in brief: Raspberry Pi has launched a brand new vary of autofocus digicam fashions for its well-liked single-board pc. The Raspberry Pi Camera Module 3 is accessible in 4 totally different variants: seen and infrared delicate, customary or large area of view (FoV). All of those use Sony’s back-illuminated IMX708 sensor and produce 12-megapixel pictures (4,608 x 2,592 decision and 1.40μm pixels).
The authentic digicam module launched in 2013 as the primary official Raspberry Pi accent, with a NoIR infrared-sensitive mannequin later that yr. Built round Sony’s 8-megapixel IMX219, Camera Module 2 was launched in 2016 and has been serving the neighborhood ever since. To date, Camera Module 2 has bought over 2 million items.
The customary FoV digicam gives a 66-degree area of view, whereas the large FoV has a 102-degree area of view.
The digicam module has a motorized autofocus that may deal with objects from round 5 cm to infinity. It primarily depends on section detection autofocus, however falls again to the Pi’s distinction detection algorithm if excessive confidence section detection autofocus outcomes can’t be obtained. All earlier Raspberry Pi cameras have mounted focus optics and a set of static lenses optimized to focus at infinity.
As Raspberry Pi founder Ebon Upton factors out, section detection permits the autofocus algorithm to run repeatedly whereas video is being captured to take care of focus as targets and/or shooters transfer within the scene.
The new digicam module additionally helps excessive dynamic vary imaging, which entails taking pictures with totally different publicity occasions concurrently and mixing them right into a single picture that accurately exposes vivid and darkish areas. The ensuing picture is one-fourth the decision of non-HDR footage, Upton mentioned, however in some circumstances the sacrifice is price it.
The Raspberry Pi was capable of keep on with the $25 value level for the usual FoV variant; the large FoV mannequin has a extra advanced and costly optical stack, so it is $35.
The Raspberry Pi Camera Module 3 is accessible now from a number of authorized resellers.
