How to capture video frames from the camera as images using AV Foundation

#import <AVFoundation/AVFoundation.h>

// Create and configure a capture session and start it running
- (void)setupCaptureSession
{
NSError *error = nil;

// Create the session
AVCaptureSession *session = [[AVCaptureSession alloc] init];

// Configure the session to produce lower resolution video frames, if your
// processing algorithm can cope. We'll specify medium quality for the
// chosen device.
session.sessionPreset = AVCaptureSessionPresetMedium;

// Find a suitable AVCaptureDevice
AVCaptureDevice *device = [AVCaptureDevice
defaultDeviceWithMediaType:AVMediaTypeVideo];

// Create a device input with the device and add it to the session.
AVCaptureDeviceInput *input = [AVCaptureDeviceInput deviceInputWithDevice:device
error:&error];
if (!input) {
// Handling the error appropriately.
}
[session addInput:input];

// Create a VideoDataOutput and add it to the session
AVCaptureVideoDataOutput *output = [[[AVCaptureVideoDataOutput alloc] init] autorelease];
[session addOutput:output];

// Configure your output.
dispatch_queue_t queue = dispatch_queue_create("myQueue", NULL);
[output setSampleBufferDelegate:self queue:queue];
dispatch_release(queue);

// Specify the pixel format
output.videoSettings =
[NSDictionary dictionaryWithObject:
[NSNumber numberWithInt:kCVPixelFormatType_32BGRA]
forKey:(id)kCVPixelBufferPixelFormatTypeKey];

// If you wish to cap the frame rate to a known value, such as 15 fps, set
// minFrameDuration.
output.minFrameDuration = CMTimeMake(1, 15);

// Start the session running to start the flow of data
[session startRunning];

// Assign session to an ivar.
[self setSession:session];
}

// Delegate routine that is called when a sample buffer was written
- (void)captureOutput:(AVCaptureOutput *)captureOutput
didOutputSampleBuffer:(CMSampleBufferRef)sampleBuffer
fromConnection:(AVCaptureConnection *)connection
{
// Create a UIImage from the sample buffer data
UIImage *image = [self imageFromSampleBuffer:sampleBuffer];

< Add your code here that uses the image >

}

// Create a UIImage from sample buffer data
- (UIImage *) imageFromSampleBuffer:(CMSampleBufferRef) sampleBuffer
{
// Get a CMSampleBuffer's Core Video image buffer for the media data
CVImageBufferRef imageBuffer = CMSampleBufferGetImageBuffer(sampleBuffer);
// Lock the base address of the pixel buffer
CVPixelBufferLockBaseAddress(imageBuffer, 0);

// Get the number of bytes per row for the pixel buffer
void *baseAddress = CVPixelBufferGetBaseAddress(imageBuffer);

// Get the number of bytes per row for the pixel buffer
size_t bytesPerRow = CVPixelBufferGetBytesPerRow(imageBuffer);
// Get the pixel buffer width and height
size_t width = CVPixelBufferGetWidth(imageBuffer);
size_t height = CVPixelBufferGetHeight(imageBuffer);

// Create a device-dependent RGB color space
CGColorSpaceRef colorSpace = CGColorSpaceCreateDeviceRGB();

// Create a bitmap graphics context with the sample buffer data
CGContextRef context = CGBitmapContextCreate(baseAddress, width, height, 8,
bytesPerRow, colorSpace, kCGBitmapByteOrder32Little | kCGImageAlphaPremultipliedFirst);
// Create a Quartz image from the pixel data in the bitmap graphics context
CGImageRef quartzImage = CGBitmapContextCreateImage(context);
// Unlock the pixel buffer
CVPixelBufferUnlockBaseAddress(imageBuffer,0);

// Free up the context and color space
CGContextRelease(context);
CGColorSpaceRelease(colorSpace);

// Create an image object from the Quartz image
UIImage *image = [UIImage imageWithCGImage:quartzImage];

// Release the Quartz image
CGImageRelease(quartzImage);

return (image);
}