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1MP OV9281

Overview

The Arducam 1MP camera modules, featuring the OV9281 and OV9282 image sensors, are high-speed, global shutter cameras designed for machine vision and robotics applications on the Raspberry Pi platform. Their key advantage is the global shutter, which captures the entire frame at once, making them ideal for imaging fast-moving objects without the distortion or "jello" effects common with rolling shutter cameras.

These monochrome sensors provide excellent sensitivity and are fully compatible with all Raspberry Pi models with a MIPI CSI-2 camera connector, including Pi 5, Pi 4, Pi Zero, and Compute Modules.

Technical Specifications

Image Sensor Details

Parameter Specification
Sensor Model OV9281
Shutter Type Global Shutter
IR Sensitivity Monochrome
Active Pixels 1280×800
Resolution 1 MP
Image Sensor Format 1/4″
Pixel Size 3μm×3μm

Key Features

The primary feature of the OV9281 and OV9282 sensors is their global shutter mechanism. This makes them exceptionally well-suited for applications such as:

  • Drone and Autonomous Robotics: Capturing clear frames for navigation and obstacle avoidance without motion blur.
  • High-Speed Monitoring: Industrial quality control, motion analysis, and security.
  • Stereo Vision: The synchronized exposure is critical for building accurate depth maps.

Platform Compatibility

Supported Operating Systems

Platform Trixie Bookworm (rpicam) Bullseye (libcamera/rpicam) Buster (raspistill)
Raspberry Pi 5 / CM5 ✅ ✅ ❌ ❌
Raspberry Pi 4B / 3B+ / 3A+ / Zero / Zero 2 W ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅
Raspberry Pi CM3 / CM3+ / CM4
Requires adapter board		 ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅

Operating System Support

This documentation focuses on Trixie, Bookworm , and Bullseye (kernel 6.1.21+) to align with the official Raspberry Pi OS release cycle. While Buster instructions are not included, we recommend migrating to a supported OS for optimal performance. For Buster-specific assistance, please contact our support team.

Product Catalog

Product Image SKU Pin/Connect Type Features Lens Type Field of View(D/H/V) Focus Type IR Sensitivity
B0452 22/TOP M12 Mount Mini Size 75°(H) x 59° (V) Manual Focus 650nm IR-cut filter
B0240 22/TOP CS Mount CS 65°(H) x 51° (V) Manual Focus 650nm IR-cut filter
B0241 HDMI Extension Kit 65°(H) x 48.75° (V) Motorized IR-CUT Filter
B024001 CS Mount/Tripod Default CS / / /
B0167B12 22/NA Pan-Tilt-Zoom Kit
 Zoom Lens H(96°-33°) x V(72°-24°) Motorized Focus Motorized IR-CUT Filter
B016712MP
B0262 22/TOP Mini Size M12 75°(H) x 56.3°(V) Manual Focus 650nm IR-cut filter
B0271 22/NA For Compute Module

Hardware Setup

For detailed hardware connection instructions, please refer to our comprehensive guide:

Quick Start Guide - Hardware Connection

Software Configuration

The software setup process consists of three essential components:

  1. System Configuration - Required initial setup for camera recognition (reboot required)
  2. Camera Usage - Commands for preview and image capture
  3. Troubleshooting - Solutions for common display issues

System Configuration

Important

You must reboot your Raspberry Pi after making configuration changes for them to take effect.

Raspberry Pi 5 & CM5

Pi 5 supports both Trixie and Bookworm OS. The configuration file is located at /boot/firmware/config.txt for both systems.

  1. Open the configuration file: 

    sudo nano /boot/firmware/config.txt

  2. Disable camera auto-detection: 

    camera_auto_detect=0

  3. Add OV9281 overlay under the [all] section: 

    dtoverlay=ov9281,arducam

  4. Save and reboot: 

    sudo reboot

Camera Port Configuration

For Pi 5 with cameras connected to CAM0 port, use: 

dtoverlay=ov9281,cam0,arducam

Raspberry Pi 4

Pi 4 supports Trixie, Bookworm and Bullseye OS with different configuration file locations.

sudo nano /boot/firmware/config.txt

sudo nano /boot/config.txt

Configuration steps (same for all OS versions):

  1. Set camera_auto_detect=0
  2. Add dtoverlay=ov9281,arducam under the [all] section
  3. Save the file and reboot: 
    sudo reboot

Raspberry Pi Zero to Pi 3

These models support all operating systems with different setup procedures.

Standard configuration using /boot/firmware/config.txt:

sudo nano /boot/firmware/config.txt
  1. Set camera_auto_detect=0
  2. Add dtoverlay=ov9281,arducam under [all] section
  3. Save the file and reboot: 
    sudo reboot

Two-step process required:

Step 1: Edit config.txt 

sudo nano /boot/config.txt

  1. Set camera_auto_detect=0
  2. Add dtoverlay=ov9281,arducam under [all] section
  3. Save the file but do not reboot yet - proceed to Step 2

Step 2: Enable Glamor Graphics 

sudo raspi-config

Navigate to 6 Advanced Options → A3 Glamor → Enable → Reboot

Raspberry Pi Compute Module 3 & 4

CM3 and CM4 support all operating systems with dual camera ports (cam0, cam1).

sudo nano /boot/firmware/config.txt

sudo nano /boot/config.txt

Configuration steps (same for all OS versions):

  1. Set camera_auto_detect=0
  2. Add dtoverlay=ov9281,arducam under [all] section
  3. Save the file and reboot: 
    sudo reboot

Camera Port Selection

For CAM0 interface usage, modify the overlay line to: 

dtoverlay=ov9281,cam0,arducam

Camera Usage

After system configuration and reboot, your camera is ready for operation.

Using rpicam-apps suite:

  1. List available cameras: 

    rpicam-still --list-cameras

  2. Live preview (Ctrl+C to exit): 

    rpicam-still -t 0

  3. Capture image with 5-second preview: 

    rpicam-still -t 5000 -o test.jpg

Using libcamera-apps suite:

  1. List available cameras: 

    libcamera-still --list-cameras

  2. Live preview (Ctrl+C to exit): 

    libcamera-still -t 0

  3. Capture image with 5-second preview: 

    libcamera-still -t 5000 -o test.jpg

For comprehensive usage instructions, refer to the Raspberry Pi Camera Documentation.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter display issues such as black screens, the camera may not be properly recognized by the system.

Common troubleshooting resources: - Common Troubleshooting Guide

For persistent issues, please contact our support team for additional assistance.