top of page
Search

Controlling the Raspberry Pi Camera Module

We teach and learn by making !


At Haruki Robotics Lab, students explore how coding interacts with real hardware. In this project, we use the Raspberry Pi Camera Module to take photos and record videos — first from the command line, and then with Python code. It’s a practical way to see how software and hardware work together.


ree

Step 1 – Capture Images from the Command Line

Once your Camera Module is connected and enabled, open a terminal on your Raspberry Pi and type:

rpicam-still -o ~/Desktop/image.jpg

This takes a photo and saves it to the Desktop as image.jpg. You’ll briefly see a camera preview before the shot is taken.

To change the size of your image, add width and height options:

rpicam-still -o ~/Desktop/image-small.jpg --width 640 --height 480

Step 2 – Record a Video

Use this command to record video with the Camera Module:

rpicam-vid -o ~/Desktop/video.mp4

When the video finishes recording, play it back with VLC:

vlc ~/Desktop/video.mp4

💡 For more details, check the official Raspberry Pi documentation for rpicam-still and rpicam-vid.


Step 3 – Control the Camera with Python

Next, let’s use Python to control the Camera Module using the picamzero library.

First, install it by running:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install python3-picamzero

Then open Thonny (or any Python 3 editor) and create a new file named camera.py.

Show a Preview

from picamzero import Camera
from time import sleep

cam = Camera()
cam.start_preview()
sleep(5)

This starts the camera preview for five seconds, then closes automatically.

Flip the Camera View

cam.flip_camera(hflip=True)
cam.start_preview()
sleep(5)

You can also combine both horizontal and vertical flips:

cam.flip_camera(hflip=True, vflip=True)

Step 4 – Take Still Pictures with Python

Now let’s take a photo and save it to your Desktop.

from picamzero import Camera
import os

home_dir = os.environ['HOME']
cam = Camera()
cam.start_preview()
cam.take_photo(f"{home_dir}/Desktop/new_image.jpg")
cam.stop_preview()

A preview window opens, a photo is taken, and the file new_image.jpg appears on your Desktop.


Step 5 – Capture Multiple Images

You can take several photos in sequence:

cam.capture_sequence(f"{home_dir}/Desktop/sequence.jpg",
                     num_images=3,
                     interval=2)

This captures three images with a two‑second pause between each.


Step 6 – Record Video with Python

Modify your code to record a video instead of still images. After running it, your video file will appear on the Desktop.


Learning Goals

  • Use basic command‑line tools like rpicam-still and rpicam-vid.

  • Control the Raspberry Pi Camera Module using Python.

  • Capture, flip, and organize photos and videos through code.


Next Steps

  • Experiment with different resolution values.

  • Automate photo capture every few minutes with a loop.

  • Add AI tools to detect faces or objects in your photos!


At Haruki Robotics Lab, we teach and learn by making. This project lets students experience real‑world coding — using simple commands and short Python programs to bring their Raspberry Pi camera to life.


Comments

bottom of page