A new camera module is released today with a 12.3-megapixel lens. The camera, which retails for $50 (yes, yes, dollars?! etc etc – it’s where the parts come from that determines the price, same as the Pi) comes with support for C and CS lenses and uses a Sony IMX477 sensor to produce crystal-clear images. Approved resellers will be selling compatible lenses: a 6 mm CS‑mount lens at $25, and a very shiny 16 mm C-mount lens priced at $50.
Buying the camera is easy enough – just use one of the Approved Resellers like Pimoroni or The Pi Hut then pick up a lens or two from them as well (The Pi Hut here and Pimoroni here).
I had a play with the camera a couple of months ago – it’s a really lovely piece of kit. It’s even got a tripod screw mount on the bottom to give you stability, which you’ll need to really take advantage of larger lenses.
Also out today is a new Camera Guide from Raspberry Pi Press which is available for £10 (or you can grab a PDF for free) covering both the new and existing camera modules and how to use them most effectively.
You can see a launch video for the camera itself below:
Surely the megapixels come from the sensor rather than the lens? Looks a great bit of kit.
Maybe good camera, but the lenses seem to let the quality down. Seen teh photos made by biglesp and yours. Washed out, blurry. Definitely not HQ in my book, my simple Canon Powershots in the same price range do much better, and I wont even mention my Canon DSLRs. Hope to see some real review shots with a C to Canon EF quality lens to judge the quality of the camera itself.
Thanks for the info. I bought the new Camer, lens and trpod.
But “$50 (yes, yes, dollars?! etc etc – it’s where the parts come from that determines the price, same as the Pi)”. Why could this not be produced in the UK or EU?.
They are produced in the UK… BUT a lot of the parts come from USA, China etc which trade in Dollars.
Yes, but the UK trades in Pounds…..sorry to harp on about this, but I am very concerned about the Americanisation of the UK and the over dependence on America.
When my Camera , Lens and Tripod arrive I’ll test it and let you know.
I happen to agree, but what can ya do?!