# Install imagesnap with Homebrew, MacPorts Tool to capture still images from an iSight or other video source. Version 0.3.0.2 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:imagesnap ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install imagesnap ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install ImageSnap ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/ImageSnap/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:imagesnap - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 0.3.0.2 - **Source summary:** Tool to capture still images from an iSight or other video source - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** LicenseRef-Homebrew-public-domain - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - imagesnap (cli) - imagesnap (alias) ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 0.3.0.2 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://github.com/rharder/imagesnap - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: No cached GitHub release or tag data was available. ## Project history and usage ImageSnap is a macOS command-line camera capture utility by Robert Harder. It saves still images from the built-in iSight or other video devices, making webcam snapshots scriptable from the terminal. ### Project history Robert Harder's older iHarder Mac OS X utilities page describes ImageSnap as a successor path after Axel Bauer's `isightcapture`, with the goal of adapting command-line camera capture to Apple's changing architectures. The GitHub README identifies Robert Harder as the original author and documents the tool as public-domain software. The project lived for years as an Objective-C utility, then gained a Swift rewrite using AVFoundation in the 0.3.0 series. The README notes that the Swift rewrite modernized the media stack but raised the macOS requirement to Ventura-era systems, while older Objective-C versions remain available from tags and releases. ### Adoption history ImageSnap became a small but recognizable Mac package-manager tool because it does one thing Unix users expect to script: take a camera snapshot without opening a full camera app. The README names Homebrew and MacPorts as common installation paths, and Homebrew analytics show a steady low-thousands yearly install base. Its package adoption is tied to automation scenarios such as quick webcam captures, simple time-lapse scripts, hardware checks, and headless-ish Mac workflows where AVFoundation access can still be granted through macOS camera permissions. ### How it is used The `imagesnap` command captures to `snapshot.jpg` by default, accepts a filename as the final argument, lists cameras with `-l`, selects a device with `-d`, and supports time-lapse captures with `-t` and `-n`. It can write common formats such as JPEG, TIFF, PNG, GIF, and BMP based on the output filename extension. The README documents a warmup delay, because real cameras need time after activation before a frame is useful. The tool also has to participate in macOS camera permission prompts the first time it is used. ### Why package nerds care ImageSnap is package-nerd useful because it exposes an Apple media-framework feature as a tiny, scriptable binary. It is the kind of package people install once for a build lab, kiosk, CI-adjacent hardware check, or personal automation and then forget until they need a camera frame from a shell script. ### Timeline - 2010s: iHarder described ImageSnap as a way forward from the older `isightcapture` utility. - 2017: Version 0.2.6 appeared in GitHub releases. - 2021: The 0.2.x series continued with camera-capture maintenance releases. - 2023: Version 0.2.16 was released before the Swift rewrite line. - 2026: Version 0.3.0 introduced a Swift rewrite using AVFoundation. ### Related projects - The historical comparison is Axel Bauer's `isightcapture`, which ImageSnap's original project page explicitly mentions. Within package managers, Homebrew and MacPorts both carry ImageSnap for macOS camera capture. ### Sources - - - - - ## Security Notes broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. - **Geiger risk:** blue / medium - broad file, network, media, or database tool signal ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** imagesnap - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Requirements:** macos, xcode - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - MacPorts - ImageSnap: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: sysutils/ImageSnap/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Source-control packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/source-control-tools/) - Belongs to a source-control command family. - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [aravis](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/aravis/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: camera, cli, media. - [folderify](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/folderify/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, macos, media. - [fx-upscale](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/fx-upscale/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, macos, media. - [gphoto2](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gphoto2/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: camera, cli, media. - [iconsur](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/iconsur/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, macos, media. - [imageoptim-cli](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/imageoptim-cli/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, macos, media. - [libicns](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libicns/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, macos, media. - [makeicns](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/makeicns/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, macos, media. - [gifcap](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gifcap/) - Both packages work with overlapping file formats or content types. Shared terms: capture, cli, image, media, video. - [glyph](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/glyph/) - Both packages work with overlapping file formats or content types. Shared terms: cli, image, images, media, video. - [openjph](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/openjph/) - Both packages work with overlapping file formats or content types. Shared terms: cli, image, media, or, source. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/imagesnap.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/imagesnap.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph