diff --git a/system/camerad/cameras/camera_common.cc b/system/camerad/cameras/camera_common.cc
index ff02fe4364..b0193cf5df 100644
--- a/system/camerad/cameras/camera_common.cc
+++ b/system/camerad/cameras/camera_common.cc
@@ -65,16 +65,19 @@ void CameraBuf::init(cl_device_id device_id, cl_context context, SpectraCamera *
   const SensorInfo *sensor = cam->sensor.get();
 
   is_raw = cam->is_raw;
-  camera_bufs_raw = std::make_unique<VisionBuf[]>(frame_buf_count);
   frame_metadata = std::make_unique<FrameMetadata[]>(frame_buf_count);
 
-  // RAW + final frames from ISP
-  const int raw_frame_size = (sensor->frame_height + sensor->extra_height) * sensor->frame_stride;
-  for (int i = 0; i < frame_buf_count; i++) {
-    camera_bufs_raw[i].allocate(raw_frame_size);
-    camera_bufs_raw[i].init_cl(device_id, context);
+  // RAW frames from ISP
+  if (is_raw) {
+    camera_bufs_raw = std::make_unique<VisionBuf[]>(frame_buf_count);
+
+    const int raw_frame_size = (sensor->frame_height + sensor->extra_height) * sensor->frame_stride;
+    for (int i = 0; i < frame_buf_count; i++) {
+      camera_bufs_raw[i].allocate(raw_frame_size);
+      camera_bufs_raw[i].init_cl(device_id, context);
+    }
+    LOGD("allocated %d CL buffers", frame_buf_count);
   }
-  LOGD("allocated %d CL buffers", frame_buf_count);
 
   out_img_width = sensor->frame_width;
   out_img_height = sensor->hdr_offset > 0 ? (sensor->frame_height - sensor->hdr_offset) / 2 : sensor->frame_height;
@@ -83,8 +86,8 @@ void CameraBuf::init(cl_device_id device_id, cl_context context, SpectraCamera *
   // TODO: VENUS_BUFFER_SIZE should give the size, but it's too small. dependent on encoder settings?
   size_t nv12_size = (out_img_width <= 1344 ? 2900 : 2346)*cam->stride;
 
-  vipc_server->create_buffers_with_sizes(stream_type, YUV_BUFFER_COUNT, out_img_width, out_img_height, nv12_size, cam->stride, cam->uv_offset);
-  LOGD("created %d YUV vipc buffers with size %dx%d", YUV_BUFFER_COUNT, cam->stride, cam->y_height);
+  vipc_server->create_buffers_with_sizes(stream_type, VIPC_BUFFER_COUNT, out_img_width, out_img_height, nv12_size, cam->stride, cam->uv_offset);
+  LOGD("created %d YUV vipc buffers with size %dx%d", VIPC_BUFFER_COUNT, cam->stride, cam->y_height);
 
   imgproc = new ImgProc(device_id, context, this, sensor, cam->cc.camera_num, cam->stride, cam->uv_offset);
 }
diff --git a/system/camerad/cameras/camera_common.h b/system/camerad/cameras/camera_common.h
index e4cdb27e71..768626737a 100644
--- a/system/camerad/cameras/camera_common.h
+++ b/system/camerad/cameras/camera_common.h
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #include "common/util.h"
 
 
-const int YUV_BUFFER_COUNT = 20;
+const int VIPC_BUFFER_COUNT = 18;
 
 typedef struct FrameMetadata {
   uint32_t frame_id;
diff --git a/system/camerad/cameras/spectra.cc b/system/camerad/cameras/spectra.cc
index b262ddba9a..178dd9ae17 100644
--- a/system/camerad/cameras/spectra.cc
+++ b/system/camerad/cameras/spectra.cc
@@ -242,6 +242,9 @@ SpectraCamera::SpectraCamera(SpectraMaster *master, const CameraConfig &config,
     cc(config),
     is_raw(raw) {
   mm.init(m->video0_fd);
+
+  ife_buf_depth = is_raw ? 4 : VIPC_BUFFER_COUNT;
+  assert(ife_buf_depth < MAX_IFE_BUFS);
 }
 
