Java DIP - OpenCV GrayScale Conversion

In order to convert a color image to Grayscale image using OpenCV, we read the image into BufferedImage and convert it into Mat Object. Its syntax is given below −

File input = new File("digital_image_processing.jpg");
BufferedImage image = ImageIO.read(input);
//convert Buffered Image to Mat.

Then you can transform the image from RGB to Grayscale format by using method cvtColor() in the Imgproc class. Its syntax is given below −

Imgproc.cvtColor(source mat, destination mat1, Imgproc.COLOR_RGB2GRAY);

The method cvtColor() takes three parameters which are the source image matrix, the destination image matrix, and the color conversion type.

Apart from the cvtColor method, there are other methods provided by the Imgproc class. They are listed below −

Sr.No.	Method & Description
1	cvtColor(Mat src, Mat dst, int code, int dstCn) It converts an image from one color space to another.
2	dilate(Mat src, Mat dst, Mat kernel) It dilates an image by using a specific structuring element.
3	equalizeHist(Mat src, Mat dst) It equalizes the histogram of a grayscale image.
4	filter2D(Mat src, Mat dst, int depth, Mat kernel, Point anchor, double delta) It convolves an image with the kernel.
5	GaussianBlur(Mat src, Mat dst, Size ksize, double sigmaX) It blurs an image using a Gaussian filter.
6	integral(Mat src, Mat sum) It calculates the integral of an image.

Example

The following example demonstrates the use of Imgproc class to convert an image to Grayscale −

import java.awt.image.BufferedImage;
import java.awt.image.DataBufferByte;

import java.io.File;
import javax.imageio.ImageIO;

import org.opencv.core.Core;
import org.opencv.core.CvType;
import org.opencv.core.Mat;
import org.opencv.imgproc.Imgproc;

public class Main {
   public static void main( String[] args ) { 
   
      try {
         System.loadLibrary( Core.NATIVE_LIBRARY_NAME );
         File input = new File("digital_image_processing.jpg");
         BufferedImage image = ImageIO.read(input);	

         byte[] data = ((DataBufferByte) image.getRaster().getDataBuffer()).getData();
         Mat mat = new Mat(image.getHeight(), image.getWidth(), CvType.CV_8UC3);
         mat.put(0, 0, data);

         Mat mat1 = new Mat(image.getHeight(),image.getWidth(),CvType.CV_8UC1);
         Imgproc.cvtColor(mat, mat1, Imgproc.COLOR_RGB2GRAY);

         byte[] data1 = new byte[mat1.rows() * mat1.cols() * (int)(mat1.elemSize())];
         mat1.get(0, 0, data1);
         BufferedImage image1 = new BufferedImage(mat1.cols(),mat1.rows(), BufferedImage.TYPE_BYTE_GRAY);
         image1.getRaster().setDataElements(0, 0, mat1.cols(), mat1.rows(), data1);

         File ouptut = new File("grayscale.jpg");
         ImageIO.write(image1, "jpg", ouptut);
         
      } catch (Exception e) {
         System.out.println("Error: " + e.getMessage());
      }
   }
}

Output

When you execute the given example, it converts an image name digital_image_processing.jpg to its equivalent Grayscale image and writes it on hard disk with name grayscale.jpg.

Original Image

Java DIP - OpenCV GrayScale Conversion

Example

Output

Original Image

Grayscale Image