Top Interview Questions and Answers on OpenCV ( 2025 )
Some common interview questions regarding OpenCV, along with their answers:
Basic Questions
1. What is OpenCV?
- Answer: OpenCV (Open Source Computer Vision Library) is an open-source computer vision and machine learning library. It contains more than 2500 optimized algorithms for various tasks such as detecting and recognizing faces, identifying objects, classifying human actions in videos, and tracking camera movements.
2. How do you install OpenCV?
- Answer: OpenCV can be installed using package managers like `pip` for Python:
```bash
pip install opencv-python
```
For C++, OpenCV can be built from source or an installer can be used depending on the operating system.
3. What are the primary data structures in OpenCV?
- Answer: The primary data structures in OpenCV are:
- `cv::Mat`: Represents images as matrices. It contains pixel values and their types.
- `cv::Point`: Used to represent 2D points.
- `cv::Rect`: Represents a rectangle with a starting point and size.
Intermediate Questions
4. How do you read and display an image in OpenCV?
- Answer:
You can read an image using `cv::imread()` and display it using `cv::imshow()`. Here’s an example in Python:
```python
import cv2
# Read the image
img = cv2.imread('image.jpg')
# Display the image
cv2.imshow('Image', img)
cv2.waitKey(0)
cv2.destroyAllWindows()
```
5. What is the difference between `cv::imread()` and `cv::imwrite()`?
- Answer: `cv::imread()` is used to load an image from a file into memory (as a matrix), while `cv::imwrite()` is used to save a matrix (image) to a file on disk.
6. How can you convert an image from BGR to GRAY in OpenCV?
- Answer:
You can use `cv::cvtColor()` to convert an image from BGR color space to grayscale:
```python
gray_img = cv2.cvtColor(color_img, cv2.COLOR_BGR2GRAY)
```
Advanced Questions
7. What is image thresholding and how do you apply it in OpenCV?
- Answer: Image thresholding is a technique to convert a grayscale image to a binary image based on a certain threshold value. You can apply it in OpenCV using `cv2.threshold()` or `cv2.adaptiveThreshold()`:
```python
ret, thresh_img = cv2.threshold(gray_img, 127, 255, cv2.THRESH_BINARY)
```
8. Explain how you would detect edges in an image using OpenCV.
- Answer: You can detect edges using the Canny edge detector:
```python
edges = cv2.Canny(image, threshold1, threshold2)
```
You can also use Sobel or Laplacian filters for edge detection.
9. What are contours and how do you find them using OpenCV?
- Answer: Contours are curves joining all continuous points along a boundary that have the same intensity. You can find contours using `cv2.findContours()`:
```python
contours, hierarchy = cv2.findContours(thresh_img, cv2.RETR_SIMPLE, cv2.CHAIN_APPROX_SIMPLE)
```
Application Questions
10. How would you use OpenCV to track an object in a video stream?
- Answer: One common approach is to use background subtraction or color-based tracking (e.g., using the HSV color space). An example would be:
- Convert the video frame to HSV.
- Define a mask based on the color of the object.
- Use `cv2.findContours()` to detect the object based on the mask.
11. What image processing technique would you use to resize an image in OpenCV?
- Answer: You can use `cv2.resize()` to resize an image. The function takes the input image and the desired width and height:
```python
resized_img = cv2.resize(img, (width, height))
```
These questions cover different aspects of OpenCV, from basic understanding to advanced applications, and should help you prepare for an interview focused on computer vision using OpenCV.
Advance Interview Questions and Answers on OpenCV in (2025)
Some advanced OpenCV interview questions along with detailed answers:
1. What is the difference between `cv2.imshow()` and `cv2.imshow()`?
Answer:
`cv2.imshow()` is a function used to display an image in a window, while `cv2.imshow()` is a method from OpenCV's C++ API which serves the same purpose. In Python, you typically would use `cv2.imshow()` to show images, while in C++, you would have a similar function. The question might be ambiguous since `cv2.imshow()` appears twice but likely refers to different contexts or implementations.
2. Explain how Image Pyramid works in OpenCV.
Answer:
Image pyramids are a set of images that are progressively reduced in size, often used in multi-scale image processing tasks. OpenCV provides functions like `cv2.pyrDown()` to downsample (reduce) the image and `cv2.pyrUp()` to upsample (increase) the image.
- Gaussian Pyramid: The process of downsampling an image using Gaussian blurring and then resizing.
- Laplacian Pyramid: Represents the differences between the Gaussian pyramids at successive levels, allowing for better reconstruction and image analysis.
Pyramids are useful for tasks like image blending, stereo imaging, and object detection at different scales.
3. How can you perform image segmentation using OpenCV?
Answer:
OpenCV provides several methods for image segmentation:
- Thresholding: Simple techniques like binary thresholding, adaptive thresholding, or Otsu's method.
```python
_, thresh = cv2.threshold(image, 127, 255, cv2.THRESH_BINARY)
```
- Watershed Algorithm: A powerful segmentation technique useful for separating touching objects.
```python
markers = cv2.watershed(image, markers)
```
- GrabCut: A semi-automatic segmentation technique that is useful for foreground extraction.
```python
mask = np.zeros(image.shape[:2],np.uint8)
cv2.grabCut(image, mask, rect, bgd_model, fgd_model, iterCount=cv2.GC_INIT_WITH_MASK)
```
- K-means Clustering: Can be applied to segment an image based on color.
