Perfect camera for Pyra/Pandora?


Looks like it could be a missing/bad IR filter.
CCD sensors also record parts of the near IR spectrum on the red channel. This creates unusually red images. To counter this, cameras have IR filters that block the frequencies the human eye can't see. Some people remove these filters intentionally for various reasons (see: "full spectrum camera").

Which can be entertaining with an IR light source - cheap night vision.
 
Short of dimensional folding - can you describe how you're going to physically fit that into the Pyra? You said it would go in the lid - but to my understanding, the lid is already full. Is the plan to build a hump, side car or other special case piece?

Can you provide actual measurements of the device? I would like to know the board dimensions & thickness, lens diameter and length from the board if convenient.

Measurement in mm

PCB:
30x25x1
(add about 1mm to thickness because of the parts soldered onto it)

Lense:
9x9x5

Overall:
30x25x6,5-7

How to put it into the Pyra:

The LCD-PCB has a hole that is more than 30x25mm. There the Camera PCB will go in.
I do not have a Pyra here to measure how hick the LCD-PCB is. But as there are the LEDs and LCD-Connectors on it I suppose it's at least as thick as the Camera PCB. I don't worry about the thickness. I still can cut the Plastic a little if it's needed.

Then I'll make a hole in the housing where the lens will come out.
The Pandora Plastic is about 2-3mm thick so I suppose the lens will stand out a little.
That is not a problem as I have a defective HTC DesireZ. I'll take the camera protective glass and put it around the lens.

What will be harder then fitting the Camera inside the lid will be to fit all the wires and the USB-Hub inside the Pyra and get the Wires through the hinge without damaging the LCD-Cable.
I wanted to avoid the procedure of disconnecting the USB-Port from the PCB and build a hub in between.
But it seems as it's unavoidable as cutting only the power wires isn't enough to make the USB-Port usable when soldered directly.

Any tiny USB 2.0 hub PCB with one input and 2 output is welcome.
 
Can the power to the USB port be cut when not in use? I like the nano-hub, but would be worried about power drain.
 
Can the power to the USB port be cut when not in use? I like the nano-hub, but would be worried about power drain.
You could make two scripts and make them executable. One to turn off your specific port and one to turn it back on. Then make them executable and create some icons in your gui. Or put a hardware toggle or push on/off switch in line.

https://github.com/codazoda/hub-ctrl.c

This may work.


And here is a possible hardware solution.

https://www.adafruit.com/products/1...c7QxYJ748bizM8Pqc7ceB0eiGtJ2r_8mSBRoCklLw_wcB
 
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The Pandora kernel has been tuned to turn off the 5V lines if all things that use it have been disabled. It was all done by Notaz in his idle tuning experiments which IIRC went into the last version of SZ (or possibly the one before, I forget). I guess if you've got a USB hub sitting on the USB lanes, the system might want to keep power to that, so it might need tweaking though.
 
Modding in a Pelican camera would definitely be a strong selling point. I think that not building in a camera is a great decision but, unfortunately, I have gotten used to having a camera and flashlight with me 24/7. Not for selfies but for scanning documents and photo-documenting my work. If it's not possible to mod in a nice camera and flash light, I probably won't be able to totally replace my current phone.

If it could be modded in anywhere, the back of the lid is probably the best place but putting it onto the bottom might also be worth considering. This would be more convenient for scanning documents or some Q.R. codes, and the display should still be usable as a view-finder if it unfolds to 180 degrees. In either case, the camera should be set into the chassis to protect it from scratches and impact. Maybe it could even have a replaceable lens cover to shield it? Just my two cents.
 
If it could be modded in anywhere, the back of the lid is probably the best place but putting it onto the bottom might also be worth considering.
The lid itself doesn't have any room left in it - neither does the base.

Now, if someone wanted to 3D print an alternative case lid with a 'side car' suitable to house the camera - that could be as thick as the base but attached to the lid. Think of a Pandora/Pyra with the equivalent space of a 20mm thick stack of 20mm coins connected to the side of the screen. It would close folded next to the base but be mounted to the screen. With one of these side cars on each side, think ears, it could house 4 cameras for stereoscopic view in either direction. Incorporate a USB hub into the design, add a ribbon cable to connect (externally) to one of the rear USB ports and - done (ish).

The underlying theme is - the USB ports and case attachment modding are the answers to camera needs. There simply isn't room inside the main case or anything in there to connect to.
 
I think something like the "spy camera" for the raspi (https://www.adafruit.com/product/1937) should fit inside the lower pat of the lid, at least if you remove a small part of the inner lid. The Pyra does have all the connectors needed for attaching a CSI-camera, though it has only one data lane available, whereas cameras for the raspi use two. As far as I know, the CSI-standard allows you to use less data lanes on a camera than it actually has, but I don't know how badly it'd affect taking pictures.
It *should* work, if CSI-cameras ake the entire picture before sending all the data to the receiving device rather, otherwise it'd cause problems with fast moving objects. I assume this (as well as switching between a cameras resolutions very quickly) should work, because it'd make sense, though I don't know that.
 
