ArduCAM High Resolution Autofocus Camera Module for Raspberry Pi | Hacker News Reader

ArduCAM High Resolution Autofocus Camera Module for Raspberry Pi

lemariva.com

51 pointslemariva32 comments

In the F.A.Q they mention that it can be modified for telescopes:

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Can I use it on my telescope?

With a bit of modification, yes. We have seen many astrophotography projects with the official Pi cameras, you can follow the same instructions.

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I wonder if it can be also modified for PCB inspection microscope purposes? I have a C-mount lens already:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002033939765.html

More context on the idea I've been thinking about on: https://twitter.com/braincode/status/1464964031576379400

So... can this new Arducam 16MP autofocus be easily modded so that it:

1) Conserves the autofocus feature.

2) Accepts a C-mount lens like the one listed above with the right distance from the sensor?

I hope the software interface has improved since the previous time I tried to use an arducam. Turned out that controlling basic settings such as exposure time and gain wasn't supported. The magic incantations necessary to get it done were kept secret by the manufacturer (Sony) of the imaging chip.

I tested both options (--shutter and --gain) and they are working as described here: https://www.arducam.com/docs/cameras-for-raspberry-pi/raspbe...

I've been playing with 4x 5MP Arducam autofocus cameras along with the Arducam Multi Camera Adapter to take 4 photos in sequence of plants from different angles.

That's neat, I wonder how it compares to the big one with visible motors to turn the lens.

ArduCAM claims that it's better (see https://www.arducam.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/camera-mo...). It has better resolution (16MP vs 12.3MP). However, the HQ has better changeable lenses available. I'm updating the rPIFocus (https://github.com/lemariva/rPIFocus) repository to include the camera and test it. The autofocus speed will be definitely faster :).

We might be talking of different cameras my bad, I was referring to this tilt zoom one that looked interesting.

https://www.arducam.com/product/arducam-12mp-pan-tilt-zoom-p...

I thought you were talking about my "autofocus" project (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrbyPmq_Z7Q). The arducam-12mp-pan-tilt-zoom uses the same sensor (IMX477) as the HQ. Thus, the resolution claim should be the same ;).

Last question, what's the reason for the spiral gear?

Aperture ring belt, looks like it grips the adjusting part of lens body and then something turns it, spiral is just excess material.

I used two steppers to turn the aperture and the focal length rings of the lens independently. Then, you can set the aperture ring to 1.4, 2.8, 5.6, 8, or 16 and then focus the image with the other ring/belt. Both rings or belts move independently. In the beginning, I used a calibration routine to identify the maximal or minimal position of the rings. Both limits are detected by moving the rings in both directions and measuring the stepper currents. When the stepper reaches a limit, a current peak is measured, and that gives me the minimal o maximal angle.

Really cool project, the gaussian focus bit is neat too, need to look into that more

I have yet to be able to manual focus through code the Arducam. :'‑(

Not only, if has an autofocus option (--autofocus flag). However, you cannot select the focus area (or focus points like in a pro camera) :(. But, the autofocus function is implemented and works nicely.

Manufacturers should stop calling it a day right after they get their stuff to "sort of" work. Especially if they make DIY products. Passing on the complexity of hardware interfaces to novice users is just cruel.

Can we shoot this at 660fps? Or is that only available on the v1 and v2 cams?

You mean using this hack: https://blog.robertelder.org/recording-660-fps-on-raspberry-... I didn't check that yet, but using the provided software and the flag (--framerate), I got the following timestamps: # timecode format v2 0.000 8.329 16.657 24.987 33.316 41.644 49.972 58.302 Meaning that the camera is working at max. 120fps@640x480

I have a tangentially related question: I’ve been toying with the idea of building some hacky night-vision goggles by popping the IR filter off of a CMOS (or similar) sensor.

Is HN aware of any good camera modules for such a purpose?

You could look at the pi noir cameras, which already have no IR filter, I use one for a wildlife camera and IR lamp.

Ah, good to know. These seem to be intended for use with the Raspberry Pi, but I imagine they can be used with microcontrollers like Arduino, with a bit of soldering-iron hackery, right?

ST Micro has some with significant near IR sensitivity, quick googling brought up [0]. For real "night vision" you need an imager without color array, it filters out too much light, and a HDR one like [1]. Then you need to map from the HDR to 8bit with some tonemapping. What you can expect max is something like [2].

[0] https://www.systemplus.fr/reverse-costing-reports/stmicroele...

[1] https://www.st.com/resource/en/data_brief/vd5640.pdf

[2] https://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s119/turntwomotorsports/...

This is great, thank you!

TBH, the picture you linked to is much better than what I expected. Do you know if this was done with IR illumination?

EDIT: p.s. where would you go to buy [1] ? I checked alibaba for the "VG5640" device code and came up empty.

Why would anyone opt in for Arduino while there is a superior platform like Raspberry pi? It’s much more capable with same maybe less price. You can even get 4 core cpu with Rpi zero 2 for 15 bucks.

Not everyone living in first world countries. For me, arduino is cheap(clone), required much less power than any SBC. Power outage is common in my area. Memory card of any SBC can't survive frequent power outage .

Invariably, someone always asks this question. For most things I'd prefer a Pi Zero, less hassle, familiar environment. But consider:

- energy consumption

- latency

- learning experience

- the challenge of writing embedded software

- wanting certain peripherals

...

Note that despite the similar price points and form factors they serve two different purposes.

The Raspberry Pi is a full computer shrunk down and made (relatively) cheaply.

The Arduino is a cheap microcontroller made large for convenience. Things like on-board voltage regulation and USB make prototyping much easier. But these conveniences cost money and make the total cost (relatively) expensive. A professional might (keyword: might, don't come at me professional hardware designers!) use an Arduino board for creating a prototype and then design fully a custom product based on what they learned.

You wouldn't (in 2021) try to build a computer around the microcontroller in the Arduino because it's so underpowered but you might use it for a smart, cheap motion sensor with a long battery life.

I see your points and its valid. If battery life is not a problem and the project is more than blinking a light, Rpi is way to go.

BTW Arduino boards can do WAY more than blinking LEDs. I guess most of the people still call Arduino the original 8bit board but since then we developed a ton of very powerful boards capable of running machine learning and instrial tasks. In certain environments it's actually better and more reliable to use a powerful MCU instead of a Linux SBC

This comment might have been made in reference to the company name (ArduCam) and not the actual product being reviewed (a camera for the Raspberry Pi)—I don't believe this camera has any support for Arduino at all.

Ah yes, didn’t realise that.

a good point there! ;) No, it doesn't.

things generally in the same family as an arduino, such an STM32F7 based flight controller for a hobby UAV, can have features like eight UARTs and other things not found on a raspberry pi. and also in a much smaller form factor. There are some that measure 20x20mm.

https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=stm32f7...

https://oscarliang.com/f1-f3-f4-flight-controller/

for instance: http://www.mateksys.com/?portfolio=f722-se

I would recommend looking at the official Arduino Portenta, it's a dual core Cortex m7 + Cortex M4 microcontroller board with a ton of features and build to industrial standards.. It's very very powerful https://store.arduino.cc/products/portenta-h7

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