Waveshare IMX290-83 IR-CUT Starlight Camera Sensor, 2MP Fixed-Focus

You will need to use the included 15-pin FFC ribbon cable. Connect one end to the camera module's CSI port and the other end to the Raspberry Pi Zero's CSI camera connector. Ensure the cable contacts are oriented correctly (the included cable has contacts on opposite sides). After physical connection, enable the camera interface using the Raspberry Pi Configuration tool (`sudo raspi-config`) under 'Interface Options'. A driver or specific library is typically not required for basic operation with standard `raspistill` or `libcamera` commands.

The IR-CUT filter is a physical switch on the camera module. In the 'day' mode (filter engaged), it blocks infrared light to produce accurate color images under normal lighting. For 'night' mode (filter disengaged), infrared light reaches the sensor, significantly boosting sensitivity in low-light conditions, resulting in a monochrome image. Manually press the button to switch modes. Use day mode for color accuracy in well-lit scenes. Switch to night mode when ambient light is very low, such as at dusk or indoors with minimal lighting, to maximize detail capture, even if the image is black and white.

On a Raspberry Pi 4 with the latest Bullseye OS or newer, use the `libcamera` suite. For a still image, run `libcamera-jpeg -o test.webp`. For video, use `libcamera-vid -t 10000 -o test.h264` for a 10-second recording. If you are using the legacy Raspberry Pi OS (Buster), you can use the older `raspistill` and `raspivid` commands. Ensure the camera interface is enabled in `raspi-config`. The module works with standard Pi camera libraries like Picamera2 for Python, allowing for programmable control over resolution, framerate, and other parameters in your application code.