How to use the Raspberry Pi camera module with the Raspberry Pi board

Hello and welcome back. In this tutorial, we will learn how to use the Raspberry Pi camera module with the Raspberry Pi board. For that, I used the Raspberry Pi 2 B board, but you can follow the same steps with other boards. If you’re using the Pi Zero board, just make sure to use the adapter cable.

Raspberry Pi Camera module

There are various Raspberry Pi camera modules available in the market, such as version 1, version 2, version 3, HQ camera, and Global shutter camera. Each of these has distinct features and uses different technology. The versions 1, 2, and 3 cameras are the most common in the market. Now, let’s take a closer look at the specifications of each camera one by one.

Camera Module v1

Size: Around 25 × 24 × 9 mm

Year: 2013
Megapixels: 5 Megapixels
Video modes: 1080p30, 720p60 and 640 × 480p60/90

Sensor: OmniVision OV5647
Sensor resolution: 2592 × 1944 pixels
Sensor image area: 3.76 × 2.74 mm

Camera Module v2

Size: Around 25 × 24 × 9 mm
Year: 2016
Megapixels: 8 Megapixels

Video modes: 1080p47, 1640 × 1232p41 and 640 × 480p206
Sensor: Sony IMX219
Sensor resolution: 3280 × 2464 pixels

Sensor image area: 3.68 x 2.76 mm (4.6 mm diagonal)

Camera Module v3

Size: Around 25 × 24 × 11.5 mm
Year: 2023

Megapixels: 11.9 Megapixels
Video modes: 2304 × 1296p56, 2304 × 1296p30 HDR, 1536 × 864p120
Sensor: Sony IMX708

Sensor resolution: 4608 x 2592 pixels
Sensor image area: 6.45 x 3.63mm (7.4mm diagonal)

HQ Camera

Size: 38 x 38 x 18.4mm (excluding lens)

Megapixels: 12.3 Megapixels
Video modes: 2028 × 1080p50, 2028 × 1520p40 and 1332 × 990p120
Sensor: Sony IMX477

Sensor resolution: 4056 x 3040 pixels
Sensor image area: 6.287mm x 4.712 mm (7.9mm diagonal)

GS Camera

Size: 38 x 38 x 19.8mm (29.5mm with adaptor and dust cap)

Megapixels: 1.58 Megapixels
Video modes: 1456 x 1088p60
Sensor: Sony IMX296

Sensor resolution: 1456 x 1088 pixels
Sensor image area: 6.3mm diagonal

If you want more info about these cameras, please visit the Raspberry Pi official website.

Specifications of this camera module

Dimensions — 20 x 25 x 10mm
Resolution — 5 megapixels
Standscape resolution — 2592 x 1944

Lens — 1/4″
Image sensor — Omnivision 5647 CMOS image sensor
Maximum image transmission rate — 1080p: 30FPS (coding and decoding) / 720p / 60FPS

Connection to the Raspberry Pi — 15-pin flat tape cable, to the dedicated 15-pin Mipi / serial camera interface (CSI-2)
Temperature range — Operating range: -30 ° C to +70 ° C / stable picture: 0 ° C to 50 ° C

OK, let’s do it step by step. The required components are given below.

Raspberry Pi 2 Model B board — Amazon
Raspberry camera with ribbon cable — Amazon

Step 1

Firstly, identify these components.

Step 2

Secondly, connect the Ribbon cable to the camera module and Raspberry Pi board. For that, pull up the plastic clip and insert the Ribbon cable. Then, push the plastic clips.

Step 3

Thirdly, insert the SD card(OS installed). Then, connect the mouse, keyboard, and monitor.

Step 4

Now, connect the 5VDC power supply to the Raspberry Pi board. And then, power on your Raspberry Pi computer.

Step 5

Next, enable the camera module. For that, open the terminal and run the command below.

sudo raspi-config
Then, go to the interface options and enable the Camera option.

Step 6

Now, open the following Python script using your favorite IDE. I used Thonny IDE.

Python script — Download

from picamera import PiCamera, Color
from time import sleep


camera = PiCamera()
camera.rotation = 180

times = True

def onePhoto():
    camera.start_preview()
    sleep(4)
    camera.capture('/home/srituhobby/Desktop/image.jpg')#change location
    camera.stop_preview()
    
def multiPhoto():
    camera.start_preview()
    for i in range(3):
        sleep(4)
        camera.capture('/home/srituhobby/Desktop/images%s.jpg'% i)#change location
    camera.stop_preview()

def video():
    camera.start_preview()
    camera.start_recording('/home/srituhobby/Desktop/video.h264')#change location
    sleep(6)
    camera.stop_recording()
    camera.stop_preview()
    
def modifyPhoto():
    camera.resolution = (800,800) #Max = 2592,1944 / Min = 64,64
    camera.framerate = 15
    camera.start_preview()
    camera.image_effect = 'oilpaint' #none,negative,solarize,sketch,denoise,emboss,oilpaint,hatch,gpen,pastel,watercolor ...
    camera.exposure_mode = 'snow' # off,auto,night, nightpreview, backlight, spotlight, sports, snow , beach , verylong ...
    camera.awb_mode = 'shade' # off, auto , sunlight , cloudy,shade,tungsten,fluorescent,incandescent,flash,horizon
    camera.brightness = 80 # 0 - 100
    camera.contrast = 50 # 0 - 100
    camera.annotate_background = Color('red')
    camera.annotate_foreground = Color('white')
    camera.annotate_text = "SriTu Hobby"
    camera.annotate_text_size = 50
    sleep(4)
    camera.capture('/home/srituhobby/Desktop/imagems.jpg')#change location
    camera.stop_preview()

    
    
while times:   
#    onePhoto()
#    multiPhoto()
#    video()
#    modifyPhoto()
    times = False