IMX219 8MP Camera Module - 120° Wide-Angle FOV for Raspberry Pi 5 (Includes Pi 5 / 22-pin Cable)

Specifications

• Sensor Type: Sony IMX219 Color CMOS

• Resolution: 8 Megapixels (3280 x 2464 pixels)

• Field of View (FOV): 120° (Wide-Angle)

• Interface: MIPI CSI-2 (15-Pin standard on board)

• Operating Voltage: 3.3V to 5V DC

• Dimensions: 25.00mm x 24.00mm

• Mounting Holes: 4 holes (1.8mm to 2.2mm diameter)

• Compatibility:  Pi 5 natively and Pi 4B/3B+/3A+Pi Zero (requires adapter cable).

Key Applications and Projects

• Smart Security Cameras: Capturing an entire room or porch from a single corner mount using the expansive 120-degree viewing angle.

• Autonomous Drones & Rovers: Giving your robotic vehicle a wider peripheral view to detect obstacles and navigate complex environments safely.

• Wide-Format Timelapses: Monitoring large weather patterns, construction sites, or wide garden beds over long periods of time.

Unlock New Capabilities (Project Evolution)

• Software Integration: Utilize the native libcamera software stack on your Raspberry Pi OS to unlock advanced manual controls, and use OpenCV libraries to digitally correct the wide-angle barrel distortion in real-time.

• Platform Upgrade: Pair this wide-angle sensor with the immense processing power of the Raspberry Pi 5 to run object-detection algorithms across a massive field of view without dropping frames.

Package Includes:

• 1 x IMX219 8MP Camera Module (120° FOV)

• 1 x 15-pin to 22-pin CSI Ribbon Cable

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

1. What is the resolution of this camera? It features an 8 Megapixel sensor, capable of capturing still images at a maximum resolution of 3280 x 2464 pixels.

2. Which sensor does it use? It uses the highly acclaimed Sony IMX219 CMOS image sensor.

3. Is this compatible with the Raspberry Pi 5? Yes, it is natively plug-and-play with the Raspberry Pi 5 using the included 22-pin cable. Note: If you wish to use it with a Raspberry Pi 4 or 3, you will need a separate standard 15-pin to 15-pin cable.

4. What does "120° FOV" mean? FOV stands for Field of View. A 120-degree angle provides a "wide-angle" perspective, allowing the camera to see much more of the scene horizontally than a standard lens.

5. Does a 120-degree lens cause distortion? Yes, because it is a wide-angle lens, it will introduce some barrel distortion (a slight "fisheye" effect) towards the edges of the image. This can be corrected via software if necessary.

6. What are the dimensions of the circuit board? The PCB measures exactly 25.00mm wide by 24.00mm high.

7. Does it have auto-focus? No, this module features a fixed-focus lens, which is standard for the IMX219 sensor. It relies on a deep depth of field to keep most of the room in focus.

8. Can I record video with it? Yes, it natively supports video recording at 1080p30, 720p60, and VGA90 resolutions.

9. What does Pin 1 do on the ribbon cable? According to the pin definition, Pin 1 accepts the 3.3V to 5V power supply from the host board.

10. What are the SDA and SCL pins used for? Pins 2 (SDA) and 3 (SCL) are the I2C communication lines used by the Raspberry Pi to control camera settings like exposure and gain.

11. Does this camera capture audio? No, standard MIPI CSI-2 camera modules do not include microphones. You must use a separate USB or I2S microphone for audio capture.

12. Do I need to install special drivers? No, the Sony IMX219 is natively supported by the Raspberry Pi OS and works perfectly out-of-the-box with the standard libcamera stack.

13. Does it have night vision? No, this is a standard daylight RGB sensor equipped with an IR-cut filter. It will not see infrared light in the dark.

14. What is the LDO-PW pin? Pin 5 (LDO-PW) is an enable pin for the camera's onboard low-dropout voltage regulator, allowing the Pi to power down the camera to save energy.

15. How do I mount it? The board features four mounting holes (measuring roughly 1.8mm and 2.2mm in diameter) spaced appropriately for M2 machine screws.

16. Can I change the lens? The lens is factory-focused and glued into the housing. While technically threaded, attempting to unscrew it may break the sensor mount and ruin the module.

17. Why are there so many GND pins? High-speed differential data signals require excellent grounding to prevent signal corruption. Pins 6, 9, 12, and 15 provide these vital ground references.

18. What do P1/N1 and P2/N2 mean? These represent the positive and negative pairs of the MIPI CSI-2 high-speed data lanes used to stream the massive amounts of image data to the processor.

19. Can I use this with an Arduino UNO? No, standard 8-bit Arduinos lack the processing power, RAM, and the specific MIPI CSI interface required to handle high-resolution video streams.

20. Can I extend the ribbon cable? Yes, you can buy longer 15-pin FFC cables, but keeping it under 30cm to 50cm is highly recommended to prevent data degradation and frame dropping.