RE: Pi Global Shutter Camera: What's Inside the Box?

shabaz — Sat, 18 Mar 2023 16:49:08 GMT

FIrst attempt, decided to use this adapter for (ancient) Nikon F-mount lenses, which are fairly low-cost on ebay. This adapter was £10 from ebay but there are new ones for about £20.

Here's the setup with a random cheap lens from ebay:

Notes/Issues/Hurdles:

1. I strongly recommend getting a long flat flex cable such as the one in the photo. The default one is way too short to be experimenting with

2. Changing out the flat flex is a bit annoying, It is impossible to grip the connector because the plastic cover on the rear of the camera blocks this. So, one has to use a flat screwdriver instead. The other option is to unscrew the cover, but there's no chance I was going to do that and risk dirt on the sensor on the other side. I can see people breaking the flat flex connector! The easiest way was to lever the screwdriver in the centre of the connector, rather than the ends, but lots of care is needed either way.

3. Even with the latest Pi OS image, I definitely needed to do apt update followed by apt full-upgrade for the camera to be detected by the libcamera-hello app that is part of the image. I'm using a Pi 3A+ board.

4. If you install a TFT display, the camera may cease to be detected. The solution was to insert this line in the /boot/config.txt file, if a search for the text camera reveals nothing:

camera_auto_detect=1

5. It seems impossible (currently) to get the libcamera-hello app to work with the TFT display (I'm using a Waveshare display. I wanted to use it to preview the camera). The reason is, that this error occurs:

[embed:dc8ab71f-3b98-42d9-b0f6-e21e02a0f8e2:86cc9d1e-fe90-4795-ade7-f556e656a0fd:type=text&text=pi%20%40%20pi3aplus%3A~%24%20DISPLAY%3D%3A0%20libcamera-hello%0AlibEGL%20warning%3A%20DRI2%3A%20failed%20to%20authenticate%0AMade%20X%2FEGL%20preview%20window%0A%5B1%3A11%3A19.021351161%5D%20%5B1428%5D%20INFO%20Camera%20camera_manager.cpp%3A299%20libcamera%20v0.0.4%2B22-923f5d70%0A%5B1%3A11%3A19.130421036%5D%20%5B1441%5D%20INFO%20RPI%20raspberrypi.cpp%3A1476%20Registered%20camera%20%2Fbase%2Fsoc%2Fi2c0mux%2Fi2c%401%2Fimx296%401a%20to%20Unicam%20device%20%2Fdev%2Fmedia3%20and%20ISP%20device%20%2Fdev%2Fmedia0%0A%5B1%3A11%3A19.131610871%5D%20%5B1428%5D%20INFO%20Camera%20camera.cpp%3A1028%20configuring%20streams%3A%20%280%29%20728x544-YUV420%0A%5B1%3A11%3A19.131994306%5D%20%5B1441%5D%20INFO%20RPI%20raspberrypi.cpp%3A851%20Sensor%3A%20%2Fbase%2Fsoc%2Fi2c0mux%2Fi2c%401%2Fimx296%401a%20-%20Selected%20sensor%20format%3A%201456x1088-SBGGR10_1X10%20-%20Selected%20unicam%20format%3A%201456x1088-pBAA%0Aterminate%20called%20after%20throwing%20an%20instance%20of%20%27std%3A%3Aruntime_error%27%0Awhat%28%29%3A%20failed%20to%20import%20fd%2019%0AAborted%0Api%20%40%20pi3aplus%3A~%24%0A]

According to Google, the solution is supposed to be to enable Glamor and to enable GL Driver using the raspi-config app, however that approach doesn't work with the SPI TFT I'm using. Enabling the GL Driver prevents the Waveshare display from showing the desktop.

Anyway it is a libcamera-hello issue, because I can launch other graphical applications and they work, e.g. xeyes.

As a result, I'd strongly recommend saving the headache and using a HDMI-attached display if possible.

RE: Pi Global Shutter Camera: What's Inside the Box?

genebren — Sun, 12 Mar 2023 16:34:45 GMT

Very interesting blog. I would really like to get a bit more involved in image processing and this looks like a great front end.

RE: Pi Global Shutter Camera: What's Inside the Box?

baldengineer — Sun, 12 Mar 2023 16:06:47 GMT

Unlike the older non-global-shutter camera, this new camera uses a sensor intended for machine vision use. The older product used a sensor intended for consumer cameras.

What makes a camera/sensor more suited for machine vision versus consumer usage?

RE: Pi Global Shutter Camera: What's Inside the Box?

beacon_dave — Sat, 11 Mar 2023 19:51:00 GMT

"If anyone has a sensible enclosure recommendation, please share it!"

I'd probably do something like this but replace the GoPro style mount with a cut-out for the existing tripod mount:

https://cdn.thingiverse.com/assets/0d/fd/f8/ee/5e/featured_preview_screw-01.jpg

RE: Pi Global Shutter Camera: What's Inside the Box?

Jan Cumps — Sat, 11 Mar 2023 19:07:04 GMT

It looks like it's intended to be mounted via the tripod mount at all times, and that the 4 PCB mounting holes can be used to attach additional electronics or cable management?