I'd look at getting hold a small dumb pocket camera if that is your use cases. It should still give you as good if not better pictures than your smartphone, and the Pyra would still be useful as you can just pull the SD card from the camera and plug it into your pyra, fiddle with the contrast and wavelet denoise out some extra clarity in GIMP (although a RAW capable camera would do better at this, which would probably put you in the more expensive pocket camera price point, unless you can find an old camera you can mod.
 
Yes, the bit after the comma that you snipped at was specifically hinting at CHDK and the likes. I seem to remember an older tool that would actually replace the firmware on the camera, which I can't find now, but that's why I wasn't explicit. But thanks for the link either way.
 
I think I have finally accepted that I won't pay the required price to feed my Polaroid cameras, therefore they are dead, so I have recently been considering the instax line. As I have said in the past, I am glad there isn't a camera built in. Now, if I could easily use my GB Camera with the Pyra I would take and share tons of pics.
 
I like the idea of having a dedicated camera, and I can imagine carrying that instead of a second phone. The only problem is the time it takes to set up, and two-handed operation at that. Let's say I'm working in a tight spot and need to document something quickly, right now I can just use a motion gesture to open my phone's camera. I don't even need to unlock it. I would be happy to compromise some convenience but consider the whole process to take a single picture with a dedicated camera:
  1. Put away phone (there's a good chance I was already using it for something, like as a flashlight or to take text notes).
  2. Walk over to toolbox.
  3. Find camera in toolbox.
  4. Walk back to the photography target.
  5. Remove the camera's lens cover.
  6. Power on the camera.
  7. Change settings as appropriate (phone/OpenCamera automate(s) this better than any small camera I've used).
  8. Take the picture.
  9. Confirm the picture is usable (difficult on any small camera I've used).
  10. Transfer S.D. card to Pyra.
  11. Move pictures to Pyra.
  12. Move S.D. card back to camera.
  13. Reverse steps 7-5.
  14. Reverse step 2-4.
  15. Pull out phone again if applicable.
Obviously a bit of an exaggeration but consider the alternative of just using a shortcut on the Pyra to open a camera program for an integrated camera... I really wish a dedicated camera were practical for me but it just isn't. Another option could be to use an external camera with the Pyra, such that I could just plug it in and have the Pyra automatically open the appropriate camera program all ready to go. I don't know what sort of U.S.B. cameras are available but that should at least eliminate steps 1, 15, 6-7, 13, and 9-12.

It seems like the integrated camera market is poised for some innovation. I read that Pelican was bought out, P.C. monitors and laptops are being sold with integrated 3d cameras and eye-tracking systems, and there's a lot of movement in virtual/augmented reality headsets, which rely on that sort of low-latency 3d imaging. I don't know how it will play out in the long-run but it's interesting that cameras are becoming an alternative input device. Here's a list of some 3d imaging applications from 2015. Full disclosure, I have been playing flight simulators over the past few days.

My main objection to having an integrated camera is that it could leak some image/video when I don't want it to, I think that's the same for everybody. Running linux, I am much more confident that the camera will not leak any image/video than I would be using a Windows laptop. Moreover, a lens cover, rotating mount (below the display), or pop-out arm (terrible idea) could be used to physically obstruct the camera when it is not supposed to be in use. Of course some people really wouldn't use it, but it could easily be sold as a separate module to off-set cost. I think the only practical reasons to not offer a camera is that it would increase development complexity. I agree with the decision to not include it on the current Pyra so they can start shipping right away, but I also think it could be a great addition in the future.
 
I think the only practical reasons to not offer a camera is that it would increase development complexity. I agree with the decision to not include it on the current Pyra so they can start shipping right away, but I also think it could be a great addition in the future.

There is also no physical volume/void to put a camera into.

I think people keep confusing the Pyra with a smartphone. It isn't one. It is a pocket computer with gaming controls that is available with an optional 4G data connection. The chip that handles the 4G data could, theoretically, also service voice connections.

Being able to do voice calls is several layers -down- the priority list.

The Pyra isn't primarily meant to be a phone replacement. It could wind up being one for a few people - who are willing to make the appropriate compromises. One of those compromises is the lack of a built in camera.

The Pyra isn't a 'terrible camera-less smartphone'. It isn't a smartphone at all - the base version doesn't even have 4G capabilities in it. The 4G capable version is meant to be a data connector - not a phone. Unlike nearly every 'connected tablet', there is nothing preventing it from also servicing voice calls if your SIM card and 4G provider allow for it - and if you can hack the software together to do it..
 
Pff why the negative comparison with a phone...
I love my Pandora for what it is, without a camera and without voice capability. I would LOVE to have a camera in my Pyra and would gladly pay extra for that feature.
Alas, more vocal members of the forum have voted against a long time ago because of paranoia mostly. I regret that and think it's a lost opportunity for sure but I'll deal with it.
Maybe some time, an update will be produced, until then I guess it's case drilling time. A camera somewhere between the shoulder buttons in the back should be doable ;)
 
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