 SpectraCamera::~SpectraCamera() {
@@ -288,14 +291,15 @@ void SpectraCamera::camera_open(VisionIpcServer *v, cl_device_id device_id, cl_c
   linkDevices();
 
   LOGD("camera init %d", cc.camera_num);
-  buf.init(device_id, ctx, this, v, FRAME_BUF_COUNT, cc.stream_type);
+  buf.init(device_id, ctx, this, v, ife_buf_depth, cc.stream_type);
   camera_map_bufs();
+  enqueue_req_multi(1, ife_buf_depth, 0);
 }
 
 void SpectraCamera::enqueue_req_multi(uint64_t start, int n, bool dp) {
   for (uint64_t i = start; i < start + n; ++i) {
-    request_ids[(i - 1) % FRAME_BUF_COUNT] = i;
-    enqueue_buffer((i - 1) % FRAME_BUF_COUNT, dp);
+    request_ids[(i - 1) % ife_buf_depth] = i;
+    enqueue_buffer((i - 1) % ife_buf_depth, dp);
   }
 }
 
@@ -670,7 +674,7 @@ void SpectraCamera::enqueue_buffer(int i, bool dp) {
   int ret;
   uint64_t request_id = request_ids[i];
 
-  if (buf_handle_raw[i] && sync_objs[i]) {
+  if (sync_objs[i]) {
     // wait
     struct cam_sync_wait sync_wait = {0};
     sync_wait.sync_obj = sync_objs[i];
@@ -733,31 +737,31 @@ void SpectraCamera::enqueue_buffer(int i, bool dp) {
 
 void SpectraCamera::camera_map_bufs() {
   int ret;
-  for (int i = 0; i < FRAME_BUF_COUNT; i++) {
+  for (int i = 0; i < ife_buf_depth; i++) {
     // configure ISP to put the image in place
     struct cam_mem_mgr_map_cmd mem_mgr_map_cmd = {0};
+    mem_mgr_map_cmd.flags = CAM_MEM_FLAG_HW_READ_WRITE;
     mem_mgr_map_cmd.mmu_hdls[0] = m->device_iommu;
+    mem_mgr_map_cmd.num_hdl = 1;
     //mem_mgr_map_cmd.mmu_hdls[1] = m->icp_device_iommu;
     //mem_mgr_map_cmd.num_hdl = 2;
-    mem_mgr_map_cmd.num_hdl = 1;
-    mem_mgr_map_cmd.flags = CAM_MEM_FLAG_HW_READ_WRITE;
 
