Global Shutter Camera Module¶

The Global Shutter Camera Module is a monochrome sensor that captures fast motion without rolling-shutter artifacts. Suited to high-speed tracking, drones, and machine-vision snapshots. The module ships with either the MT9V024 or MT9V034 sensor.

For full datasheet, photos, and ordering see the Global Shutter Camera Module product page.

Highlights¶

752x480 global-shutter monochrome sensor
80 FPS at QVGA, 200 FPS at QQVGA, 400 FPS at QQQVGA
55 dB dynamic range
Compatible with all modular OpenMV Cam base boards

Usage¶

Stream grayscale video at 320x240 (QVGA):

import csi
import time

csi0 = csi.CSI()
csi0.reset()
csi0.pixformat(csi.GRAYSCALE)
csi0.framesize(csi.QVGA)
clock = time.clock()

while True:
    clock.tick()
    img = csi0.snapshot()
    print(clock.fps())

The sensor automatically activates pixel binning at lower resolutions — 2x at QVGA (320x240) or smaller, 4x at QQVGA (160x120) or smaller — which cuts readout time proportionally and pushes the frame rate up. The camera still has to integrate light for the requested exposure window though, so pair the framesize drop with a shorter exposure cap via csi.CSI.auto_exposure to actually hit the higher rates (the image will be darker — plan on extra lighting):

import csi
import time

csi0 = csi.CSI()
csi0.reset()
csi0.pixformat(csi.GRAYSCALE)
csi0.framesize(csi.QQVGA)
csi0.snapshot(time=2000)  # let auto-exposure settle
csi0.auto_exposure(True, exposure_us=5000)  # cap exposure
clock = time.clock()

while True:
    clock.tick()
    img = csi0.snapshot()
    print(clock.fps())

Triggered mode lines pixel integration up exactly with each csi.CSI.snapshot call, so captures synchronize to the snapshot rather than the camera’s free-running frame clock — useful for syncing to an external event or another sensor. Enable it through csi.CSI.ioctl with csi.IOCTL_SET_TRIGGERED_MODE — frame rate drops to roughly half of free-running mode because the readout no longer pipelines with the next frame’s integration:

import csi
import time

csi0 = csi.CSI()
csi0.reset()
csi0.pixformat(csi.GRAYSCALE)
csi0.framesize(csi.VGA)
csi0.snapshot(time=2000)

csi0.ioctl(csi.IOCTL_SET_TRIGGERED_MODE, True)

clock = time.clock()
while True:
    clock.tick()
    img = csi0.snapshot()
    print(clock.fps())