How to capture video using webcam in opencv python

Photo by Chris Montgomery on Unsplash

It is just few lines of code. If you don’t know how to set up opencv for python please follow the following tutorial which will take 2mins.

Setup OpenCV for python in any platform.

VideoCapturemethod in openCV capture the video from a file or a connected camera.

Using the inbuilt camera.

Inbuilt camera can be access using 0 as follows and the video stream will quit on Esc key press.

import cv2 as opencv
video = opencv.VideoCapture(0) #read inbuilt camera
while True:
  isTrue, frame = video.read()
  opencv.imshow('Webcam', frame)
  key = opencv.waitKey(5)
  if key%256 == 27: 
    break
video.release()
opencv.destroyAllWindows()

Using connected webcam

Connected webcams can be access using integer 1 — number of cameras connected.

import cv2 as opencv
video = opencv.VideoCapture(1) #First connected camera
while True:
  isTrue, frame = video.read()
  opencv.imshow('Webcam', frame)
key = opencv.waitKey(5)
if key%256 == 27: 
    break
video.release()
opencv.destroyAllWindows()

Important — If you don’t have any inbuilt camera then the connected webcam can be access using 0 as follows.

video = opencv.VideoCapture(0) #First connected camera

Following link is for setting up virtual environment using pipenv.

Python virtual environment using pipenv

Hopefully this is helpful.

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