Arducam 5MP OV5647 Pan Tilt Camera for Raspberry Pi

First, connect the camera's 15-pin flex cable to the Raspberry Pi's CSI port. Connect the PCA9685 control board to the Pi's GPIO I2C pins (SDA, SCL, 3.3V/5V, GND) using the included jumper wires. Power the servos separately with 3.6V-4.8V. Enable the Raspberry Pi camera interface via `raspi-config` and install necessary Python libraries like `Adafruit_PCA9685` and `picamera2`. Write a Python script to initialize the PCA9685 and send PWM signals to control the servo positions for pan and tilt movements.

The digital servos require a separate 3.6V to 4.8V DC power supply and can draw up to 350mA during movement. The PCA9685 control board itself is powered via the Raspberry Pi's GPIO, accepting either 3.3V or 5V logic levels. It is crucial not to power the servos from the Raspberry Pi's GPIO pins, as the current draw can cause a brownout. Use a dedicated external regulator or battery pack for the servos, connecting their power and ground to the control board's servo output header.

Yes, the kit includes a 15cm 15-pin camera flex cable specifically compatible with the Raspberry Pi Zero and Zero W, which have a smaller CSI connector. For standard Raspberry Pi models (like Pi 3, 4, or 5), you would typically use a different cable, but the camera module and control logic remain identical. Ensure your Raspberry Pi OS has the camera interface enabled and the necessary I2C tools installed. The software setup and Python code for controlling the PCA9685 and reading the camera feed are consistent across all Raspberry Pi variants.

Servo angles are controlled by sending PWM pulses via the PCA9685. The pulse width typically ranges from about 500 microseconds (0°) to 2500 microseconds (180°) for a standard servo. Using the Adafruit PCA9685 library, you set the channel and pulse length. You will need to calibrate the minimum and maximum pulse values for your specific servos to map them to the 0-180° range accurately. Write a function that converts a desired angle into the corresponding pulse width and sends it to the correct channel on the PCA9685 board for smooth movement.