# Camera controls

<!-- WARNING: THIS FILE WAS AUTOGENERATED! DO NOT EDIT! -->

The Video SDK for macOS lets you control the local camera during a session: select a camera, mirror and rotate the local video, set the aspect ratio, and pan, tilt, and zoom (PTZ). These per-device operations run through `ZMVideoSDKVideoHelper`. To use more than one camera at the same time, see [Multiple camera support](/docs/video-sdk/macos/video/multiple-cameras/).

## Get the camera list

To enumerate the cameras available on the device, call `getCameraList` on the `ZMVideoSDKVideoHelper`. Each `ZMVideoSDKCameraDevice` carries the `deviceID` you'll need for `selectCamera` and the PTZ methods. Use `getNumberOfCameras` to read the count.

```swift
if let cameraList = ZMVideoSDK.shared()?.getVideoHelper()?.getCameraList() {
    for camera in cameraList {
        // Each device exposes deviceID, deviceName, and more.
    }
}
```

```objectivec
NSArray<ZMVideoSDKCameraDevice *> *cameraList = [[[ZMVideoSDK sharedVideoSDK] getVideoHelper] getCameraList];
for (ZMVideoSDKCameraDevice *camera in cameraList) {
    // Each device exposes deviceID, deviceName, and more.
}
```

## Select a camera

To switch to a specific camera, pass a `deviceID` from `getCameraList` to `selectCamera`.

```swift
let didSelect = ZMVideoSDK.shared()?.getVideoHelper()?.selectCamera("cameraDeviceID")
```

```objectivec
BOOL didSelect = [[[ZMVideoSDK sharedVideoSDK] getVideoHelper] selectCamera:@"cameraDeviceID"];
```

To cycle to the next available camera without specifying a device, call `switchCamera`.

```swift
ZMVideoSDK.shared()?.getVideoHelper()?.switchCamera()
```

```objectivec
[[[ZMVideoSDK sharedVideoSDK] getVideoHelper] switchCamera];
```

## Mirror the local video

Mirroring is a common convention for a front-facing camera, so the user sees themselves the way they would in a mirror. Use `mirrorMyVideo(true)` to enable and `mirrorMyVideo(false)` to disable. Use `isMyVideoMirrored` to read the current state.

```swift
let videoHelper = ZMVideoSDK.shared()?.getVideoHelper()
videoHelper?.mirrorMyVideo(true)

let isMirrored = videoHelper?.isMyVideoMirrored()
```

```objectivec
ZMVideoSDKVideoHelper *videoHelper = [[ZMVideoSDK sharedVideoSDK] getVideoHelper];
[videoHelper mirrorMyVideo:YES];

BOOL isMirrored = [videoHelper isMyVideoMirrored];
```

## Rotate the local video

To update the orientation of the locally captured video, call `rotateMyVideo` with the desired `ZMVideoRotation` value.

```swift
ZMVideoSDK.shared()?.getVideoHelper()?.rotateMyVideo(ZMVideoRotation_90)
```

```objectivec
[[[ZMVideoSDK sharedVideoSDK] getVideoHelper] rotateMyVideo:ZMVideoRotation_90];
```

## Aspect ratio of the local video

By default, the SDK renders video at the source aspect ratio. To force the original aspect ratio, use `enableOriginalAspectRatio`. Check the current setting with `isOriginalAspectRatioEnabled`.

```swift
ZMVideoSDK.shared()?.getVideoHelper()?.enableOriginalAspectRatio(true)
```

```objectivec
[[[ZMVideoSDK sharedVideoSDK] getVideoHelper] enableOriginalAspectRatio:YES];
```

## Pan, tilt, and zoom

For a PTZ-capable camera, the local user can move the camera using `turnCameraLeft`, `turnCameraRight`, `turnCameraUp`, `turnCameraDown`, `zoomCameraIn`, and `zoomCameraOut`. Each method takes a `range` parameter between 10 and 100 that controls how far the camera moves per call, and the `deviceID` of the camera to move (pass `nil` for the selected camera).

Before moving the camera, confirm it can be controlled with `canControlCamera`.

```swift
let videoHelper = ZMVideoSDK.shared()?.getVideoHelper()

var canControl: ObjCBool = false
videoHelper?.canControlCamera(&canControl, deviceID: nil)

if canControl.boolValue {
    videoHelper?.turnCameraLeft(20, deviceID: nil)
    videoHelper?.turnCameraRight(20, deviceID: nil)
    videoHelper?.turnCameraUp(20, deviceID: nil)
    videoHelper?.turnCameraDown(20, deviceID: nil)
    videoHelper?.zoomCameraIn(15, deviceID: nil)
    videoHelper?.zoomCameraOut(15, deviceID: nil)
}
```

```objectivec
ZMVideoSDKVideoHelper *videoHelper = [[ZMVideoSDK sharedVideoSDK] getVideoHelper];

BOOL canControl = NO;
[videoHelper canControlCamera:&canControl deviceID:nil];

if (canControl) {
    [videoHelper turnCameraLeft:20 deviceID:nil];
    [videoHelper turnCameraRight:20 deviceID:nil];
    [videoHelper turnCameraUp:20 deviceID:nil];
    [videoHelper turnCameraDown:20 deviceID:nil];
    [videoHelper zoomCameraIn:15 deviceID:nil];
    [videoHelper zoomCameraOut:15 deviceID:nil];
}
```

Smaller `range` values produce finer movement, which makes UI controls (such as press-and-hold arrow buttons) feel responsive without overshooting the target. To control _another_ participant's camera instead of your own, see [Remote camera control](/docs/video-sdk/macos/video/remote-camera-control/).

## Alpha channel mode

Alpha channel mode lets the SDK render video with a transparent background, useful for compositing a user's video over other content. It is gated by both device hardware and the current session state. For the capability checks, the enable call, and the raw-data callbacks, see [Raw video with alpha channel](/docs/video-sdk/macos/raw-data/raw-video-alpha-channel/).