Arducam 12MP IMX708 Camera Module for Raspberry Pi w/ HDR & PDAF

Connect the module to your Raspberry Pi's Camera Serial Interface (CSI) port using the appropriate included FPC cable (22-22pin for Pi 4/5, 15-22pin for older models). Ensure your Raspberry Pi OS is up-to-date. Enable the camera interface via `sudo raspi-config` under 'Interface Options'. No additional drivers are typically required for basic functionality. For advanced features like HDR, consult Arducam's official documentation or libraries.

Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) uses dedicated sensor pixels to measure phase differences in incoming light, allowing it to determine both the direction and amount of focus adjustment needed instantly. This makes it significantly faster and more accurate for tracking moving subjects compared to traditional contrast-detection autofocus, which hunts for maximum contrast by trial and error. The IMX708's integrated PDAF enables rapid focus locks essential for robotics and video applications.

The Sony IMX708 sensor has good low-light sensitivity due to its back-illuminated structure and 1.4µm pixels. However, the integrated 650nm IR cut filter blocks infrared light, which is not ideal for true night vision with IR illuminators. For IR-sensitive applications, you would need a camera module without an IR filter. For low-light visible spectrum imaging, its HDR mode can help balance exposure, but dedicated low-light sensors would offer better performance.

This module is compatible with Raspberry Pi models featuring a CSI-2 camera interface. This includes the Raspberry Pi 5, 4B, 4B+, 3B+, 3B, Zero W, Zero 2 W, and the Compute Modules 4 and 5 (with appropriate carrier boards). You must use the correct FPC cable: the 22-22pin cable for the 22-pin connector on Pi 4/5/CM4, and the 15-22pin adapter cable for the 15-pin connector on older Pi models like the Pi 3B+.

Control is achieved through the Raspberry Pi's standard camera libraries (like libcamera) and potentially Arducam's provided SDK. For libcamera, use commands like `libcamera-still` or `libcamera-vid` with appropriate parameters. To enable HDR, you may need to set specific sensor modes via the camera tuning file. For PDAF control, you will likely need to use Arducam's dedicated APIs or register-level access to configure focus zones and trigger focus searches. Always check Arducam's GitHub repository for the latest Python or C++ examples.