I test two new Raspberry Pi Camera Module 3 cameras so you can decide which one is the right one for your next project.
Raspberry Pi launched new camera modules (v3) on January 2023. These modules were a long-awaited update to the v2 cameras that had been launched almost 7 years ago and were showing their age, especially since none of the Pi cameras had auto-focus.
This is also the first time that they included a version with a wide-angle lens. The “standard” cameras have a lens with a 75 field of view, which translates to a 28mm lens in the full frame/film world. The wide-angle camera module has a lens with a 120-degree field of view. 120 degrees! That’s the same as a 12mm lens in the full frame/film world.
But is it all just marketing? Are they any better than the older versions? Let’s find out.
Full specs on the product page.
Sensor: Sony IMX708
Resolution: 11.9 megapixels
Focus Range: 10cm-∞
Focal Length: 4.74
Diagonal Field of View: 75 degrees
Horizontal Field of View: 66 degrees
Vertical Field of View: 41 degrees
Focus Range: 5cm-∞
Focal Length: 2.75
Diagonal Field of View: 120 degrees
Horizontal Field of View: 102 degrees
Vertical Field of View: 67 degrees
I went out in the real world (read “workshop” and “backyard”) to take some comparison shots. These pictures were taken side-by-side from the exact same spot, each camera module is just a few millimeters away from each other using the 3D-printed rig below. All pictures used the default autofocus and I let the algorithm decide what should be in focus. I triggered the cameras with a script from a remote computer, capturing the images in both JPEG and RAW/DNG. The images you see below are DNG files with minor edits in Adobe Camera Raw and exported to JPEG.
First, my workbench. How did it get so messy? Let’s not focus on that right now, instead, let’s look at the differences. Speaking of focusing, I noticed the algorithm prioritizes what’s in the foreground. My guess is that it starts to sweep from near to far and just calls it good once something in the foreground is in focus.
The edge of the workbench is 1.5 meter (5 feet) from the cameras. The difference in field of view is eye-opening. Notice that the stool is not in the frame in the standard shot. As mentioned, both cameras prioritized whatever was closer to them to set their focus. The standard camera (left) focused on the front edge of the workbench and the wide angle (right) focused on the stool/edge of the workbench.
Is it even possible to have a camera comparison without a selfie? I know this is not a proper selfie but I’m not a proper camera tester either, so this is what you get. Interestingly, I’m in the foreground and both cameras focused on me – a win in this scenario. And holy cow, this was a good hair day? Did I forget to remove my bike helmet? Let’s move on.
I’m sure a lot of you are thinking: “Dude, show me that 3D printer back there in the comparison photos”. Well, here you go. I’m not picking sides but let’s just say the wide angle is the clear winner when it comes to monitoring 3D printers. The cameras were about 15cm (6 inches) away from the printer. The wide camera module is a true space saver here. You can probably monitor two 3D printers with one wide-angle camera.
Let’s go upstairs and see what my lovely cat is up to. Well, surprise, surprise, she’s asleep. Here’s where things started to get a little interesting with auto-focus.
Most of the meat and potatoes of the living room images are in the middle ground, but remember, the cameras have a tendency to focus on the foreground. By the way, this tendency can be changed in software/script, but I choose to leave it alone to see the results au naturale.
The standard camera got it mostly right since the first thing in the frame is the bassinet. But the wide camera got it mostly wrong. It focused on the floor in the foreground making most of the image seem out of focus.
The cat was telling me to stop bothering her and go play outside. She rules the house, so I complied.
Here is a shot of the last patch of snow in my backyard. It’s January in Wisconsin so there’s definitely something wrong with all this green in the photo. I don’t want to make this repetitive but just want to point out that the focus in both images is in the foreground. The cameras were a Gorillapod-height from the ground.
Here’s another shot. This time, the cameras were a-table-and-a-Gorrilapod from the ground.
Tough to pick a winner here and choosing the right camera will really depend on what you need. For security monitoring, you definitely want to go with the wide camera to capture as much of the scene as possible. As an animal/bird cam, the standard camera might have an advantage if you know where the animal will be in the frame (think hole in the fence or bird feeder scenarios) but I can see the wide camera being useful in certain situations also. I’ll let you decide who the winner is on this one.
Go with the v3! There, I said it. Don’t even think about the v2 module. Changing focus on the v2 is cumbersome and sometimes impossible in certain projects. For instance, if the camera is in a sealed enclosure, there is no way to change the focus on the v2 without having to open the enclosure. The v3 cameras not only have auto-focus but also have the ability to set the focus distance remotely through commands or in a script. Aside from auto and remote focus, you also get better image quality with the v3 cameras. So, again, go with the v3.
The auto-focus is clutch! I also have the second iteration of the camera module (you might have spotted it in the 3D printer shots) and changing the focus on it is a real pain. A lot of time I just leave the focus alone on my v2 if it is not critical for operation. For example, when monitoring my 3D printer, I don’t even bother to adjust the focus.
The auto-focus on the v3 is not perfect, though. Like already mentioned, it seems to sweep from near to far and just locks onto the first it finds in focus closest to the camera. It will take some experimenting with the auto-focus options on the v3 modules to make sure they lock on the main subject. I’ll certainly do more testing and report back in a future article.
Image quality seems comparable with other small sensor cameras out there. I can’t say the quality is awesome, but it is good enough for a project camera.
The minimal focusing distance of just 10cm on the standard camera and a mere 5cm on the wide camera is impressive. This means you can stick these cameras in tight spots without having to worry too much about blurry images.
I’m thoroughly enjoying these new cameras and will definitely publish more articles as I include them in future projects.
What would you like to see tested? Is there a comparison shot you would like to see? Let me know in the comments below.
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