Camera support progress

[natasha]

Thank you for your reply!
I am sorry to insist, and I know that insisting will not make the camera suddenly work
I just try to understand why it is so difficult when other similar devices already have working cameras .
Any Linux computer can accept a camera and they work at the very highest resolution, autofocus, adjust light, etc
I just checked and pinebook also has a camera. I don't know if works or not, but if does, should be the same? it is also an arm

First of all you need kernel support for your camera device. There are currently some features which are not supported, like autofocus and some resolutions and framerate settings if we talk of the rear camera.

Then you need a user interface to handle the images that the kernel driver generates. Pinhole is at a very basic stage. It has to be developed further.

Cheese has been out there for some time, mostly used for webcams. I would say it is mature enough. It needs to be modified though in order to be able to handle the camera image on the pinephone (at least the last time I tried).

Things are not so easy as they may seem. : )

Thank you for taking the time to explain this.
I cannot make me an idea, because I do not know how Linux (or any OS) communicates with the hardware.

However, I can see that Linux can communicate with hardware and with any webcam.
So, you say we need two things: kernel support and a user interface.

Ok, it sounds we need people working on this. Debian and the other distros have nightly updates, but to be honest I do not see any difference between a release and the next. The camera is never touched.
Is anyone actively working on this? who?

I see here miscommunication. 

nataha, you are right. The fact that controlers have been developed for cameras in linux kernels is an invaluable source of knowledge. Probably if someone has to develope code to control PinePhone camera, these are people who developed before for other systems. In that sense, you are right.

Other comments, just want to say that the systems are different, and code cannot be recycled. That’s true too. However, I do not think they got your point. 

There is one comment that looks offensive. Should we report or just ignore it? I am new, here, so I do not want to be problematic, but constructive. However, I would suggest to that individual to reconsider his/her tone.

Thank you, thank you!
The first for the explanation!
The second for the defense. Do not worry, just ignore. #me too