Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
Cell Phone Camera Help — Parallax Forums

Cell Phone Camera Help

NWUpgradesNWUpgrades Posts: 292
edited 2011-11-07 20:01 in General Discussion
Has anyone ever hacked (I"m pretty sure you have) a cell phone camera? I need to find out how I go about tracking down which wire connects power, data and zoom for a Nokia N73 cell phone camera. This uses a flex cable for the connections. Any help is appreciated.

Comments

  • NWUpgradesNWUpgrades Posts: 292
    edited 2011-11-07 12:10
    I found the Schematics for the phone but I have no idea what I am looking at. Page 7 shows the camera information. Basically I just need to know which wire I need to connect for power and how much power is needed. Then I need to know which wire would be video out and then which wire(s) controls zoom.
    pdf
    pdf
    Schematics_N73.pdf
    2M
  • LeonLeon Posts: 7,620
    edited 2011-11-07 12:18
    Cameras like that have digital outputs, and a considerable amount of processing is required to get images.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2011-11-07 12:56
    Per Leon, you have a long row to hoe to get any results out of one. The world is rife with $2 surplus cameras: http://www.goldmine-elec-products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G17609 I particularly fancy the statement in their description: "Fascinating item to experiment with and study." There's one born every minute!

    Tiny camera made for cell phones is only 0.3" in diameter and 0.23" thick. It has a 1.8" long flexible circuit board terminating into 20 gold plated pads. The overall width of the termination point is 10mm x 0.2mm thick (we don't have a mating connector). These came to us nested in their original trays, however we have no information on hookups, resolution, operating voltage, or any other data for these cameras so we are blowing them out "AS IS" at an extremely low price. Please no returns. Fascinating item to experiment with and study. Numbers marked on circuit board are Flex-040601, 7289123N09.

    The mere thought of using one of these makes me as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. OK, now that I met the 3-idiom minimum, I'm outta here.

    I
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2011-11-07 14:42
    Parallax's new laser range finder uses a small cell phone camera.

    I agree with other's here, this is not an easy task.

    I'd go for one of the $11 cameras at DealExtreme if I were you.

    Duane
  • NWUpgradesNWUpgrades Posts: 292
    edited 2011-11-07 17:49
    Duane, Which $11.00 item are you referring to? I currently have several board cameras, but they are still not small enough for the application I need to use them in.
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2011-11-07 20:01
    I was referring to this camera. It's $11.83 shipped.

    I think HobbyKing has one that's a bit smaller but costs $16.99 + shipping. I couldn't find the dimensions listed. It doesn't have sound.

    You can get smaller cameras but they will likely cost more.

    SuperCircuits has a bunch of small cameras. Here's a couple I thought interesting.

    Here's some threads you might find interesting.

    http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?94848-Interfacing-CMOS-camera-MT9V022

    http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?135244-Propeller-Backpack-COLOR-NTSC-Capture

    Duane
Sign In or Register to comment.