--- key: mechanic/phone-camera--family-light-color type: mechanic id: phone-camera--family-light-color lang: en title: 'Light, color and shadows' summary: >- A game extracts brightness or color from the image. phyphox shows a camera preview and brightness estimate; autoexposure complicates uncalibrated comparisons. updatedAt: '2026-10-22' status: active url: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/phone-camera--family-light-color/ jsonUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/phone-camera--family-light-color.json markdownUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/phone-camera--family-light-color.md aliases: [] tags: - Phone camera interactions - Mechanics catalog sourceIds: - source-c121374ae20b1406 - source-c95f287c6c516bc9 - source-bdbe910fe2426deb sources: - id: source-c121374ae20b1406 title: 'Apple AVFoundation: Camera Capture and Control' url: 'https://developer.apple.com/documentation/avfoundation/capture-setup' verifiedAt: null - id: source-c95f287c6c516bc9 title: 'Android CameraX: zoom, torch, focus, exposure' url: 'https://developer.android.com/media/camera/camerax/configuration' verifiedAt: null - id: source-bdbe910fe2426deb title: phyphox url: 'https://apps.apple.com/us/app/phyphox/id1127319693?uo=4' verifiedAt: null relations: [] placements: - catalogId: phone-camera id: family-light-color title: Phone camera interactions url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/phone-camera/#family-light-color' categoryIds: - section-1 supersededBy: [] attributes: preview: updatedAt: '2026-10-22' title: 'Light, color and shadows' description: >- A game extracts brightness or color from the image. phyphox shows a camera preview and brightness estimate; autoexposure complicates uncalibrated comparisons. image: src: images/mechanics/sensor-phyphox-2.webp width: 663 height: 1440 crop: x: 0 'y': 171 width: 663 height: 974 game: phyphox sourceUrl: 'https://apps.apple.com/us/app/phyphox/id1127319693?uo=4' originalUrl: >- https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/PurpleSource221/v4/cd/9b/f6/cd9bf6f7-2965-318a-ed9d-37fd0f031daa/iphone-03-camera-luminance.png/720x1560bb.jpg credit: RWTH Aachen University rights: >- © RWTH Aachen University. Developer-distributed App Store screenshot. All rights reserved; excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0. caption: 'phyphox: camera-based brightness estimation, not a separate light sensor' alt: 'phyphox: camera-based brightness estimation, not a separate light sensor' markers: - x: 60 'y': 20 label: The brightness estimate relates to the scene observed by the camera tips: - >- Lock exposure and white balance for comparisons when the device permits it. examples: - title: phyphox url: 'https://apps.apple.com/us/app/phyphox/id1127319693?uo=4' endsAt: null provenance: >- Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review. license: CC-BY-4.0 codeLicense: MIT attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors catalogKey: catalog/phone-camera --- # Light, color and shadows id: phone-camera--family-light-color type: mechanic key: mechanic/phone-camera--family-light-color lang: en status: active url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/phone-camera--family-light-color/ A game extracts brightness or color from the image. phyphox shows a camera preview and brightness estimate; autoexposure complicates uncalibrated comparisons. ## At a glance ![phyphox: camera-based brightness estimation, not a separate light sensor](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/sensor-phyphox-2.webp) [phyphox](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/phyphox/id1127319693?uo=4) · © RWTH Aachen University. Developer-distributed App Store screenshot. All rights reserved; excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0. 1. The brightness estimate relates to the scene observed by the camera - Lock exposure and white balance for comparisons when the device permits it. - [phyphox](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/phyphox/id1127319693?uo=4) ## How it works Simple visual quantities are extracted from the image. Auto exposure and auto white balance change the measurements. An uncalibrated camera is not a replacement for a light meter or colorimeter. ## Variants ### Variants and applications - Brightness as a regulator. Action: Bring a light or dark surface to the camera to change the parameter. Application: Instrument volume, creature energy, setting virtual light. Technologies: Image analysis. - Light threshold. Action: Move between lit and dark scene to switch state. Application: Day and night, hidden world, light puzzle. Technologies: Image analysis. - Showing color. Action: Bring a colored object; its shade is determined by a command or resource. Application: Mixing paints, color spells, teaching colors. Technologies: Image analysis. - Collection of palette. Action: Find several desired shades in your surroundings. Application: Collecting, creative walks, design selection. Technologies: Image analysis. - Color sequence. Action: Show colors in a given order and tempo. Application: Visual code, music sequencer, memory game. Technologies: Image analysis. - Light drawing. Action: Move a small light source; the program accumulates its trajectory. Application: Drawing in the air, runes, creating light creatures. Technologies: Image analysis. - Shadow as a controller. Action: Move or change a shadow on a prepared surface. Application: Shadow theatre, catching targets, shape puzzles. Technologies: Image analysis. - Lighting direction. Action: Rearrange the light source and evaluate shadows or highlights in a controlled scene. Application: Educational laboratory, portrait setup, optical puzzles. Technologies: Image analysis; Own algorithm. ## Context and limits Games, learning, creativity and interactive applications. Author's systematization of game rules based on proven technical capabilities. Examples are application ideas and not statements of released products. ## Connected materials ## Sources and provenance Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review. - [Apple AVFoundation: Camera Capture and Control](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/avfoundation/capture-setup) (id: source-c121374ae20b1406) - [Android CameraX: zoom, torch, focus, exposure](https://developer.android.com/media/camera/camerax/configuration) (id: source-c95f287c6c516bc9) - [phyphox](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/phyphox/id1127319693?uo=4) (id: source-bdbe910fe2426deb) CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors