Difference between rotation methods?

Question

My question is in about rotate methods in android.graphics.Camera. In Docs, I saw these comments:

public void rotateX (float deg) Since: API Level 1
Applies a rotation transform around the X axis.

public void rotate (float x, float y, float z) Since: API Level 12
Applies a rotation transform around all three axis.

There is my question:What is difference between using rotate (float x, float y, float z) and a sequence of rotate methods? For example what's the difference between these two snippets A and B?

A)

camera.rotate (x, y, z);

B)

camera.rotateX (x);
camera.rotateY (y);
camera.rotateZ (z);

Answer 1

Applying a sequence of Euler (yaw/pitch/roll) rotations can have a disadvantage when compared to applying a rotation matrix or quaternion operation, which both apply the rotations simultaneously. Sequential axis transforms have the potential to suffer from gimbal lock when one step in their sequence renders a subsequent rotation meaningless. I.e., this problem would occur if the first rotation moves the vector directly onto the axis of the second rotation, then the second rotation accomplishes nothing. The more complex operations are immune to this problem.

Presumably, the API 12 method public void rotate (float x, float y, float z) is an advanced matrix or quaternion rotation. However, if it was naively implemented, it may be no better than applying the rotations in sequence. In that case, its only benefit would be reducing the number of functions you would need to call. But if it IS implemented well, then it will be faster, simpler to use, and less error prone than sequential operations.

In either case, you should use it for 3-axis rotations.