🐛 First-Time Video Recording Causes Camera Stutter

What's happening?

The very first time I record a video, there is a stutter effect for about 3-5 seconds.

I noticed there is a long delay after "[info] 📸 VisionCamera.start(): Starting Asset Writer..."

I tried these two solutions but none of them worked for me.

https://github.com/mrousavy/react-native-vision-camera/issues/1476 https://github.com/react-native-camera/react-native-camera/issues/3170

Reproduceable Code

<Camera 
ref={cameraRef}
onInitialized={() => console.log('camera initialized')}
outputOrientation="preview"
style={styles.camera}
device={device}
isActive={true}
audio={true}
photoQualityBalance="speed"
videoQualityBalance="speed"
videoResolution="720p"
photo={mode === 'image'}
video={mode === 'video'}
enableZoomGesture={true}
/>

Relevant log output

11:39:30.941: [info] 📸 VisionCamera.startRecording(options:onVideoRecorded:onError:): Starting Video recording...
11:39:30.941: [info] 📸 VisionCamera.startRecording(options:onVideoRecorded:onError:): Starting recording into file: file:///private/var/mobile/Containers/Data/Application/A4E79AEB-25C8-4F7E-80EC-71D4B4C6C572/tmp/B2678AF2-3950-447B-865B-576BAC424B32.mov
11:39:30.942: [info] 📸 VisionCamera.init(url:fileType:metadataProvider:clock:orientation:completion:): Creating RecordingSession... (orientation: landscapeLeft)
11:39:30.943: [info] 📸 VisionCamera.startRecording(options:onVideoRecorded:onError:): Enabling Audio for Recording...
11:39:30.943: [info] 📸 VisionCamera.activateAudioSession(): Activating Audio Session...
11:39:30.944: [info] 📸 VisionCamera.updateCategory(_:mode:options:): Changing AVAudioSession category from AVAudioSessionCategoryAmbient -> AVAudioSessionCategoryPlayAndRecord
11:39:30.946: [info] 📸 VisionCamera.initializeAudioTrack(withSettings:format:): Initializing Audio AssetWriter with settings: ["AVEncoderQualityForVBRKey": 91, "AVNumberOfChannelsKey": 1, "AVSampleRateKey": 44100, "AVEncoderBitRateStrategyKey": AVAudioBitRateStrategy_Variable, "AVEncoderBitRatePerChannelKey": 96000, "AVFormatIDKey": 1633772320]
11:39:32.323: [info] 📸 VisionCamera.updateCategory(_:mode:options:): AVAudioSession category changed!
11:39:35.320: [info] 📸 VisionCamera.initializeAudioTrack(withSettings:format:): Initialized Audio AssetWriter.
11:39:35.324: [info] 📸 VisionCamera.recommendedVideoSettings(forOptions:): Getting recommended video settings for AVFileType(_rawValue: com.apple.quicktime-movie) file...
11:39:35.328: [info] 📸 VisionCamera.activateAudioSession(): Audio Session activated!
11:39:35.334: [info] 📸 VisionCamera.initializeVideoTrack(withSettings:): Initializing Video AssetWriter with settings: ["AVVideoWidthKey": 1920, "AVVideoCodecKey": hvc1, "AVVideoHeightKey": 1080, "AVVideoCompressionPropertiesKey": {
    AllowFrameReordering = 1;
    AllowOpenGOP = 1;
    AverageBitRate = 7651584;
    ExpectedFrameRate = 30;
    MaxAllowedFrameQP = 41;
    MaxKeyFrameIntervalDuration = 1;
    MinAllowedFrameQP = 15;
    MinimizeMemoryUsage = 1;
    Priority = 80;
    ProfileLevel = "HEVC_Main_AutoLevel";
    RealTime = 1;
    RelaxAverageBitRateTarget = 1;
}]
11:39:35.342: [info] 📸 VisionCamera.initializeVideoTrack(withSettings:): Initialized Video AssetWriter.
11:39:35.342: [info] 📸 VisionCamera.start(): Starting Asset Writer...
11:39:49.975: [info] 📸 VisionCamera.start(): Asset Writer started!
11:39:49.975: [info] 📸 VisionCamera.start(): Asset Writer session started at 58539.161912291.
11:39:49.979: [info] 📸 VisionCamera.start(): Requesting video timeline start at 58539.162195958...
11:39:49.979: [info] 📸 VisionCamera.start(): Requesting audio timeline start at 58539.16587475...

Camera Device

{
  "formats": [],
  "minFocusDistance": 20,
  "isMultiCam": false,
  "id": "com.apple.avfoundation.avcapturedevice.built-in_video:1",
  "minZoom": 1,
  "hardwareLevel": "full",
  "position": "front",
  "sensorOrientation": "portrait",
  "supportsLowLightBoost": false,
  "maxExposure": 8,
  "physicalDevices": [
    "wide-angle-camera"
  ],
  "neutralZoom": 1,
  "supportsRawCapture": false,
  "supportsFocus": true,
  "minExposure": -8,
  "name": "Front Camera",
  "hasFlash": true,
  "maxZoom": 128.875,
  "hasTorch": false
}

Device

iPhone 14 (iOS 17.6.1)

VisionCamera Version

^4.5.2

Can you reproduce this issue in the VisionCamera Example app?

I didn't try (⚠️ your issue might get ignored & closed if you don't try this)

Additional information

[ ] I am using Expo
[ ] I have enabled Frame Processors (react-native-worklets-core)
[X] I have read the Troubleshooting Guide
[X] I agree to follow this project's Code of Conduct
[X] I searched for similar issues in this repository and found none.

mrousavy / react-native-vision-camera

🐛 First-Time Video Recording Causes Camera Stutter #3214