Camera module! (And a picture of JamesH)

[jamesh]

I dug through the module datasheet and can find no reference to the max FOV, although we think that its about 70 - fairly standard for a sensor of this type. The CRA we think is the internal angle from lens centre to sensor edge, so double that and then need to take in to account the lens changing the angle (that's what lenses do!), which gives about 70.

Probably.

[Paul Jurczak]

Hmm. I probably do not understand this correctly, but the only angle I see is from the Omnivision pdf file: lens chief ray angle: 24°
I hope I got that wrong as this is pretty narrow in my opinion.
I would prefer something like 120 degrees: http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/51627 ... 1080P.html

Well, I will see it when I can buy it

Chief ray angle is an optical specification of image sensor. It places some restrictions on optics geometry between sensor and the lens, in order to reduce pixel cross-talk and maintain satisfactory sensitivity. It doesn't directly concern the front side view angle, so you can use arbitrarily wide angle lens with this sensor.

Bear in mind that Raspberry Pi camera seems to be using an integrated lens module, so we may be stuck with its parameters. On the other hand, someone will attempt (count me in), to remove integrated lens and try to use standard lens mount (M12, C/CS).

[Ravenous]

Chief ray angle is an optical specification of image sensor. It places some restrictions on optics geometry between sensor and the lens, in order to reduce pixel cross-talk and maintain satisfactory sensitivity.

Ah, so the maximum angle at which light should reach the actual sensor? Thanks, very interesting...

[beatmag]

I'm a beginner with cameras and linux.
But I wanted to ask, I understand that you guys a developing the software for the camera module now. Will this software component expose the camera as a linux camera device...

ie through, v4l or other camera interfaces which linux programs currently interface with usb cameras.
or if otherwise how does one interact or interface with this camera module?

[jamesh]

I'm a beginner with cameras and linux.
But I wanted to ask, I understand that you guys a developing the software for the camera module now. Will this software component expose the camera as a linux camera device...

ie through, v4l or other camera interfaces which linux programs currently interface with usb cameras.
or if otherwise how does one interact or interface with this camera module?

At the moment we are using OpenMAX (a Khronos standard) and a wrapper for OpenMAX called MMAL, which is a Broadcom library. MMAL is MUCH easier to use.

However, I do expect that in time V4L API's (and perhaps others) will becomes available, but perhaps not at the outset. This is certainly something the community could become involved in, as it requires no knowledge of the GPU - its all Arm side libraries.

[mala]

Have any test still images at the max size (2592x1944 presuming its the OV5647 sensor) been posted anywhere?
I've seen various video clips and video stills but for my application i'm interested in getting max res stills out of the PI+cam module at high frame rate,up to 15fps is possible?

Also am I correct in thinking that exposure can be set and left, not just constantly changing auto-exposure?
Apologies in advance if I missed this info somewhere else.

[Ravenous]

The data sheet linked to on another thread (and mentioned in this one) states that resolution & rate are possible. (This doesn't necessarily mean it'll be supported on the raspi of course.)

Dunno about your other question so hopefully somebody else will comment if they know.

[jamesh]

Have any test still images at the max size (2592x1944 presuming its the OV5647 sensor) been posted anywhere?
I've seen various video clips and video stills but for my application i'm interested in getting max res stills out of the PI+cam module at high frame rate,up to 15fps is possible?

Also am I correct in thinking that exposure can be set and left, not just constantly changing auto-exposure?
Apologies in advance if I missed this info somewhere else.

The GPU cannot support full resolution at 15fps. That's simply too much data to throw around the system. I'd need to chat to some people to get the max rate, but maybe max of 5fps at full resolution, probably less. In fact another problem you woudl encounter is SD card write rate - it's unlikely an SD card could keep up at those sorts of rates.

[mala]

Thanks for the info james.

What i was hoping to do was to trigger the cam to take 10-15 still images in a second,then it would idle until triggered again so not a continual full res "feed".
Could the stills be buffered in anyway before writing to Sd card ?

Would be very interested to find out what the max fps for full res stills would be if you can find out please.....also would be great if you could post a full res still capture using the cam of someones face or an object close to the cam, something to aid judging the possible quality of the stills

[jamesh]

I'll hopefully be able to find this stuff out on Monday. Maybe even get some images.

[mala]

Thanks,that would be great.

[Maxion]

I'll hopefully be able to find this stuff out on Monday. Maybe even get some images.

