[Updated: Jan. 28] — E-Con launched a $69, 5MP, MIPI-CSI2 “e-CAM50_CUNANO” camera for the Jetson Nano Dev Kit and then followed up with a similar model targeting Vamrs’ Rock960 SBC. Meanwhile, Nvidia released a revised “B01” version of the Nano kit with a second CSI link and support for the Xavier NX.

E-Con Systems has followed its 3.4-megapixel e-CAM30_CUNANO camera for the Jetson Nano Dev Kit with a 5-megapixel model. Like the 3.4MP model, the e-CAM50_CUNANO uses a MIPI-CSI2 interface, but is built around OnSemi’s 1/2.5″ AR0521, a 2.2µm pixel CMOS image sensor with integrated ISP.

Update: A week later, E-con announced a similar “e-CAM50_CU96 – 5MP” camera designed for Vamrs’ 96Boards-compliant, RK3399-equipped Rock960 SBC (see farther below).

e-CAM50_CUNANO (left) and with Nano Dev Kit
(click images to enlarge)

The e-CAM50_CUNANO can stream 1920 x 1080 video at 65fps; 1280 x 720 at 100fps; or 2592 x 1944 (5MP) at 25fps in uncompressed UYVY format. It has a 40 dB SNR and a 74.3 dB dynamic range.

The e-CAM50_CUNANO ships with an S-mount (M12) lens holder and can operate at -30 to 70°C temperatures. It ships with a V4L2 driver and a sample app with Linux source code.

e-CAM50_CU96 – 5MP with Rock960 board
(click image to enlarge)

The $98 e-CAM50_CU96 – 5MP uses the same AR0521 sensor as the e-CAM50_CUNANO, but instead targets the Rock960 Model B SBC, a 96Boards-compliant Vamrs product built around Rockchip’s RK3399 SoC. Presumably, the camera also works with the newer, stripped-down Rock960 Model C in addition to the Model B.

Streaming specs are slightly different than the CUNANO product: HD (1280 x 720) at 70 fps, FHD (1920 x 1080) at 60 fps and 5MP (2592 x 1944) at 25 fps in uncompressed (UYVY). Otherwise the specs appear to be the same.

 
Jetson Nano Dev Kit-B01

Nvidia has released a revised B01 version of the Jetson Nano Dev Kit that adds a second, 2-lane MIPI-CSI2 interface. Once again available for $99, the kit is compatible with the production Jetson Nano module with 16GB eMMC instead of the original microSD-only model that shipped with the earlier A02 kit.

Jetson Nano Dev Kit-B01 (left) and original A02 model
(click images to enlarge)

Jetson Nano modules that ship with the new B01 kit will work on the A02 kit, but modules that shipped with that original will not work on the B01. The B01 kit will also support the upcoming Jetson Xavier NX, which combines features of the Xavier AGX and the Nano.

As noted in the CNXSoft post that alerted us to the new kit, the Jetson Nano Dev Kit-B01 also removes an 8-pin button header with power, reset, and force recovery signals. Some minor board layout changes include the relocation of a power select header to the edge of the board.

The 70 x 45mm Jetson Nano module has 4x 1.43GHz Cortex-A57 cores that provide CPU horsepower that falls in between the TX1 and TX2. Its 128-core Maxwell GPU is less powerful than the TX1, but it still offers CUDA-X AI and [email protected] support. The module integrates 4GB LPDDR4 and can run on as little as 5 Watts.

 
Further information

The e-CAM50_CUNANO is available for a special $69 discount price at E-con Systems’ e-CAM50_CUNANO shopping page. The e-CAM50_CU96 – 5MP for the Rock960 is available at a discount price of $98 at the e-CAM50_CU96 – 5MP shopping page.

The Jetson Nano Dev Kit-B01 is available for $99 at Nvidia’s Jetson Nano product page and at Seeed’s Jetson Nano Dev Kit-B01 shopping page.