Raspberry Pi Camera and its Variety

by Sep 14, 2020Raspberry Pi

Choosing a suitable raspberry pi camera for your projects can get really difficult. RPI camera v1, RPI camera v2, RPI NOIR camera, and the list continues. Each one has different properties and should be used according to them. They have been used in various fields and for numerous projects, from wildlife photography to object detection to surveillance cameras. In this article, we will go over some of the common raspberry pi cameras, their specifications, and their applications.

Content

Introduction

To start with we shall try to understand the basic working and principles that are common to all cameras of the raspberry pi. It will help in understanding what we actually require for our project. To connect the camera to the raspberry pi, use the CSI port. The connection must be put carefully or the device won’t be recognized.

How to Build a Raspberry Pi Camera - Projects
Image by Don Wilcher in https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/projects/how-to-build-a-picamera/

You need to enable the camera in the raspberry pi configuration, but do not worry the tutorials can easily be found. Each camera has its own specification of resolution, frames per second, aperture, and focal length. These with certain specific functions define what a camera is capable of and what application it applies to. The picture below shows most of the cameras available in the market today. These are mostly produced by Waveshare.

Image in https://www.waveshare.com/rpi-camera-f.htm

Camera v1

The Raspberry Pi Camera v1 Board plugs directly into the CSI connector on the Raspberry Pi and is compatible with all of its versions. It’s able to deliver a crystal clear 5MP resolution image or 1080p HD video recording at 30fps! It features a 5MP (2592? 1944 pixels) Omnivision 5647 sensor in a fixed-focus module. The module attaches to Raspberry Pi, by way of a 15 Pin Ribbon Cable, to the dedicated 15-pin MIPI Camera Serial Interface (CSI), which was designed especially for interfacing to cameras.

Camera Module V1.3 , 5MP for Raspberry Pi - DeSENSED Technologies

1. Properties

The properties of the Camera vv1 module are:

  • Sensor : 5MP OV5647 sensor
  • Still Picture Resolution: 2592 x 1944
  • Size : 20 x 25 x 9mm
  • Video Supports : 1080p @ 30fps, 720p @ 60fps and 640x480p 60/90 Recording

2. Output

Home surveillance and motion detection with the Raspberry Pi ...
Image by Adrian Rosebrock

3. Applications

The v1 module is the most basic version there is. It can be used to conduct small personal projects and experiments. It will be hard to use it for object detection also, as the frames per second are very less. The more extensively used version would be the v2 module which will be discussed next.

Camera v2

The camera v2 module replaced the latter in 2016. The prototype of both the modules are similar, the only difference being the sensor and some resolution. These modules are very easy to operate and handle. It attaches via a 15cm ribbon cable to the CSI port on the Raspberry Pi. A word of precaution, these modules are easily damaged by static electricity so be careful. Also physically hardly any difference can be seen between the two but the sensors are completely different in them.

Raspberry Pi Camera Modules

1. Properties

  • Sensor : 8MP Sony IMX219 image sensor
  • Still Picture Resolution :  3280 x 2464
  • Size : 25mm x 23mm x 9mm
  • Video Supports : 1080p @ 30fps, 720p @ 60fps and 640x480p 90 video

2. Output

Live video streaming over network with OpenCV and ImageZMQ ...

3. Applications

The first and foremost advantage of using this module is that it is easy to handle and can be used by beginners for their projects and learning. This camera is the most used model today and can be used for almost all general purposes. Some outstanding applications could be-

  • Object Detection
  • Surveillance camera
  • Time-lapse Photography

NoIR Camera

The NoIR(No Infrared) camera of raspberry pi is a special modification of camera module v2. The only difference between them is that this particular module does not have the infrared filter used to block infrared rays. But what does it mean? It means that during the day an image will be seen which is slightly different from the normal but in the dark, images can be taken and seen in infrared lighting.

Amazon.in: Buy Raspberry Pi RPi NoIR V2 Official Infrared Night ...

