E-con announced two MIPI-CSI2 camera modules with Linux drivers: a 13MP, up to 4K “e-CAM130_CURB” for the Raspberry Pi 4 and an “e-CAM22_CUXVR” kit with an ultra-low-light, 2MP, HD camera for the Jetson AGX Xavier.

E-con Systems has launched a pair of camera modules that connect to embedded Linux boards via MIPI-CSI2 interfaces. The $99 e-CAM130_CURB module is a 13-megapixel camera with up to 4K resolution designed to work with the Raspberry Pi 4. The $179 e-CAM22_CUXVR camera kit incorporates a 2-megapixel, Full HD e-CAM220_CUMI327_MOD camera module with ultra-low light sensitivity, designed for Nvidia’s Jetson AGX Xavier Development Kit. Both are fixed, focus, electronic rolling shutter cameras equipped with E-Con’s open source, V4L2-compliant camera driver with Gstreamer plus Linux source code and sample application.
 
e-CAM130_CURB

E-Con’s e-CAM130_CURB camera module for the Raspberry Pi 4 offers slightly higher resolution than Raspberry Pi Ltd.’s $50 High Quality Camera, which delivers 12.3-megapixel, Full HD resolution via its Sony IMX477 sensor. Other options include Charmed Labs $229-and-up, fully encased and equipped Vizy camera, which offers the same sensor and resolution and features up to 300fps frame rates.

e-CAM130_CURB (left) and with Raspberry Pi 4
(click images to enlarge)

There are also two “Arducam for Raspberry Pi” products in 16MP ($60) and 13MP ($47) models, both offering up to 4K support at varying frame rates. However, the cameras lack V4L2 compliance and “can’t work with native Raspberry Pi camera drivers, commands, and software,” says the Arducam Amazon shopping. Arducam adds: “You have to use Arducam SDK and examples.”

E-Con’s e-CAM130_CURB module is built around an ON Semiconductor AR1335 color CMOS sensor with an 1/3.2″ optical format. Other sensor features include 4700 e-/lux-sec responsivity, 37 dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and 69 dB dynamic range.

E-Con has used the AR1335 on its e-CAM130_CUXVR camera kit for the AGX Xavier, which has 4x cameras, as well as the 3-camera e-CAM120_TRICUTX2 kit for the Jetson TX2. The company also offers an AR1335-based e-CAM130_iMX8M kit for Variscite’s i.MX8M Mini, i.MX8X and i.MX8 QuadMax based boards, which offers the sensor on a single e-CAM130_MI1335_MOD camera.

e-CAM130_CURB and streaming resolution and frame rates
(click images to enlarge)

The e-CAM130_CURB module adds an ISP to offload processing from the Raspberry Pi and perform Auto functions for image improvements. The camera supports uncompressed 4K streaming at up to 4208 x 3120 pixels, but only at 9fps. Other streaming specs range to Full HD at 60fps (see chart above).

The camera module is equipped with an M12 S-mount lens holder. When using the lens provided by E-con, the camera has a 134°(D), 95°(H), 73°(V) field of view (FOV). The module supports -30 to 70°C operation.

The $99 kit provides the camera module attached to a baseboard and adapter board plus a 15cm ribbon cable to link up to the RPi 4’s MIPI-CSI interface. The announcement, but not the product page, notes Android support in addition to the standard Linux driver.

 
e-CAM22_CUXVR kit with e-CAM220_CUMI327_MOD

The e-CAM22_CUXVR kit targets Nvidia ‘s Jetson AGX Xavier Development Kit, which extends the Linux-powered Jetson AGX Xavier module. Like E-Con’s AGX Xavier targeted, 4-camera SurveilsQUAD kit, the e-CAM220_CUMI327_MOD uses a 2-megapixel, Full HD Sony Starvis sensor and supports a MIPI-CSI2 connection. This time, however, it is a Starvis IMX290 sensor with ultra-low light sensitivity. The camera module is available in a $179 e-CAM22_CUXVR eval kit.

e-CAM220_CUMI327_MOD on its own (left) and as part of the e-CAM22_CUXVR kit, shown here with the Jetson AGX Xavier dev kit
(click images to enlarge)

The Sony Starvis IMX327 CMOS sensor has a 2.9-µm pixel size and can operate at nearly pitch black, 0 lux environments. E-Con touts the sensor for its high SNR and uncompressed 60fps HD (1280 x 720) and Full HD (1920 x 1080) streaming capability. The e-CAM220_CUMI327_MOD module has an S-mount lens holder.

The e-CAM22_CUXVR eval kit, which features a -30 to 85°C range, combines the camera module with a 75.03 x 40.69mm baseboard with a 4-lane MIPI-CSI2 interface to the Xavier kit. There is also a 30mm micro-coaxial cable between the module and baseboard. The kit augments the Linux stack with Nvidia’s JetPack 4.2.2 software.

The Jetson AGX Xavier features 8x ARMv8.2 cores and a 512-core Nvidia Volta GPU with 64 tensor cores with 2x Nvidia Deep Learning Accelerator (DLA) engines. There is also a 7-way VLIW vision chip, as well as 16GB LPDDR4 and 32GB eMMC 5.1. Other E-Con cameras for the AGX Xavier dev kit include the previously mentioned e-CAM130_CUXVR and the 2MP STURDeCAM20 kit, which has a GMSL2 interface.

 
Further information

The e-CAM130_CURB camera module for the Raspberry Pi 4 sells for $99. More information may be found in E-Con Systems’ announcement (PDF) and product page and shopping page.

The e-CAM22_CUXVR kit and e-CAM220_CUMI327_MOD module for the Jetson AGX Xavier kit is available for $179. More information may be found in E-Con’s announcement (PDF) and product page and shopping page.