Move TiledCamera implementation into Camera and deprecate TiledCamera. (#5162)

# Description

Unify `Camera` and `TiledCamera` by moving TiledCamera's renderer-based
implementation into `Camera` and making `TiledCamera` a deprecated
subclass alias.

### What changed

**`base_renderer.py` (interface change):**
- `write_output(render_data, output_name, output_data)` replaced by
`read_output(render_data, camera_data)`. The renderer now receives the
full `CameraData` instance and owns the per-output iteration loop.

**`camera.py`:**
- `_initialize_impl` now uses `Renderer(cfg.renderer_cfg)` +
`renderer.prepare_stage()` + `renderer.create_render_data()` instead of
replicator imports and per-camera render product loops
- `_create_buffers` uses eager pre-allocation + `renderer.set_outputs()`
instead of lazy allocation
- Removed: `_rep_registry`, `_render_product_paths`,
`_create_annotator_data()`, `_process_annotator_output()`,
`render_product_paths` property, `omni.replicator.core` import,
`SyntheticData` import

**`camera_data.py`: `info` type change:**
- `CameraData.info` changed from `list[dict[str, Any]]` to `dict[str,
Any]`, matching the Replicator annotator output structure. The old
`list[dict]` was an artifact of the original `Camera`'s
per-camera-annotator architecture. With tiled rendering, all cameras
share a single annotator pipeline, so the per-camera list dimension
carried no information. Access is now
`camera.data.info["semantic_segmentation"]` directly.

**`tiled_camera.py`:**
- Replaced entire class with a thin `class TiledCamera(Camera)` subclass
that emits a `DeprecationWarning` on instantiation

**`tiled_camera_cfg.py`:**
- Added `DeprecationWarning` in `__post_init__`

**Test suite:**
- Ported 6 unique tests from `test_tiled_camera.py` → `test_camera.py`
(multi-regex init, all annotators, segmentation non-colorize, normals
unit length, data types ordering, frame offset)
- Slimmed `test_tiled_camera.py` to 4 focused deprecation/compatibility
tests
- Updated `info` assertions across all test files to use flat `dict`
access pattern (`info["key"]` instead of `info[0]["key"]`)

### Breaking changes
- `render_product_paths` property removed (confirmed zero external usage
across entire repo — only referenced internally in `camera.py`,
`isaac_rtx_renderer.py`, and `ovrtx_renderer.py`)
- `CameraData.info` changed from `list[dict[str, Any]]` to `dict[str,
Any]`. `Camera` users (old): replace
`camera.data.info[cam_idx][data_type]` with
`camera.data.info[data_type]`. `TiledCamera` users (old): access pattern
`camera.data.info[data_type]` is unchanged.
- `BaseRenderer.write_output` replaced by
`BaseRenderer.read_output(render_data, camera_data)`. Custom renderer
implementations must update their signature.

## Type of change

- Breaking change (existing functionality will not work without user
modification)

## Screenshots

## Checklist

- [x] I have read and understood the [contribution
guidelines](https://isaac-sim.github.io/IsaacLab/main/source/refs/contributing.html)
- [x] I have run the [`pre-commit` checks](https://pre-commit.com/) with
`./isaaclab.sh --format`
- [x] I have made corresponding changes to the documentation
- [ ] My changes generate no new warnings
- [x] I have added tests that prove my fix is effective or that my
feature works
- [x] I have updated the changelog and the corresponding version in the
extension's `config/extension.toml` file
- [x] I have added my name to the `CONTRIBUTORS.md` or my name already
exists there

Author: nvsekkin

CONTRIBUTORS.md

@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ Guidelines for modifications:
 * Dhyan Thakkar
 * Dongxuan Fan
 * Dorsa Rohani
+* Ege Sekkin
 * Emily Sturman
 * Emmanuel Ferdman
 * Fabian Jenelten

docs/source/how-to/save_camera_output.rst

@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ directory.
 Saving using Replicator Basic Writer
 ------------------------------------
 
+.. note::
+   The BasicWriter is part of the Omniverse Replicator ecosystem and is specific to the default
+   Isaac RTX renderer backend. Other renderer backends may require different save workflows.
+
 To save camera outputs, we use the basic write class from Omniverse Replicator. This class allows us to save the
 images in a numpy format. For more information on the basic writer, please check the
 `documentation <https://docs.omniverse.nvidia.com/extensions/latest/ext_replicator/writer_examples.html>`_.
@@ -32,18 +36,11 @@ images in a numpy format. For more information on the basic writer, please check
 
 While stepping the simulator, the images can be saved to the defined folder. Since the BasicWriter only supports
 saving data using NumPy format, we first need to convert the PyTorch sensors to NumPy arrays before packing
-them in a dictionary.
+them in a dictionary and writing with the BasicWriter.
 