-    // RAW bayer images
-    mem_mgr_map_cmd.fd = buf.camera_bufs_raw[i].fd;
-    ret = do_cam_control(m->video0_fd, CAM_REQ_MGR_MAP_BUF, &mem_mgr_map_cmd, sizeof(mem_mgr_map_cmd));
-    assert(ret == 0);
-    LOGD("map buf req: (fd: %d) 0x%x %d", buf.camera_bufs_raw[i].fd, mem_mgr_map_cmd.out.buf_handle, ret);
-    buf_handle_raw[i] = mem_mgr_map_cmd.out.buf_handle;
-
-    // TODO: this needs to match camera bufs length
-    // final processed images
-    VisionBuf *vb = buf.vipc_server->get_buffer(buf.stream_type, i);
-    mem_mgr_map_cmd.fd = vb->fd;
-    ret = do_cam_control(m->video0_fd, CAM_REQ_MGR_MAP_BUF, &mem_mgr_map_cmd, sizeof(mem_mgr_map_cmd));
-    LOGD("map buf req: (fd: %d) 0x%x %d", vb->fd, mem_mgr_map_cmd.out.buf_handle, ret);
-    buf_handle_yuv[i] = mem_mgr_map_cmd.out.buf_handle;
+    if (is_raw) {
+      // RAW bayer images
+      mem_mgr_map_cmd.fd = buf.camera_bufs_raw[i].fd;
+      ret = do_cam_control(m->video0_fd, CAM_REQ_MGR_MAP_BUF, &mem_mgr_map_cmd, sizeof(mem_mgr_map_cmd));
+      assert(ret == 0);
+      LOGD("map buf req: (fd: %d) 0x%x %d", buf.camera_bufs_raw[i].fd, mem_mgr_map_cmd.out.buf_handle, ret);
+      buf_handle_raw[i] = mem_mgr_map_cmd.out.buf_handle;
+    } else {
+      // final processed images
+      VisionBuf *vb = buf.vipc_server->get_buffer(buf.stream_type, i);
+      mem_mgr_map_cmd.fd = vb->fd;
+      ret = do_cam_control(m->video0_fd, CAM_REQ_MGR_MAP_BUF, &mem_mgr_map_cmd, sizeof(mem_mgr_map_cmd));
+      LOGD("map buf req: (fd: %d) 0x%x %d", vb->fd, mem_mgr_map_cmd.out.buf_handle, ret);
+      buf_handle_yuv[i] = mem_mgr_map_cmd.out.buf_handle;
+    }
   }
-  enqueue_req_multi(1, FRAME_BUF_COUNT, 0);
 }
 
 bool SpectraCamera::openSensor() {
@@ -870,7 +874,7 @@ void SpectraCamera::configISP() {
   // allocate IFE memory, then configure it
   ife_cmd.init(m, 67984, 0x20,
                CAM_MEM_FLAG_HW_READ_WRITE | CAM_MEM_FLAG_KMD_ACCESS | CAM_MEM_FLAG_UMD_ACCESS | CAM_MEM_FLAG_CMD_BUF_TYPE,
-               m->device_iommu, m->cdm_iommu, FRAME_BUF_COUNT);
+               m->device_iommu, m->cdm_iommu, ife_buf_depth);
   if (!is_raw) {
     ife_gamma_lut.init(m, 64*sizeof(uint32_t), 0x20,
                        CAM_MEM_FLAG_HW_READ_WRITE | CAM_MEM_FLAG_KMD_ACCESS | CAM_MEM_FLAG_UMD_ACCESS | CAM_MEM_FLAG_CMD_BUF_TYPE,
@@ -925,7 +929,7 @@ void SpectraCamera::configICP() {
 
   // BPS CMD buffer
   unsigned char striping_out[] = "\x00";
-  bps_cmd.init(m, FRAME_BUF_COUNT*ALIGNED_SIZE(464, 0x20), 0x20,
+  bps_cmd.init(m, ife_buf_depth*ALIGNED_SIZE(464, 0x20), 0x20,
                CAM_MEM_FLAG_HW_READ_WRITE | CAM_MEM_FLAG_KMD_ACCESS | CAM_MEM_FLAG_UMD_ACCESS | CAM_MEM_FLAG_CMD_BUF_TYPE | CAM_MEM_FLAG_HW_SHARED_ACCESS,
                m->icp_device_iommu);
 
@@ -1046,9 +1050,8 @@ void SpectraCamera::camera_close() {
     ret = device_control(csiphy_fd, CAM_RELEASE_DEV, session_handle, csiphy_dev_handle);
     LOGD("release csiphy: %d", ret);
 
-    for (int i = 0; i < FRAME_BUF_COUNT; i++) {
-      release(m->video0_fd, buf_handle_yuv[i]);
-      release(m->video0_fd, buf_handle_raw[i]);
+    for (int i = 0; i < ife_buf_depth; i++) {
+      release(m->video0_fd, is_raw ? buf_handle_raw[i] : buf_handle_yuv[i]);
     }
     LOGD("released buffers");
   }
@@ -1071,13 +1074,13 @@ void SpectraCamera::handle_camera_event(const cam_req_mgr_message *event_data) {
 
   if (real_id != 0) { // next ready
     if (real_id == 1) {idx_offset = main_id;}
-    int buf_idx = (real_id - 1) % FRAME_BUF_COUNT;
+    int buf_idx = (real_id - 1) % ife_buf_depth;
 