4. What is the purpose of the `cv2.findContours()` function?
Answer:
`cv2.findContours()` is used to detect contours in a binary image. Contours are curves joining all the continuous points along a boundary that have the same color or intensity. The function returns a list of contours found, which can be used for shape analysis, object detection, and recognition.
The function can return different information depending on the retrieval mode specified:
- `cv2.RETR_EXTERNAL`: retrieves only the extreme outer contours.
- `cv2.RETR_TREE`: retrieves all of the contours and arranges them in a hierarchy.
5. What are Haar Cascades, and how do they work in OpenCV?
Answer:
Haar Cascades are a machine learning object detection method used to identify objects in an image. They work by using a series of classifiers based on Haar features, which are similar to the concept of edges or textures in images.
The process involves the following steps:
1. Training: A classifier is trained with many positive and negative samples of the object of interest. The classifier learns to distinguish between the target object and the background.
2. Detection: During detection, the image is scanned at multiple scales (image pyramids), and the classifier is applied to different regions of the image to identify potential objects. This process is efficient because of the cascade structure that allows for quick rejection of areas unlikely to contain the object.
OpenCV provides pre-trained Haar Cascade classifiers for common objects such as faces using `cv2.CascadeClassifier()`.
6. How can you improve the performance of image processing tasks in OpenCV?
Answer:
Improving performance can involve several strategies:
- Use of Multi-threading or Multiprocessing: Leverage Python's multiprocessing library or threads to process images in parallel, especially for batch processing.
- Image Resizing: Process downsampled versions of the images when the full resolution is not required.
- Optimized Libraries: Utilize optimized OpenCV builds (like OpenCV with Intel's TBB or OpenMP for parallel processing) which inherently improve processing speed.
- GPU Acceleration: OpenCV has a module (`cv2.cuda`) that allows for GPU computations to handle more complex operations quickly, utilizing NVIDIA CUDA.
- Efficient Algorithms: Use more efficient algorithms or methods that are designed to reduce computational complexity, such as using simpler color models for color segmentation.
7. Explain the concept of template matching in OpenCV.
Answer:
Template matching is a technique in OpenCV used for finding a template image within a larger image. The function `cv2.matchTemplate()` takes two images: the source image (where you want to find the template) and the template image, and it slides the template over the source image, comparing the template and patch of the source image.
This can be done using different methods (e.g., `cv2.TM_CCOEFF`, `cv2.TM_CCOEFF_NORMED`, etc.), which measure the similarity. The result of this function is a similarity map, where higher values indicate a better match. You can then find locations with the highest similarity using `cv2.minMaxLoc()` to get the coordinates of the best match.
8. How would you implement edge detection in OpenCV?
Answer:
Edge detection can be implemented in several ways in OpenCV, with the Canny edge detector being one of the most popular methods. Here’s an example of applying Canny edge detection:
```python
# Load the image
image = cv2.imread('image.jpg', cv2.IMREAD_GRAYSCALE)
# Apply Gaussian Blur to reduce noise
blurred_image = cv2.GaussianBlur(image, (5, 5), 1.5)
# Canny edge detection
edges = cv2.Canny(blurred_image, threshold1=100, threshold2=200)
# Display the result
cv2.imshow('Edges', edges)
cv2.waitKey(0)
cv2.destroyAllWindows()
```
In addition to Canny, OpenCV also includes Sobel and Laplacian operators for edge detection.
9. Explain the process of image stitching in OpenCV.
Answer:
Image stitching involves seamlessly merging multiple images to create a single panorama. The process generally involves the following steps:
1. Feature Detection: Using algorithms like SIFT, SURF, or ORB to detect keypoints and descriptors in the images.
2. Feature Matching: Matching the keypoints between the images using a matching algorithm like FLANN or BFMatcher.
3. Homography Estimation: Estimating the transformation matrix that aligns the matched features using `cv2.findHomography()`.
4. Image Warping: Warping one image to align with another using `cv2.warpPerspective()`.
5. Blending: Finally, blend the stitched images to smoothen transitions.
OpenCV has a built-in module for stitching images, `cv2.Stitcher`, which simplifies this process.
10. What considerations would you take into account for computer vision applications in real-time processing?
Answer:
Real-time computer vision applications have high requirements for efficiency and speed. Considerations include:
- FPS Requirement: Determine the frames per second (FPS) necessary for the application and optimize processing to meet or exceed this.
- Algorithm Complexity: Use lightweight algorithms where possible. For example, opt for faster object detection models like YOLO over slower models like R-CNN for tasks requiring high frame rates.
- Hardware Optimization: Leverage specialized hardware like GPUs, or even dedicated AI accelerators (like Google's Edge TPU) for real-time processing.
- Resolution Handling: Use appropriate image resolutions to balance between detail and processing time. Lower resolutions are faster but may lose critical details important for decisions.
- Efficient Data Handling: Streamline data capture and processing pipelines to minimize bottlenecks (such as reading images from disk).
- Buffer Management: Efficiently manage buffers and memory to prevent latency issues arising from memory overload.
Conclusion
OpenCV is a powerful tool for image processing, and understanding its capabilities and efficient implementation techniques can significantly enhance performance in real-world applications. These advanced questions can help you gauge a candidate's depth of knowledge and practical experience with OpenCV.