How to use AVCapturePhotoOutput

Updated to Swift 4Hi it's really easy to use AVCapturePhotoOutput.

You need the AVCapturePhotoCaptureDelegate which returns the CMSampleBuffer.

You can get as well a preview image if you tell the AVCapturePhotoSettings the previewFormat

    class CameraCaptureOutput: NSObject, AVCapturePhotoCaptureDelegate {        let cameraOutput = AVCapturePhotoOutput()        func capturePhoto() {          let settings = AVCapturePhotoSettings()          let previewPixelType = settings.availablePreviewPhotoPixelFormatTypes.first!          let previewFormat = [kCVPixelBufferPixelFormatTypeKey as String: previewPixelType,                               kCVPixelBufferWidthKey as String: 160,                               kCVPixelBufferHeightKey as String: 160]          settings.previewPhotoFormat = previewFormat          self.cameraOutput.capturePhoto(with: settings, delegate: self)        }func photoOutput(_ output: AVCapturePhotoOutput, didFinishProcessingPhoto photoSampleBuffer: CMSampleBuffer?, previewPhoto previewPhotoSampleBuffer: CMSampleBuffer?, resolvedSettings: AVCaptureResolvedPhotoSettings, bracketSettings: AVCaptureBracketedStillImageSettings?, error: Error?) {                                    if let error = error {                print(error.localizedDescription)            }            if let sampleBuffer = photoSampleBuffer, let previewBuffer = previewPhotoSampleBuffer, let dataImage = AVCapturePhotoOutput.jpegPhotoDataRepresentation(forJPEGSampleBuffer: sampleBuffer, previewPhotoSampleBuffer: previewBuffer) {              print("image: \(UIImage(data: dataImage)?.size)") // Your Image            }           }    }

For more information visit https://developer.apple.com/reference/AVFoundation/AVCapturePhotoOutput

Note: You have to add the AVCapturePhotoOutput to the AVCaptureSession before taking the picture. So something like: session.addOutput(output), and then: output.capturePhoto(with:settings, delegate:self) Thanks @BigHeadCreations

There is my full implementation

import UIKitimport AVFoundationclass ViewController: UIViewController, AVCapturePhotoCaptureDelegate {var captureSesssion : AVCaptureSession!var cameraOutput : AVCapturePhotoOutput!var previewLayer : AVCaptureVideoPreviewLayer!@IBOutlet weak var capturedImage: UIImageView!@IBOutlet weak var previewView: UIView!override func viewDidLoad() {    super.viewDidLoad()    captureSesssion = AVCaptureSession()    captureSesssion.sessionPreset = AVCaptureSessionPresetPhoto    cameraOutput = AVCapturePhotoOutput()    let device = AVCaptureDevice.defaultDevice(withMediaType: AVMediaTypeVideo)    if let input = try? AVCaptureDeviceInput(device: device) {        if (captureSesssion.canAddInput(input)) {            captureSesssion.addInput(input)            if (captureSesssion.canAddOutput(cameraOutput)) {                captureSesssion.addOutput(cameraOutput)                previewLayer = AVCaptureVideoPreviewLayer(session: captureSesssion)                previewLayer.frame = previewView.bounds                previewView.layer.addSublayer(previewLayer)                captureSesssion.startRunning()            }        } else {            print("issue here : captureSesssion.canAddInput")        }    } else {        print("some problem here")    }}// Take picture button@IBAction func didPressTakePhoto(_ sender: UIButton) {    let settings = AVCapturePhotoSettings()    let previewPixelType = settings.availablePreviewPhotoPixelFormatTypes.first!    let previewFormat = [         kCVPixelBufferPixelFormatTypeKey as String: previewPixelType,         kCVPixelBufferWidthKey as String: 160,         kCVPixelBufferHeightKey as String: 160    ]    settings.previewPhotoFormat = previewFormat    cameraOutput.capturePhoto(with: settings, delegate: self)}// callBack from take picturefunc capture(_ captureOutput: AVCapturePhotoOutput, didFinishProcessingPhotoSampleBuffer photoSampleBuffer: CMSampleBuffer?, previewPhotoSampleBuffer: CMSampleBuffer?, resolvedSettings: AVCaptureResolvedPhotoSettings, bracketSettings: AVCaptureBracketedStillImageSettings?, error: Error?) {    if let error = error {        print("error occure : \(error.localizedDescription)")    }    if  let sampleBuffer = photoSampleBuffer,        let previewBuffer = previewPhotoSampleBuffer,        let dataImage =  AVCapturePhotoOutput.jpegPhotoDataRepresentation(forJPEGSampleBuffer:  sampleBuffer, previewPhotoSampleBuffer: previewBuffer) {        print(UIImage(data: dataImage)?.size as Any)        let dataProvider = CGDataProvider(data: dataImage as CFData)        let cgImageRef: CGImage! = CGImage(jpegDataProviderSource: dataProvider!, decode: nil, shouldInterpolate: true, intent: .defaultIntent)        let image = UIImage(cgImage: cgImageRef, scale: 1.0, orientation: UIImageOrientation.right)        self.capturedImage.image = image    } else {        print("some error here")    }}// This method you can use somewhere you need to know camera permission   statefunc askPermission() {    print("here")    let cameraPermissionStatus =  AVCaptureDevice.authorizationStatus(forMediaType: AVMediaTypeVideo)    switch cameraPermissionStatus {    case .authorized:        print("Already Authorized")    case .denied:        print("denied")        let alert = UIAlertController(title: "Sorry :(" , message: "But  could you please grant permission for camera within device settings",  preferredStyle: .alert)        let action = UIAlertAction(title: "Ok", style: .cancel,  handler: nil)        alert.addAction(action)        present(alert, animated: true, completion: nil)    case .restricted:        print("restricted")    default:        AVCaptureDevice.requestAccess(forMediaType: AVMediaTypeVideo, completionHandler: {            [weak self]            (granted :Bool) -> Void in            if granted == true {                // User granted                print("User granted") DispatchQueue.main.async(){            //Do smth that you need in main thread               }             }            else {                // User Rejected                print("User Rejected")DispatchQueue.main.async(){            let alert = UIAlertController(title: "WHY?" , message:  "Camera it is the main feature of our application", preferredStyle: .alert)                let action = UIAlertAction(title: "Ok", style: .cancel, handler: nil)                alert.addAction(action)                self?.present(alert, animated: true, completion: nil)              }             }        });    }}}

In iOS 11 "photoOutput(_ output: AVCapturePhotoOutput, didFinishProcessingPhoto photoSampleBuffer: CMSampleBuffer?, previewPhoto previewPhotoSampleBuffer: CMSampleBuffer?, resolvedSettings: AVCaptureResolvedPhotoSettings, bracketSettings: AVCaptureBracketedStillImageSettings?, error: Error?) {}" is deprecated.

Use following method:

func photoOutput(_ output: AVCapturePhotoOutput, didFinishProcessingPhoto photo: AVCapturePhoto, error: Error?) {    let imageData = photo.fileDataRepresentation()    if let data = imageData, let img = UIImage(data: data) {        print(img)    }}