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Camera module options? — Parallax Forums

Camera module options?

InteractInteract Posts: 79
edited 2008-12-15 13:06 in General Discussion
I'm trying to find a starting point·on a project for my brother.·I need a camera module to take a picture twice a day for a year, and store it on a SD card. It will be remotely located in the wilds of Alaska, so low power is a consideration.·Sort of a picture data logger. Not talking high resolution. The CMUcam3 seems like·it would work, but it is a bit of overkill.·I just cant seem to find·a camera module that will output a picture file. Plenty of video out units. Anyone run across something like this?


Post Edited (Interact) : 12/14/2008 12:31:47 AM GMT

Comments

  • UghaUgha Posts: 543
    edited 2008-12-14 01:38
    I'd take a cheap digital camera (I have a keychain camera that's halfway decent that cost $10) and hack it with a relay
    so it'd go off whenever you want.
  • SRLMSRLM Posts: 5,045
    edited 2008-12-14 06:16
    I think you're going to have to be very careful about your camera choice. Most consumer cameras aren't rated to work at really cold temperatures (like in an Alaskan Winter), so you'll probably have to find something that can go at least as cold as your microcontroller can (with storage temperatures even lower so that you don't lose pictures in a power failure). The Propeller is rated to military specs. You may be able to get by with just an isolated enclosure, but I don't know much on that. If you need a heat source, then you'll need more power, and I doubt that you could keep a box warm over an entire season with no recharge. Bottom line is that you'll probably want to get components (including camera) that can get really cold and still work. There are threads in these forums that talk about making cold resistant devices.
  • InteractInteract Posts: 79
    edited 2008-12-15 02:14
    The camera doesn't have to take pictures much below freezing because it is taking a photo log of water. Once that water is frozen, no need for photos. Just need to keep the clock accurate through the cold times, and camera dry. Power is recharged through solar, it just nice to keep things as low a power as possible. Anyway all that is pretty set as he is used to dealing with remote sensing weather problems.
    I guess I was hoping for something like the μOLED-128-G1 only with a camera instead of a display. Hacking a camera would work, I guess, but it would be nice to have a bit more control over the camera than just on/off and take picture. I think he may want to average 10 rapid pictures and store the average. (for example) That could be done after the device is retrieved, but memory becomes a factor after a while. I guess I can go through the trouble of starting from scratch. Just seems like every time I do that someone says " why didn't you just use one of these already done little Jobie's". Smack self on head.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 7,620
    edited 2008-12-15 02:59
    I'm interfacing the C3038 camera to an XMOS XC-1 kit. It's quite easy to use.

    Leon

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
    Suzuki SV1000S motorcycle
  • T ChapT Chap Posts: 4,223
    edited 2008-12-15 03:24
    Leon said...
    I'm interfacing the C3038 camera to an XMOS XC-1 kit. It's quite easy to use.

    Leon

    Is there existing code for that chip to grab an image from the camera and output it as a file?
  • Harrison.Harrison. Posts: 484
    edited 2008-12-15 04:12
    A 'good' choice for embedded imaging is the C328. The C328 is a color 640x480 serial camera with an onboard JPEG engine.

    Rayman documented his work with the camera on his website: www.rayslogic.com/propeller/Programming/Cameras/cameras.htm. The camera is a bit weird once it goes to sleep. I think it's best if you control its power externally and turn it on 5 seconds before you need a snapshot. Otherwise it'll act bad and stop responding to commands after maybe a minute of no activity.
  • InteractInteract Posts: 79
    edited 2008-12-15 04:48
    Yes, now were talking. Thanks for the lead! That looks good, and has led me to the 'C628 Enhanced JPEG Module' which is basically a digital camera module that can be controlled serially. Pictures are stored on sd card, so no file naming work etc. This could even work with a basic stamp. Serial commands for power-up, power-down, take picture etc. Too late in the day to investigate further but so far this thing would be the least amount of work to get running.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 7,620
    edited 2008-12-15 13:06
    TChapman said...
    Leon said...
    I'm interfacing the C3038 camera to an XMOS XC-1 kit. It's quite easy to use.

    Leon

    Is there existing code for that chip to grab an image from the camera and output it as a file?

    www.robozes.com/inaki/dproject/report.pdf

    His code is here: www.robozes.com/inaki/dproject/code.zip

    Leon

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
    Suzuki SV1000S motorcycle

    Post Edited (Leon) : 12/15/2008 1:11:37 PM GMT
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