phone brand or type a device name into a search bar.

It’s important to understand that there’s a Camera2 API support level for each camera on the phone. So there could be a different one for the rear camera than for the selfie camera. The support level also doesn’t say anything about how many of the phone’s camera have been made accessible to 3rd party apps. Auxiliary ultra wide-angle or telephoto lenses have become a common standard in many of today’s phones but not all phone makers allow 3rd party camera apps to access the auxiliary camera(s). So when we talk about the Camera2 API support level of a device, most of the time we are referring to its main rear camera. 

Camera2 API was introduced with Android version 5 aka “Lollipop” in 2014 and it took phone makers a bit of time to implement it into their devices so one could roughly say that only Android devices running at least Android 6 Marshmallow are actually in the position to have proper support. In the beginning, most phone makers only provided full Camera2 API support for their high-end flagship phones but over the last years, the feature has trickled down to the mid-range segment and now even to a considerable amount of entry-level devices (Nokia and Motorola are two companies that have been good with this if you’re on a tight budget).

I actually took the time to go through the Camera2 Probe list to provide some numbers on this development. Of course these are not 100% representative since not every single Android device on the planet has been included in the list but I think over 5000 entries (as of 3 January 2023) make for a solid sample size.

Phone models running Android 6

Level 3: 0

Full: 33

Limited: 20

Legacy: 470

Full/Level 3 %: 6.3

———-

Phone models running Android 7

Level 3: 85

Full: 126

Limited: 116

Legacy: 587

Full/Level 3 %: 22.9

———-

Phone models running Android 8

Level 3: 153

Full: 135

Limited: 178

Legacy: 389

Full/Level 3 %: 33.6

———-

Phone models running Android 9

Level 3: 157

Full: 203

Limited: 180

Legacy: 82

Full/Level 3 %: 57.8

———-

Phone models running Android 10

Level 3: 377

Full: 277

Limited: 230

Legacy: 65

Full/Level 3 %: 68.9

———-

Phone models running Android 11

Level 3: 443

Full: 217

Limited: 128

Legacy: 9

Full/Level 3 %: 82.7

———

Phone models running Android 12

Level 3: 311

Full: 114

Limited: 53

Legacy: 2

Full/Level 3 %: 88.5

——–

Phone models running Android 13

Level 3: 34

Full: 9

Limited: 3

Legacy: 0

Full/Level 3 %: 93.5

I think it’s pretty obvious that the implementation of proper Camera2 API support in Android devices has been taking massive steps forward with each iteration of the OS and a 100% coverage on new devices is just within reach.

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