     // check for skipped frames
     if (main_id > frame_id_last + 1 && !skipped) {
       LOGE("camera %d realign", cc.camera_num);
       clear_req_queue();
-      enqueue_req_multi(real_id + 1, FRAME_BUF_COUNT - 1, 0);
+      enqueue_req_multi(real_id + 1, ife_buf_depth - 1, 0);
       skipped = true;
     } else if (main_id == frame_id_last + 1) {
       skipped = false;
@@ -1086,7 +1089,7 @@ void SpectraCamera::handle_camera_event(const cam_req_mgr_message *event_data) {
     // check for dropped requests
     if (real_id > request_id_last + 1) {
       LOGE("camera %d dropped requests %ld %ld", cc.camera_num, real_id, request_id_last);
-      enqueue_req_multi(request_id_last + 1 + FRAME_BUF_COUNT, real_id - (request_id_last + 1), 0);
+      enqueue_req_multi(request_id_last + 1 + ife_buf_depth, real_id - (request_id_last + 1), 0);
     }
 
     // metas
@@ -1099,12 +1102,12 @@ void SpectraCamera::handle_camera_event(const cam_req_mgr_message *event_data) {
     meta_data.timestamp_sof = timestamp; // this is timestamped in the kernel's SOF IRQ callback
 
     // dispatch
-    enqueue_req_multi(real_id + FRAME_BUF_COUNT, 1, 1);
+    enqueue_req_multi(real_id + ife_buf_depth, 1, 1);
   } else { // not ready
     if (main_id > frame_id_last + 10) {
       LOGE("camera %d reset after half second of no response", cc.camera_num);
       clear_req_queue();
-      enqueue_req_multi(request_id_last + 1, FRAME_BUF_COUNT, 0);
+      enqueue_req_multi(request_id_last + 1, ife_buf_depth, 0);
       frame_id_last = main_id;
       skipped = true;
     }
diff --git a/system/camerad/cameras/spectra.h b/system/camerad/cameras/spectra.h
index ea5c563167..476722b664 100644
--- a/system/camerad/cameras/spectra.h
+++ b/system/camerad/cameras/spectra.h
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 #include "system/camerad/cameras/camera_common.h"
 #include "system/camerad/sensors/sensor.h"
 
-#define FRAME_BUF_COUNT 4
+#define MAX_IFE_BUFS 20
 
 const int MIPI_SETTLE_CNT = 33;  // Calculated by camera_freqs.py
 
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ public:
 
   // *** state ***
 
+  int ife_buf_depth = -1;
   bool open = false;
   bool enabled = true;
   CameraConfig cc;
@@ -151,11 +152,11 @@ public:
   SpectraBuf bps_iq;
   SpectraBuf bps_striping;
 
-  int buf_handle_yuv[FRAME_BUF_COUNT] = {};
-  int buf_handle_raw[FRAME_BUF_COUNT] = {};
-  int sync_objs[FRAME_BUF_COUNT] = {};
-  int sync_objs_bps_out[FRAME_BUF_COUNT] = {};
-  uint64_t request_ids[FRAME_BUF_COUNT] = {};
+  int buf_handle_yuv[MAX_IFE_BUFS] = {};
+  int buf_handle_raw[MAX_IFE_BUFS] = {};
+  int sync_objs[MAX_IFE_BUFS] = {};
+  int sync_objs_bps_out[MAX_IFE_BUFS] = {};
+  uint64_t request_ids[MAX_IFE_BUFS] = {};
   uint64_t request_id_last = 0;
   uint64_t frame_id_last = 0;
   uint64_t idx_offset = 0;