Skip to content

Video methods

Record a video

  • Records a video for a specified duration, given in seconds. If no duration is specified, the video will record for 5 seconds.
  • Returns the filename of the video that was recorded.
record_video(
    filename: str | Path,
    duration: int
) -> str
Parameter Data type Default Compulsory? Description
filename str or Path None Yes A filename for a .mp4 video. This can also be a path to a file as either a string or a Path object.
duration int 5 No The length of time to record, in seconds.
Example

A 10 second video called test_video.mp4 will be recorded and saved into the same folder as the Python script.

cam.record_video("test_video.mp4", 10)

This method can also be called as take_video() and will behave in exactly the same way.

cam.take_video("test_video.mp4", 10)

Start recording

  • Start recording a video. Use this method if you want to record for an unknown length of time.
start_recording(
    filename: str | Path,
    preview: bool,
) -> None
Parameter Data type Default Compulsory? Description
filename str or Path None Yes A file name for a .mp4 video. This can also be a path to a file as either a string or a Path object.
show_preview bool False No Whether to show a preview.
Example
cam.start_recording("new_video.mp4")

This code will start recording a video called new_video.mp4. The video will not finish recording until stop_recording() is called.

Stop recording

  • Stops a recording that is currently in progress.
stop_recording() -> None
Example
# Stops a previously started recording
cam.stop_recording()

Record a video and take photos

  • Record a video for a fixed duration, and while the video is running also take a photo at a specified still_interval.
take_video_and_still(
    filename: str | Path,
    duration: int,
    still_interval: int
) -> None
Parameter Data type Default Compulsory? Description
filename str or Path None Yes A file name for a .mp4 video. This can also be a path to a file as either a string or a Path object.
duration int 20 No The length of time to record, in seconds.
still_interval int 4 No How frequently to take a photo, in seconds. If the duration is not exactly divisible by the interval specified, the method will ignore any remaining time. The first image will be taken after waiting for the specified interval.

It may not be possible for the Raspberry Pi to capture images at the exact interval specified, particularly if the interval value is small.

Example
cam.take_video_and_still("example.mp4", duration=16, still_interval=3)

This will record a 16 second video called example.mp4. It will also take a still image at 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 seconds and save them as example-1.jpg, example-2.jpg etc.