1. Properties

  • Sensor : 8MP Sony IMX219 image sensor
  • Still Picture Resolution :  3280 x 2464
  • Size : 25mm x 23mm x 9mm
  • Video Supports : 1080p @ 30fps, 720p @ 60fps and 640x480p 90 video

2. Output

New and old Raspberry Pi Camera comparison shots (1.3, 2.1 & NOIR ...
Image in https://raspi.tv/2016/new-and-old-raspberry-pi-camera-comparison-shots-1-3-2-1-noir

3. Applications

The NoIR camera is famous solely because of its ability to take images in dark. It can produce fairly good visibility in the dark and hence is widely used. Some specific applications could be-

  • Infrared Photography
  • Security Surveillance at Night
  • Vision at Night – Object Detection, Theft detection

RPI Camera Fisheye Lens

Raspberry pi camera with Fisheye Lens also called raspberry camera (B) may be pretty expensive but is a multipurpose quality camera. It supports night vision and is compatible with all versions of the raspberry pi. As the name suggests it has a fisheye lens which means that the lens of the camera offers a much wider vision of about 160 to 220 degrees while the normal cameras only provide about 72 degrees. The image seen is somewhat wide and warped, like looking from a door’s peephole.

1. Properties

  • Sensor : 5MP OV5647 sensor
  • Still Picture Resolution :  2592 x 1944
  • Size :  25mm x 24mm
  • Video Supports : 1080p @ 30fps, 720p @ 60fps and 640x480p 60/90 Recording

2. Output

Cheap Interchangeable Lenses For The Raspberry Pi Camera Module ...

3. Applications

These cameras give a wider view than others and can be used in places where the area covered needs to be more. The only disadvantage of this could be that it lacks focus on the details of the corner images because of the broadened view. Other applications could be-

  • Panaromic Images
  • Wide Area Surviellance
  • Hemispherical photography

RPI IR-CUT Camera

The raspberry pi IR-CUT camera works is a better version of RPI camera (B) in a way that it supports Normal mode as well as Night Vision mode. Its lens has adjustable focus and the module a removable IR-CUT filter. It also comes with infrared led to support night vision.

RPi IR-CUT Camera - Waveshare Wiki

1. Properties

  • Sensor : 5MP OV5647 sensor
  • Still Picture Resolution :  2592 x 1944
  • Size :  31mm x 32mm
  • Video Supports : 1080p @ 30fps, 720p @ 60fps and 640x480p 60/90 Recording

2. Output

Raspberry Pi NOIR vs Normal Camera - The Geek Pub
Image in https://www.thegeekpub.com/16220/raspberry-pi-noir-vs-normal-camera/

3. Applications

IR-CUT camera is more of a quality camera for continuous photography. It can do almost all the things a v2 module or NoIR camera can. The only disadvantage could be that its field of vision is restricted to 40 degrees. It has adjustable focus and hence can be used for high-quality wildlife photography, object detection.

With this we come to the end of the article on the types of raspberry pi cameras in the market. I hope this article will help you choose wisely in your next project. If you have any doubts comment below.

Creating a multiplication Skill in Alexa using python

Written By Monisha Macharla

Hi, I'm Monisha. I am a tech blogger and a hobbyist. I am eager to learn and explore tech related stuff! also, I wanted to deliver you the same as much as the simpler way with more informative content. I generally appreciate learning by doing, rather than only learning. Thank you for reading my blog! Happy learning!

RELATED POSTS

How to Setup an NGINX Server on Raspberry Pi ?

How to Setup an NGINX Server on Raspberry Pi ?

What is NGINX ? NGINX is a popular lightweight web server application you can install on the Raspberry Pi to allow it to serve web pages. In its initial release, it functioned for HTTP web serving. It is a web server that can also be used as...

FM Radio Transmitter with Raspberry Pi

FM Radio Transmitter with Raspberry Pi

We’ve all listened to the radio and sang along to the songs, atleast in the car. But have you ever found yourself switching through several channels because you couldn’t find even one song that YOU like? In this article we will learn how to build a FM radio...

WiFi extender using Raspberry Pi

WiFi extender using Raspberry Pi

It is always useful to know how to use your Raspberry Pi in pet projects that are actually useful around the house. Especially when you aren’t building something new – using your dormant Raspberry Pi to build useful devices around the house is a fun idea. If you are...

Using Raspberry Pi as various Servers

Using Raspberry Pi as various Servers

Raspberry Pi is a widely popular SoC, that is versatile and easy to use for even beginners. If you are new and are unfamiliar with Pi, take a look at these articles. Regardless of the model of Raspberry Pi you have, I am sure you have discovered a plethora of projects...

SQLite Database on Raspberry Pi

Welcome to another tutorial on Raspberry Pi. In this tutorial, we will see how to use the SQLite Database on Raspberry Pi. Apart from the installation and a few basic commands, in the end, we shall look at a simple project to log sensor data into an SQLite database....

