Use a compatible Canon camera as a Linux webcam, with automatic camera control and a KDE tray app. Adjust exposure, color, and focus from a dedicated Camera Controls window while video is running. Targets Kubuntu/Ubuntu 24.04.
Open your video app to start the camera. Close its camera preview to pause video processing; after 60 seconds without use, the camera leaves live view. The virtual webcam stays available while the camera rests.
Camera Bridge is an independent project, not affiliated with or endorsed by Canon. Compatibility varies by model; hardware testing so far has used a Canon EOS 7D Mark II.
Dark-mode renders of the actual app with demo status. The app follows your desktop theme.
| Main window | Tray menu |
|---|---|
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Choose Camera controls… in the main window or tray. Changes apply immediately through the active Canon SDK session. Choices follow the connected camera's shooting mode and lens; unavailable settings stay disabled.
Exposure — ISO, shutter speed, aperture, and exposure compensation.
| Color | Focus |
|---|---|
| White balance, Kelvin temperature, and Picture Style. | AF method, one-shot autofocus, and fine, medium, or coarse near/far focus. |
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Tray icons
Everyday settings — automatic use, the rest delay, and notifications.
Advanced options — picture size, timing, and experimental JPEG passthrough.
Quit confirmation — close the window to keep the tray and webcam running.
Add the signed M45 Software repository once:
sudo apt install curl ca-certificates
curl -fLO https://m45software.com/apt/m45-software-archive-keyring_1.0_all.deb
sudo apt install ./m45-software-archive-keyring_1.0_all.deb
sudo apt update
sudo apt install camera-bridgeSigning-key fingerprint and setup-package checksum. The repository targets Ubuntu 24.04 (amd64). Updates arrive through your normal system updates; quit and reopen the tray app after upgrading.
APT installs the required dependencies, including the virtual webcam driver. Reboot if the webcam device is missing after installation. Secure Boot may require approving the driver signing key when prompted.
Download a package from Releases, then install it from the download folder:
sudo apt install ./camera-bridge_0.3.1_amd64.debTo build it yourself, see development instructions. If you used the older script installer, follow the migration instructions first.
- Connect the camera with a USB data cable and turn it on. Try video/movie mode, and disable camera Wi-Fi if it prevents USB access.
- Open Camera Bridge from your application menu and click Turn on.
- Open OBS, Zoom, Discord, or another video app and select Camera-Bridge.
If a video app was already open, close and reopen it to refresh its camera list. Settings save automatically. If saved changes need to reconnect the webcam, choose Apply to current video… when ready; a dialog explains when to reopen your video apps.
Native live-view resolution and automatic frame timing are enabled by default. The tested EOS 7D Mark II supplies a 1024 × 576 live-view image; other models may differ.
Canon SDK capture is preferred automatically, with gphoto2 as a fallback. The amd64 package includes the runtime, so users do not need the developer SDK. Choose Settings → Advanced → Video → Capture backend to force Canon SDK or gphoto2. Explicit choices disable fallback; Automatic is the default. On the tested 7D Mark II, SDK capture delivered about 30 FPS versus about 15 FPS with gphoto2, at the same native resolution. Actual rates depend on camera settings. See third-party runtime notices.
The tray menu and tooltip show whether the camera is connected, whether live view is on, and whether video is being sent to an app. A green activity dot blinks only while camera images are arriving.
Make webcam available at login and Show tray icon at login are on the main window and enabled by default. Each can be turned off independently.
Settings contains automatic use, the rest delay, and problem notifications. Advanced contains picture settings and connection details. All changes save automatically. Close window leaves the tray and webcam running. Quit… asks before stopping the webcam and leaving camera live view.
The tray also offers Keep camera on, Keep camera off, and Use automatic camera control. These temporary overrides preserve the virtual device and reset when the webcam service restarts.
Open Camera controls… from the main window or tray for a separate window with Exposure, Color, and Focus tabs. Available controls include ISO, shutter speed, aperture, exposure compensation, white balance, Kelvin temperature, Picture Style, live-view AF method, and one-shot or near/far focus. Changes apply immediately to the camera and remain camera settings; opening the window does not reset them. Refresh reads changes made on the camera itself.
Choices come from the camera's current mode and lens. Unavailable settings stay disabled. The exposure dial and lens AF/MF switch must be changed on the camera. Live controls share the Canon SDK capture session; gphoto2 cannot share its USB connection, so select the Canon SDK backend to change settings during video. On the tested 7D Mark II, Movie Servo AF and Continuous AF are not exposed by the SDK. Set Movie Servo AF on the camera. Canon also disables Movie Servo AF at 59.94/50 fps on this body; use 29.97/30 fps for continuous autofocus (Canon's guide).
The tray and main window show Waiting for camera when the camera is powered off or disconnected, including at login. This is a normal idle state with no warning notifications. The virtual webcam stays available. Reconnecting… indicates a connected camera whose live-view frames have stopped; live status returns when camera frames resume.
The video feed also explains when it is waiting, starting, or unable to connect. Large symbols remain recognizable in mirrored previews.
More settings and video options
| Problem | Try |
|---|---|
| Webcam missing in a video app | Turn on Camera Bridge, then close and reopen the video app. Reboot once if the virtual driver was just installed. |
| Camera not connected | Check power, the USB data cable, and the camera's USB/Wi-Fi settings. |
| Camera not responding | Try video/movie mode. Turn the camera off, unplug USB, then turn it on and reconnect. |
| App is open but the camera does not start | Some apps hide camera use from detection. Turn off Use the camera automatically in Settings to keep video on. |
| JPEG passthrough gives no picture | Turn off experimental JPEG passthrough in Advanced, apply the saved change, then reopen your video app. Raw video is the default. |
For more details, open Settings → Advanced → Connection details → View logs, or run:
camera-bridge doctor
camera-bridge logsQuit the tray before installing a newer .deb, then reopen Camera Bridge.
Saved preferences are retained.
To remove it, turn off both login options on the main window, quit the app, then run:
sudo apt remove camera-bridgeInstallation and APT setup · Advanced usage · Building and testing