Parallax effect using RecyclerView in the most simple way using scroll listener of recycler view.

gistfile1.txt

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:background="@color/white"
    android:orientation="vertical">

    <ImageView
        android:id="@+id/parallax_image"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="350dp"
        android:scaleType="centerCrop"
        android:src="@drawable/img_user_avatar" />

    <android.support.v7.widget.RecyclerView
        android:id="@+id/recycler_view"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:clipToPadding="false"
        android:paddingTop="350dp"
        app:layoutManager="LinearLayoutManager"
        tools:listitem="@layout/ly_list_item" />

</RelativeLayout>

RecyclerParallaxActivity.java

/**
 * Created by Saurabh(aqua) in 2017.
 */

public class RecyclerParallaxActivity extends BaseActivity {

    /* view binding */
    @BindView(R.id.recycler_view)RecyclerView recyclerView;
    @BindView(R.id.parallax_image)ImageView parallaxImage;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(@Nullable Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        /* simple adapter with textview in layout */
        ParallaxAdapter adapter = new ParallaxAdapter();
        recyclerView.setAdapter(adapter);
        recyclerView.addOnScrollListener(new RecyclerView.OnScrollListener() {
            @Override
            public void onScrolled(RecyclerView recyclerView, int dx, int dy) {
                super.onScrolled(recyclerView, dx, dy);
                /* calculate the range which we have to cover */
                int maxDistance = recyclerView.getPaddingTop();
                /* calculate the scroll amount when recycler scrolls from the top */
                int movement = maxDistance - recyclerView.getChildAt(0).getTop();
                /* if we're reaching the top or within the range, keep translating the parallax image */
                if (movement >= 0 && movement <= maxDistance) {
                    parallaxImage.setTranslationY(-movement/2);
                } else {
                    /* if the scrolling goes above the range then set the image to the maximum value */
                    parallaxImage.setTranslationY(-maxDistance);
                }
            }
        });
    }

    /* can be replaced with setContentView() in onCreate() */  
    /* kept for brevity */
    @Override
    protected int getActivityLayout() {
        return R.layout.ac_parallax;
    }
}