Arducam 2MP Sony IMX462 Ultra Low Light STARVIS Camera Module w/ 141° M12 Lens for Raspberry Pi

First, ensure your Raspberry Pi (4/3/Zero/CM3/CM4) is running a recent OS with libcamera enabled. Connect the module's 22-pin FPC cable to the Pi's camera port (note the correct orientation). The included 15-to-22 pin adapter cable makes this compatible. No hardware modifications are needed. Boot the Pi and verify detection using the terminal command 'libcamera-hello --list-cameras'. The camera should appear as a V4L2 device. For programming, use the standard Picamera2 Python library or libcamera command-line tools. The Arducam Pivariety solution ensures it works identically to official Pi cameras.

This camera uses Arducam's Pivariety solution, which is natively supported by the libcamera and Picamera2 libraries on Raspberry Pi OS (Bullseye or later). No additional proprietary drivers need to be installed. Ensure your system is updated via 'sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade'. For Python development, install the picamera2 library using 'pip install picamera2'. The module functions as a standard Video4Linux2 (V4L2) device, so any V4L2-compatible software (like OpenCV) can interface with it using the /dev/video0 device node after enabling the camera interface via 'sudo raspi-config'.

Yes, the Sony IMX462 STARVIS sensor is specifically designed for ultra-low-light performance, operating effectively in near 0 lux conditions due to its high G-sensitivity (10471 G) and enhanced NIR sensitivity. For video, it supports up to 90 frames per second at 1280x720 (720p) resolution and 46 fps at 1920x1080 (1080p) in still mode. In Full HD 1080p video mode, the maximum frame rate is 30 fps. These high frame rates, combined with support for multiple exposure HDR and digital overlay HDR, provide clear, low-noise video even in challenging lighting environments like nighttime surveillance or astrophotography.

Yes, the lens is a standard M12 mount (also known as S-mount), allowing you to swap it with other M12 lenses of different focal lengths or apertures to suit your application. The included lens provides a wide 141.4-degree horizontal field of view (161° diagonal, 81.7° vertical). It has a fixed focal length of 2.1mm (±5%) and an aperture of F2.1 (±10%). The lens features manual focus, which you can adjust by rotating the lens barrel. This is useful for macro photography or fine-tuning focus for specific object distances. Ensure any replacement lens is designed for a 1/2.8-inch sensor format to avoid vignetting.