I'd also be highly interested in some sample images. Preferably outdoor scenes (IE scenes with a long distance-to-subject). I'm planning on using the Pi + camera module to make a remote, battery backup'ed, weatherproof timelapse / monitor solution. The camera module you're designing looks very attractive for this as it seems to have adequate image quality, comes in a VERY tight package and since it's just a board it's easy to make a custom case for it.

[jamesh]

I'll hopefully be able to find this stuff out on Monday. Maybe even get some images.

I'd also be highly interested in some sample images. Preferably outdoor scenes (IE scenes with a long distance-to-subject). I'm planning on using the Pi + camera module to make a remote, battery backup'ed, weatherproof timelapse / monitor solution. The camera module you're designing looks very attractive for this as it seems to have adequate image quality, comes in a VERY tight package and since it's just a board it's easy to make a custom case for it.

If I can find a Pi with camera module (might take longer than Monday!), I'll probably only be able to do shots in the ISP lab, so low light (compared with bright daylight - not that there is going to be much of that around anyway). But they should be pretty indicative.

[Gert van Loo]

James, there is a camera module on my desk.
(Untested).

[pygmy_giant]

I think it would be uber-cool if the camera could work with this software: http://eyewriter.org/developer/

[jamesh]

James, there is a camera module on my desk.
(Untested).

Cheers!

[6677]

In before james breaks the pi with camera on gert's desk.

[jbeale]

Feel free to print out some of the resolution test patterns I have on my web page, if that helps! If you have a portable desk lamp to get more light on the subject, it will probably improve the camera image over relying just on typical office overhead fluorescent lights.
http://www.bealecorner.org/red/test-patterns/

[Maxion]

I'm most interested in the focus on the camera.

Is it autofocus? If not what is the focus set at?

[jamesh]

Feel free to print out some of the resolution test patterns I have on my web page, if that helps! If you have a portable desk lamp to get more light on the subject, it will probably improve the camera image over relying just on typical office overhead fluorescent lights.
http://www.bealecorner.org/red/test-patterns/

I have a fully equipped camera test lab to play with so should be OK!!!

[jamesh]

I'm most interested in the focus on the camera.

Is it autofocus? If not what is the focus set at?

Hyperfocal I believe.

[mala]

In my little noob brain,there is one thing I can't get my head round..

The first example pics and "talk" at the start of this thread were about a 14MP camera.

From what I've read in reaction to people asking if camera x,y,z could be used with the PI,we are told that it takes a great deal of time tuning the GPU to work with the camera and therefore the PI will only work with the official supplied camera.

The released camera is going to be a 5MP cam....so what happened to all the "tuning" for the 14MP cam you originally were testing?

This "tuning" is all in the GPU ? which we can't mess with ? Yet presumably this tuning has to be somehow delivered to the GPU by some kind of update ?
So couldn't we get the tuning for the 14MP cam as well?

Feel free to shoot me down in flames..and explain in very very simple words what i've not understood.

[jamesh]

In my little noob brain,there is one thing I can't get my head round..

The first example pics and "talk" at the start of this thread were about a 14MP camera.

From what I've read in reaction to people asking if camera x,y,z could be used with the PI,we are told that it takes a great deal of time tuning the GPU to work with the camera and therefore the PI will only work with the official supplied camera.

The released camera is going to be a 5MP cam....so what happened to all the "tuning" for the 14MP cam you originally were testing?

This "tuning" is all in the GPU ? which we can't mess with ? Yet presumably this tuning has to be somehow delivered to the GPU by some kind of update ?
So couldn't we get the tuning for the 14MP cam as well?

Feel free to shoot me down in flames..and explain in very very simple words what i've not understood.

We have a number of camera that already have drivers and tunings. The 5MP one is one of those, although the tuning isn't as good as it could be, it's pretty good.

Tuning is part of the GPU blob, so when you get the camera board you will need to update the blob, and it will all just work. The blob could contain drivers and tuning for a number of different cameras, depending on what the Foundation is allowed to release, but each camera board (pcb) needs to be different for each camera, so i guess if someone wanted to build their own camera PCB, and that camera was already supported, then it could work. The GPU can auto detect the camera and use the appropriate code. However, I do not know if more than one camera driver will be put in the blob, that's down to the agreement between Broadcom and the Foundation.

[mala]

Thanks James,all understood.
Good to know the door isn't totally closed to using other cams..with luck.

Do you have any stills with 5mp cam to show yet?

[jamesh]

Thanks James,all understood.
Good to know the door isn't totally closed to using other cams..with luck.

Do you have any stills with 5mp cam to show yet?

No stills yet - I was out of office yesterday, but I now have the camera module, just need the software. Will hopefully sort that out tonight, but rather busy at the moment.