Tuesday 11 June 2013

A simple enclosure for the Raspberry Pi Camera

After installing the camera module I wasn't happy leaving it exposed outside the Rasperry Pi's case and started to think about how to protect it, and hold it steady while taking photos.

I found a small black plastic enclosure in my junk box and decided to mount the camera board inside it. I drilled a hole for the lens and two smaller holes for mounting LED's to provide supplementary illumination in low light conditions if required (these will be added later...).


The Raspberry Pi camera board does have mounting holes, but some of the components on the board are very close to the holes, so rather than risk damage to the board I decided to mount it using four small double sided sticky foam pads.


Here's a photo of the camera board mounted in the enclosure...


...and here's what it looks like from behind.


I cut away and filed the edge of the enclosure's wall, and the edge of the lid, to allow the ribbon cable to pass through without being pinched. The following photo shows the enclosure with the lid fitted and the ribbon cable passing out through the slot.


I mounted the camera enclosure on top of the Raspberry Pi's case using some larger double sided sticky foam pads...


... and routed the ribbon cable in through the back of the Raspberry Pi's case. I had to trim the case slightly in order to allow the ribbon cable to enter without being pinched.


So there you have it! A very simple and dare I say rough and ready enclosure for the Raspberry Pi camera board using a small plastic enclosure I had to hand. All I have to do now is find something to photograph...

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