Pi Camera
pi-camera

This page collects different ways to use Raspberry Pi computer boards (and related boards) to make small, cheap, lightweight cameras for different purposes, including #aerial-mapping, #balloon-mapping, #kite-mapping, #timelapse and #spectrometry. ## Raspberry Pi Simple Camera Kit We've [been working on some software](https://github.com/publiclab/image-builder-rpi/) for this widely used mini camera-and-computer in a tiny box (especially the lightweight "Zero W" model) to make it available with a **pre-flashed SD card** that turns this into a **ready-to-use WiFi enabled camera**. This gets over many of the barriers of using the regular Raspberry Pi kit and having to do a lot of programming/installing to get it running. We've managed to get a **plug and play** version running! Just plug it in using a Micro USB cable (or battery pack) and it'll create a WiFi network called "00PiCamera" -- password "publiclab" -- which you can log into from your phone or laptop. You'll quickly see streaming video, be able to take photos, timelapses, or videos, do motion triggered capture, and more: * [Pi Camera Kit](https://store.publiclab.org/products/raspberry-pi-camera) * [Infragram Pi Camera Kit](https://store.publiclab.org/products/infragram-pi-camera) * our [Microscope Pi kits](https://store.publiclab.org/collections/microscopes) use this as well * [Pre-flashed SD cards for Raspberry Pi cameras](https://store.publiclab.org/products/pi-builder-cards) * combine with (maybe?) [CR123a lithium battery](https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=cr123a) (and tell us how that goes!) For more on the open source Pi Builder software that made this possible, [see this blog post](/notes/icarito/10-21-2018/introducing-pi-builder) and [troubleshoot on this wiki page](/pi-builder) [notes:grid:activity:pi-camera-setup] **** ## Questions Questions can be either frequently asked questions, or "next step" challenges we're looking to solve. [questions:pi-camera] ## Activities Activities show how to use this project, step by step. [activities:pi-camera] **** ### Resources * Camera module http://m.e-cantonfair.com/#/product/552106 * Focus tricks https://raspi.tv/2013/adapt-your-raspberry-pi-camera-for-close-up-use * Very detailed documentation https://elinux.org/Rpi_Camera_Module * Datasheets and very detailed documentation on v1 camera: https://github.com/techyian/MMALSharp/wiki/OmniVision-OV5647-Camera-Module * Datasheets and very detailed documentation on v2 camera: https://github.com/techyian/MMALSharp/wiki/Sony-IMX219-Camera-Module...


Author Comment Last activity Moderation
xose "Hi Icarito. The project we're working with the witty pi energy manager is this. The case was made with a PVC tube and an external solar panel. Af..." | Read more » over 5 years ago
shanlter "Thanks @warren, finally I bought at taobao with the price of 1.7USD each. I think you have a pretty good price for US! " | Read more » over 5 years ago
warren "Hi! It's this one or one very like it! Awesome! " | Read more » over 5 years ago
shanlter "Hi Jeff, do you have the specifications of the webcam? I found several cameras looked like this on Taobao, with variety prices. not sure which to b..." | Read more » over 5 years ago
warren "Final note as we prepare a new activity for Raspberry Pi kits: you need to remove the lens from the Pi camera, which is a bit tough. We've loosened..." | Read more » over 5 years ago
warren "Also, interestingly, we have Infragram running in live-streaming mode pulling from the Pi camera on a web interface hosted from the Pi! https://gi..." | Read more » over 5 years ago
warren "This is great to hear, @xose - I've actually found that it should be possible to get a Pi Zero W running BOTH as an access point and connecting to ..." | Read more » over 5 years ago
xose "Amazing! At IMVEC we're working in a couple of cameras using RPi zero and one of them involves internet connection to display obtained images onli..." | Read more » over 5 years ago
warren "I updated this with a new photo of the improved webcams, which means you can skip the inner foam tape step since the circuit board can unscrew and ..." | Read more » over 5 years ago
warren "Here is the adapter! We're making some on a lasercutter and some on a 3d printer, but it's a /very/ simple part -- the tough part for us is getting..." | Read more » over 5 years ago
warren "For folks starting to connect microscope objective lenses to their microscopes as part of the Community Microscope Kit, we'll post some photos soon..." | Read more » over 5 years ago
xose "@xose awards a barnstar to MaggPi for their awesome contribution! " | Read more » almost 6 years ago
xose "Awesome!! " | Read more » almost 6 years ago
icarito "Hi @jywarren ! The documentation you are looking for is at here. The actual build script is at https://github.com/publiclab/image-builder-rpi/ I..." | Read more » almost 6 years ago
jywarren "Very cool!!!  Hi @icarito, would you be able to point maggpi at the instructions for generating a virtual-pi image for this setup? On Wed, Aug 8,..." | Read more » almost 6 years ago
warren "Glad to hear it. I've noted that not all WiFi networks work, and sometimes trying on a different one (like the one I broadcast from my phone) works..." | Read more » almost 6 years ago
Aleksi12358 "I managed to connect with usb. Now I will try to get camera to work and calibrate my spectrometer. I followed this: https://learn.adafruit.com/turn..." | Read more » almost 6 years ago
Aleksi12358 "I have problem with this. I cannot get my raspberry pi to connect to my wifi router. I have tried different thing in wpa_supplicant file that I fou..." | Read more » almost 6 years ago
SarahC "Remember - you're buying an OIL objective lens. This means it's been designed and built to use oil in contact with the lens and the cover-slip of ..." | Read more » almost 6 years ago
MaggPi "The comment tries to answer questions above but some still need work: this is definitely a relevant parameter to explore, what I'm missing here ..." | Read more » almost 6 years ago
amirberAgain "You probably noticed by now that even a thing as simple as RGB2GRAY cand be made in different ways, look for rpi camera debayer to read more on thi..." | Read more » almost 6 years ago
amirberAgain "@maggpi, this is definitely a relevant parameter to explore, what I'm missing here are a few equations which describe the relation between the line..." | Read more » almost 6 years ago
raj "raspberry pi camera: spectral response curves for more details go through my website you can get all details http://zipansion.com/1TSg4 " | Read more » almost 6 years ago
warren "This is super! " | Read more » almost 6 years ago