Direct sensor-FPGA communication slashes latency for embedded camera applications

RS Components is now offering the Digilent Pcam 5C fixed-focus colour imaging module, created for use with FPGA development boards. The Pcam 5C offers a reliable, keenly priced peripheral for electronics designers constructing devices with embedded camera applications. The device is constructed around the 5-megapixel Omnivision OV5640 image sensor, offering a number of internal processing functions to enhance image quality. These comprise automatic black level calibration, automatic white balance, and controls to alter saturation, hue, gamma and sharpness. The device comes with a fixed-focus lens fitted to a standard M12 lens mount to enable interchanging. It is executed on a 4cm x 2.5cm PCB with a 1x7 straight header to enable access to auxiliary camera signals. Output formats include RAW10, RGB565, CCIR656, YUV422/420 and YCbCr422. Data transfer connecting the image sensor and its host development board is via a dual-lane MIPI CSI-2 interface, giving sufficient bandwidth to support regularly used streaming video formats including 1080p (full HD) at 30fps and 720p (standard HD) at 60fps. The physical connection is a 15-pin FFC that is pin compatible with the familiar Raspberry Pi camera connector; a 10 cm FFC is supplied with the device.