RaspberryPi-Camera-Timelapse

Overview

The RaspberryPi-Camera-Timelapse project is a low-power camera solution managed via the Blynk platform. It captures images at scheduled intervals, detects humans in the frame, overlays information such as timestamp and temperature, and uploads the enhanced images to Cloudinary. Power management is optimized using the Witty Pi 4 Mini for controlled sleep cycles, making it efficient for remote monitoring or time-lapse photography.

Key Features

• Scheduled Image Capture: Configurable intervals for image capture, fully managed through Blynk.
• Human Detection: Real-time notification via Blynk if a human is detected in the image.
• Cloud Upload: Automatic image upload to Cloudinary for remote access.
• Low Power: Utilizes Witty Pi 4 Mini to control power, making it battery-friendly.

Components

To replicate this project, you’ll need the following components:

• Raspberry Pi Zero 2 WH: The main processing unit, chosen for its small form factor and low power consumption.
• Witty Pi 4 Mini: A real-time clock and power management module that allows the Raspberry Pi to operate on a timed power cycle, greatly reducing power usage.
• Raspberry Pi Camera Module V2: The camera used for capturing images (Arducam 8MP IMX219 175 Degree)

Getting Started

Prerequisites

Make sure you have the following software and accounts set up:

1. Python 3: Installed on your Raspberry Pi.
2. Blynk Account: For remote monitoring and control.
3. Cloudinary Account: For uploading and storing captured images.
4. SSH Access: To deploy and manage your code on the Raspberry Pi remotely.

Software Setup (Raspberry Pi OS)

1. Camera Configuration

To configure the camera, follow these steps:

1. Open the configuration file:

   sudo nano /boot/firmware/config.txt

2. Modify the following lines:
   • Find the line camera_auto_detect=1 and update it to:

     camera_auto_detect=0
     

   • Find the line [all] and add this below it:

     dtoverlay=imx219
     

3. Save the file and reboot the system:

   sudo reboot

Refer to the ArduCam IMX219 Camera Documentation for more details.

---

2. Verify Camera Functionality

To ensure the camera is working, run:

libcamera-hello

In my setup, I use the Arducam 8MP IMX219 175 Degree Ultra Wide Angle Raspberry Pi Camera Module. I noticed that images had a significant purple tint by default. To address this, I use a tuning file. You can download the tuning file imx219_160d.json and apply it when running libcamera commands. This resolves color issues and improves overall image quality.

Additional information can be found here:

libcamera-still -o output.jpg --tuning-file /path/to/imx219_160d.json

---

3. Install Required Packages

Install the necessary Python libraries and dependencies:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install python3-pil python3-opencv

---

4. Install WittyPi 4 Mini

To install the WittyPi 4 Mini software:

1. Download and install the script:

   wget https://www.uugear.com/repo/WittyPi4/install.sh
   sudo sh install.sh

---

5. Manage camera.service

The camera.service file manages the automatic execution of the camera script.

Create the service file

1. Open the service configuration file:

   sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/camera.service

2. Copy and paste your camera.service content into this file.

Enable and start the service

1. Enable the service to run at startup:

   sudo systemctl enable camera.service

2. Start the service:

   sudo systemctl start camera.service

Check the service status

To verify if the service is running:

sudo systemctl status camera.service

View service logs

Use journalctl to check logs:

sudo journalctl -u camera.service

Stop or disable the service

• To stop the service manually:

  sudo systemctl stop camera.service

• To disable the service at startup:

  sudo systemctl disable camera.service

---

Software Setup (DietPi)

DietPi is recommended for its lightweight and faster performance compared to Raspberry Pi OS. Follow these steps to set it up:

1. Install OpenSSH Server

Install git with dietpi-software Install the OpenSSH server to enable scp and SSH functionality:

sudo dietpi-software install openssh-server

2. Camera Configuration

To configure the camera:

1. Open the configuration file:

   sudo nano /boot/config.txt

2. Add or modify the following lines:

   camera_auto_detect=0
   dtoverlay=imx219
   

3. Save the file and reboot the system:

   sudo reboot

3. Install libcamera Applications

Install libcamera and related tools:

sudo apt install libcamera-apps

4. Verify Camera Functionality

Test the camera functionality:

libcamera-hello

If you are using a non-original Arducam camera, such as the Arducam 8MP IMX219 175 Degree Ultra Wide Angle Raspberry Pi Camera Module, download and use the tuning file imx219_160d.json. Using this file helps correct significant color issues (e.g., purple tint) and improves image quality:

libcamera-still -o output.jpg --tuning-file /path/to/imx219_160d.json

5. Install Python Libraries

Install required Python libraries:

sudo apt install python3-pil python3-opencv