Mosquitto MQTT Broker on Raspberry Pi

This tutorial will show you what is Mosquitto MQTT Broker and how to install it on Raspberry Pi. Contents What is MQTT?Installing Mosquitto MQTT on Raspberry PiCreating an MQTT Broker on Raspberry PiSubscribe to a TopicPublish a message to a TopicSample...

Evolution of the Raspberry Pi – A Comparison

Evolution of the Raspberry Pi – A Comparison

The Raspberry Pi is an inexpensive credit card-sized micro-computer. The Raspberry Pi was originally designed as a way to teach how computers work and the rest of computer science in general. It was originally developed in the UK by a team that included Eben Upton,...

Recording audio on your Raspberry Pi

Recording audio on your Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi can record and playback fairly good quality audio through its USB 2.0 ports. For recording audio and playback we need two peripheral devices, a USB microphone, and a speaker. You can choose to use a USB speaker, or a speaker with a 3.5mm sound jack....

Tutorial: Dropbox with Raspberry Pi

Tutorial: Dropbox with Raspberry Pi

Many Raspberry Pi projects require synchronization of files over more than just one device. Dropbox, which is a popular file-hosting service, can be used for this with ease. Synchronizing data between different devices may seem a little tricky, especially since the...

Creating a Raspberry Pi Network Scanner

Creating a Raspberry Pi Network Scanner

The Raspberry Pi network scanner that we will be creating in the following tutorial will scan through your local network and get the local IP address and MAC address of all devices connected to your network. To achieve this we are going to use the scapy module in a...

VIDEOS – FOLLOW US ON YOUTUBE

EXPLORE OUR IOT PROJECTS

IoT Smart Gardening System – ESP8266, MQTT, Adafruit IO

Gardening is always a very calming pastime. However, our gardens' plants may not always receive the care they require due to our active lifestyles. What if we could remotely keep an eye on their health and provide them with the attention they require? In this article,...

How to Simulate IoT projects using Cisco Packet Tracer

In this tutorial, let's learn how to simulate the IoT project using the Cisco packet tracer. As an example, we shall build a simple Home Automation project to control and monitor devices. Introduction Firstly, let's quickly look at the overview of the software. Packet...

All you need to know about integrating NodeMCU with Ubidots over MQTT

In this tutorial, let's discuss Integrating NodeMCU and Ubidots IoT platform. As an illustration, we shall interface the DHT11 sensor to monitor temperature and Humidity. Additionally, an led bulb is controlled using the dashboard. Besides, the implementation will be...

All you need to know about integrating NodeMCU with Ubidots over Https

In this tutorial, let's discuss Integrating NodeMCU and Ubidots IoT platform. As an illustration, we shall interface the DHT11 sensor to monitor temperature and Humidity. Additionally, an led bulb is controlled using the dashboard. Besides, the implementation will be...

How to design a Wireless Blind Stick using nRF24L01 Module?

Introduction Let's learn to design a low-cost wireless blind stick using the nRF24L01 transceiver module. So the complete project is divided into the transmitter part and receiver part. Thus, the Transmitter part consists of an Arduino Nano microcontroller, ultrasonic...

Sending Temperature data to ThingSpeak Cloud and Visualize

In this article, we are going to learn “How to send temperature data to ThingSpeak Cloud?”. We can then visualize the temperature data uploaded to ThingSpeak Cloud anywhere in the world. But "What is ThingSpeak?” ThingSpeak is an open-source IoT platform that allows...

Amaze your friend with latest tricks of Raspberry Pi and Firebase

Introduction to our Raspberry Pi and Firebase trick Let me introduce you to the latest trick of Raspberry Pi and Firebase we'll be using to fool them. It begins with a small circuit to connect a temperature sensor and an Infrared sensor with Raspberry Pi. The circuit...

How to implement Machine Learning on IoT based Data?

Introduction The industrial scope for the convergence of the Internet of Things(IoT) and Machine learning(ML) is wide and informative. IoT renders an enormous amount of data from various sensors. On the other hand, ML opens up insight hidden in the acquired data....

Smart Display Board based on IoT and Google Firebase

Introduction In this tutorial, we are going to build a Smart Display Board based on IoT and Google Firebase by using NodeMCU8266 (or you can even use NodeMCU32) and LCD. Generally, in shops, hotels, offices, railway stations, notice/ display boards are used. They are...

Smart Gardening System – GO GREEN Project

Automation of farm activities can transform agricultural domain from being manual into a dynamic field to yield higher production with less human intervention. The project Green is developed to manage farms using modern information and communication technologies....