The Waveshare RPi Camera (G) is a compact, wide-angle camera module designed for Raspberry Pi single-board computers. Powered by the proven OV5647 5-megapixel image sensor and equipped with a 160° fisheye lens, it delivers an exceptionally wide field of view ideal for surveillance, robotics, and panoramic imaging. The adjustable manual focus mechanism gives you precise control over depth of field, while the standard 15-pin CSI interface ensures plug-and-play compatibility with all Raspberry Pi revisions. At just 25 × 24 mm, this ultra-compact module fits seamlessly into any space-constrained project. Features OV5647 5MP Sensor — Delivers crisp 5-megapixel stills and smooth 1080p Full HD video recording. 160° Fisheye Wide-Angle Lens — More than double the field of view of standard cameras (typically 72°), capturing expansive scenes in a single frame. Adjustable Manual Focus — Rotate the lens barrel to fine-tune focus distance for your specific application, from close-up macro shots to wide scenic views. Universal CSI Compatibility — Connects directly to the CSI port on all Raspberry Pi models including Pi 5, 4B, 3B+, 3A+, Zero, Zero 2 W, and Compute Modules (Zero/Zero W/WH require an additional ribbon cable). Standard 15-Pin FFC Interface — Reverse-contact 15-pin flexible flat cable for reliable, secure connection to the Raspberry Pi CSI port. Compact Form Factor — Ultra-small 25 × 24 mm PCB with four mounting holes for easy integration into enclosures and custom builds. 3.3V Power Rail — Onboard mounting holes double as 3.3V power outputs for connecting supplemental LED lighting or other low-power peripherals. Software Compatible — Fully supported by libcamera and Raspicam driver stacks on Raspberry Pi OS. Specifications Image Sensor OV5647 Resolution 5 Megapixels Max Video Resolution 1080p Full HD CCD Size 1/4 inch Aperture (F-Stop) F2.35 Focal Length 3.15 mm Field of View (FOV) 160° (Fisheye, diagonal) Focus Manual Adjustable Interface 15-Pin FFC CSI (reverse contact) Operating Voltage 3.3V IR Filter Built-in (No Night Vision) Dimensions 25 × 24 mm Mounting Holes 4 × M2 (also provide 3.3V output) Compatible Boards Raspberry Pi 5 / 4B / 3B+ / 3A+ / Zero / Zero 2 W / CM3 / CM4 / CM5 Driver Support libcamera, Raspicam Reference Documents: Waveshare RPi Camera (G) Wiki & User Guide | Official Product Page Application The wide 160° fisheye field of view and compact size make the Waveshare RPi Camera (G) a versatile imaging solution for a wide range of Raspberry Pi projects: Home Security & Surveillance — Cover large areas with a single camera; ideal for door viewers, room monitoring, and wide-angle CCTV setups. Robotics & Autonomous Navigation — Provides robots and drones with broad situational awareness, obstacle detection, and environment mapping. Panoramic & 360° Photography — Capture wide scenic shots, events, and architectural interiors with minimal distortion correction needed. Machine Vision & AI Projects — Wide FOV ensures more objects enter the frame simultaneously, improving detection accuracy for OpenCV, TensorFlow Lite, and similar frameworks. Dashcam & Vehicle Monitoring — Mount in vehicles to capture wide road-ahead views or parking area surveillance. Time-Lapse & Stop Motion — Capture expansive time-lapse scenes of sky, landscape, or room activity with rich detail. Education & Prototyping — A plug-and-play module for students and makers learning computer vision, image processing, and embedded Linux development. Packing List RPi Camera (G) x1 15PIN FFC (opposite sides contact) x1 RPi Zero V1.3 Camera Cable ~15cm x1 Note: Raspberry Pi board is NOT included. Raspberry Pi Zero / Zero W / Zero WH users will need to purchase a dedicated Zero camera ribbon cable separately. FAQ Q: Is the RPi Camera (G) compatible with Raspberry Pi 5?A: Yes. The RPi Camera (G) is compatible with all Raspberry Pi revisions including the Raspberry Pi 5. On the Pi 5, the CSI port is located near the metal Ethernet jack. Simply connect using the included 15-pin FFC ribbon cable. Q: Does this camera support night vision or infrared imaging?A: No. The RPi Camera (G) includes a built-in IR cut filter which blocks infrared light. It is designed for daytime (visible light) photography only. If you need night vision capability, consider a camera module that supports IR-CUT switching. Q: What is the difference between the 160° fisheye lens and a standard camera lens?A: A standard camera module typically provides a ~72° field of view. The RPi Camera (G)'s fisheye lens delivers a 160° diagonal FOV — more than twice as wide — capturing a much larger scene without panning. Some barrel distortion is inherent to fisheye optics, which can be corrected in software if needed. Q: How do I adjust the focus on the RPi Camera (G)?A: The lens can be manually rotated to adjust the focus distance. Loosen the lens gently by hand and turn it clockwise or counter-clockwise until your subject appears sharp. No tools are required for basic focus adjustment. Q: Which software stack should I use — libcamera or Raspicam?A: For Raspberry Pi OS Bullseye and later (including Bookworm), use libcamera with commands like rpicam-still and rpicam-vid. For older Raspberry Pi OS versions (Buster and below), use the legacy Raspicam stack (raspistill, raspivid). Refer to the official Wiki for detailed setup instructions. Q: Do I need an extra cable for Raspberry Pi Zero?A: Yes. The Raspberry Pi Zero, Zero W, and Zero WH use a smaller CSI connector that is not directly compatible with the standard 15-pin FFC cable included in the package. You will need to purchase a dedicated Raspberry Pi Zero camera ribbon cable separately. Q: Can I use the mounting holes for power output?A: Yes. The four M2 mounting holes on the PCB also serve as 3.3V power output pads. This allows you to conveniently power small add-on modules such as LED lighting rings or auxiliary sensors directly from the camera board. Q: What video resolutions and frame rates does the OV5647 support?A: The OV5647 sensor supports multiple video modes, including 1080p @ 30fps, 720p @ 60fps, and VGA (640×480) @ 90fps. Still images can be captured at up to the full 2592 × 1944 (5MP) resolution.