 .. literalinclude:: ../../../scripts/tutorials/04_sensors/run_usd_camera.py
    :language: python
    :start-at: # Save images from camera at camera_index
-   :end-at: single_cam_info = camera.data.info[camera_index]
-
-After this step, we can save the images using the BasicWriter.
-
-.. literalinclude:: ../../../scripts/tutorials/04_sensors/run_usd_camera.py
-   :language: python
-   :start-at: # Pack data back into replicator format to save them using its writer
    :end-at: rep_writer.write(rep_output)
 
 

scripts/tutorials/04_sensors/run_ray_caster_camera.py

@@ -132,12 +132,10 @@ def run_simulator(sim: sim_utils.SimulationContext, scene_entities: dict):
             single_cam_data = convert_dict_to_backend(
                 {k: v[camera_index] for k, v in camera.data.output.items()}, backend="numpy"
             )
-            # Extract the other information
-            single_cam_info = camera.data.info[camera_index]
-
             # Pack data back into replicator format to save them using its writer
             rep_output = {"annotators": {}}
-            for key, data, info in zip(single_cam_data.keys(), single_cam_data.values(), single_cam_info.values()):
+            for key, data in single_cam_data.items():
+                info = camera.data.info.get(key)
                 if info is not None:
                     rep_output["annotators"][key] = {"render_product": {"data": data, **info}}
                 else:

scripts/tutorials/04_sensors/run_usd_camera.py

@@ -232,12 +232,10 @@ def run_simulator(sim: sim_utils.SimulationContext, scene_entities: dict):
                 {k: v[camera_index] for k, v in camera.data.output.items()}, backend="numpy"
             )
 
-            # Extract the other information
-            single_cam_info = camera.data.info[camera_index]
-
             # Pack data back into replicator format to save them using its writer
             rep_output = {"annotators": {}}
-            for key, data, info in zip(single_cam_data.keys(), single_cam_data.values(), single_cam_info.values()):
+            for key, data in single_cam_data.items():
+                info = camera.data.info.get(key)
                 if info is not None:
                     rep_output["annotators"][key] = {"render_product": {"data": data, **info}}
                 else:

source/isaaclab/config/extension.toml

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [package]
 
 # Note: Semantic Versioning is used: https://semver.org/
-version = "4.5.33"
+version = "4.6.0"
 
 # Description
 title = "Isaac Lab framework for Robot Learning"

source/isaaclab/docs/CHANGELOG.rst

@@ -1,6 +1,45 @@
 Changelog
 ---------
 
+4.6.0 (2026-04-13)
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+Changed
+^^^^^^^
+
+* Unified :class:`~isaaclab.sensors.camera.Camera` and :class:`~isaaclab.sensors.camera.TiledCamera`
+  into a single implementation. :class:`Camera` now delegates all rendering to the
+  :class:`~isaaclab.renderers.Renderer` abstraction (same approach :class:`TiledCamera` used).
+  The public API is unchanged for :class:`Camera` users.
+* **Breaking:** :attr:`~isaaclab.sensors.camera.CameraData.info` is now a flat
+  ``dict[str, Any]`` keyed by data type (e.g. ``camera.data.info["semantic_segmentation"]``).
+  The metadata is shared across all cameras and identical to what the underlying renderer returns.
+
+  - **Camera users (old):** replace ``camera.data.info[cam_idx][data_type]`` with
+    ``camera.data.info[data_type]``.
+  - **TiledCamera users (old):** access pattern ``camera.data.info[data_type]`` is unchanged.
+
+* **Breaking:** :meth:`~isaaclab.renderers.BaseRenderer.write_output` has been replaced by
+  :meth:`~isaaclab.renderers.BaseRenderer.read_output`. The new method receives the full
+  :class:`~isaaclab.sensors.camera.CameraData` instance and iterates output types internally.
+  Custom renderer implementations must replace ``write_output(render_data, output_name, output_data)``
+  with ``read_output(render_data, camera_data)``.
+
+Deprecated
+^^^^^^^^^^
+
+* :class:`~isaaclab.sensors.camera.TiledCamera` is deprecated. Use
+  :class:`~isaaclab.sensors.camera.Camera` directly — it now supports all renderer backends.
+* :class:`~isaaclab.sensors.camera.TiledCameraCfg` is deprecated. Use
+  :class:`~isaaclab.sensors.camera.CameraCfg` directly.
+
+Removed
+^^^^^^^
+
+* Removed :attr:`~isaaclab.sensors.camera.Camera.render_product_paths`. Render products are
+  now managed internally by the renderer backend and are not part of the public API.
+
+
 4.5.33 (2026-04-13)
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

source/isaaclab/isaaclab/renderers/base_renderer.py

@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
     import torch
 
     from isaaclab.sensors import SensorBase
+    from isaaclab.sensors.camera.camera_data import CameraData
 
 
 class BaseRenderer(ABC):
@@ -93,13 +94,13 @@ def render(self, render_data: Any) -> None:
         pass
 
     @abstractmethod
-    def write_output(self, render_data: Any, output_name: str, output_data: torch.Tensor) -> None:
-        """Write a specific output type to the given buffer.
+    def read_output(self, render_data: Any, camera_data: CameraData) -> None:
+        """Read rendered outputs from the renderer into the camera data container.
 
         Args:
             render_data: The render data object from :meth:`create_render_data`.
-            output_name: Name of the output (e.g. ``"rgba"``, ``"depth"``).
-            output_data: Pre-allocated tensor to write the output into.
+            camera_data: The :class:`~isaaclab.sensors.camera.camera_data.CameraData`
+                instance to populate.
         """
         pass