Raspberry Pi releases camera module with interchangeable lenses

Raspberry Pi presents a new camera module for its development boards. The High Quality Camera has a 1/2.3″ Sony IMX477 sensor and works with c-mount interchangeable lenses. The module costs $50.

The Sony sensor used is of the bsi-cmos type and has a 12-megapixel resolution. The pixels have dimensions of 1.55×1.55 microns. The diagonal of the sensor is 7.9mm. Users can connect the module to a Raspberry Pi with the included 200mm ribbon cable. This works on all variants of the development boards that have a camera connector. Almost all boards have that, only some old versions of the Pi Zero don’t.

The module has a c-mount, which is also used for security cameras. Raspberry Pi wants to offer two lenses through resellers, with focal lengths of 6mm and 16mm. That is roughly equivalent to 33mm and 88mm on a full-frame camera. With adapters it is also possible to mount lenses with a different mount on the module.

Raspberry Pi is releasing the new camera module alongside the existing cheaper variant. The old camera module has a 1/4″ Sony IMX219 sensor and a built-in lens. The new model costs $50, the 6mm and 16mm lenses are priced at $15 and $50.