DIY 3D Camera with Raspberry Pi

The most practical way to capture 3D photos and videos is to use two cameras that are spaced apart at a distance roughly equal to that between your own eyes. But that is easier said than done; two cameras are obviously more expensive than one, and those cameras need to be small enough that they can be positioned close together (or have complicated lenses to achieve the same effect). Fortunately for 3D enthusiasts on a budget, Raspberry Pi computers provide a fantastic solution, and you can build your own 3D camera using a pair of Raspberry Pi High Quality Camera modules.

The Raspberry Pi High Quality Camera module was released earlier this year, and is a huge step up from the normal camera module. The Camera Module V2 has an 8-megapixel Sony IMX219 sensor, while the High Quality Camera has a much better 12.3-megapixel Sony IMX477 sensor. Aside from the higher resolution, the High Quality Camera also has great features like C and CS-mount lenses that make it better suited for professional applications. To create your 3D camera, you’ll need two HQ Cameras, two lenses, and two Raspberry Pi Zero Ws.

The hardware setup is easy as can be. All you have to do is throw your Raspberry Pi computers into cases, feed them power, connect the cameras, and position the cameras next to each other. For software, just install and update Raspbian Lite on both of those Raspberry Pis (make sure to give them unique hostnames). You’ll then setup each Raspberry Pi and camera as a webcam, which will allow you to see the video streams on your local network via webservers. A Python script called 3dcamera.py will let you meld those two feeds into one that you can view through a website, which will also let you snap 3D pictures. You can view your new 3D images however you like, but the Google Cardboard VR headset kit is an affordable way to look at them.