found a cheap USB camera good in low light - Raspberry Pi Forums


it's known in circles, don't know: ps3 eye made sony ps3 (playstation) works normal usb camera (and 4-channel microphone!) raspberry pi. no separate driver installs needed.

bad news: camera 640x480 pixels. runs @ frame rates 15 fps 60 fps, or 320x240 120 fps.

good news: more sensitive light official rpi camera (either new or old version). more remarkable: costs $5 amazon. has close-out price; might expect pay heavy-duty 6 foot usb cable fixed it. has convenient built-in foot allowing tilt , down maybe 30 degrees. lens has ir filter solidly attached internally, took whole lens mount apart , replaced lens m12 mount type , works near-ir (850 nm) illumination well.

sensor omnivision ov7725 same physical 1/4-inch format rpi camera, 640x480 pixels, each pixel relatively big 6um x 6um in size. allows large increase in light sensitivity. can give usable image when stand in front of in dark room illuminated tv screen, apparently design goal.

@ vga resolution image never pretty, rpi camera can be, , in lowest-light mode (15 fps) quite few hot pixels visible in dark. however, can work in lighting conditions 5 or 8 mpixel sensors give no image @ @ 15 fps. ok, rpi camera can time-lapse in dim light 1 second exposures, frame rate not useful security camera.

note: there payware windows driver haven't tried may allow 10 second exposures, @ least people trying astrophotography mention this. afaik limit linux v4l2 driver 15 fps.

ps eye 3 cam, lovely things if them cheap.
got lots of them, bag of 5 $10, $3, have paid $6.

can confirm work well, been using them security running motionpie 24/7 2yrs.
thermal noise better in ones mounted outside in cooler night air.
though pics bad , noisy, can still see stuff v1 , v2 cannot.

windows driver not fun plug in , work in linux, cheese , fswebcam etc recognize eye 3,. linux kernel knows eye3, most/all raspberry oses should too.
jessie, jessie lite, picore, motioneyeos do.

had lens shattered remove ir filter, there web pages 2 versions of lens.
hoping use eye3 lens on v2 lens mount 18mm, rpi cams 22mm?
lens glued mount, attempted removal destruction:(

4 microphones useful sound activated security.
possible use phase comparison set levels different directions.
if can figure out simple code trigger video capture on sound levels?
on long list.


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