THEIA-CAM™ 13 Megapixel Phase Detection Auto Focus UVC Camera from THine Solutions is a great plug and play solution for developers. The THSCU101 uses a Sony IMX258 Imager, and works with any NVIDIA Jetson model Looky here:
Background
When you are developing a project or product on a Jetson, picking the correct camera can be a daunting task. There are many cameras to choose from, all at different price points, form factors, specifications and interface requirements.
THEIA-CAM THSCU101 on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3JVfim0
For many, developing on a MIPI camera is beyond what they are willing to invest in both time and technical expertise. This is doubly true in a Jetson environment. For many people, a simple USB Video device Class (UVC) interface makes sense. While some may try to use just a simple webcam, it is difficult to get one with a high quality sensor and a small form factor.
Take a look at their website to see why a solution like the THEIA-CAM from THine Solutions makes a lot of sense. It uses a high quality Sony IMX258 imager and combines this with their own Integrated Signal Processor. Lest you think that this is a one size fits all deal, here’s a surprise. You can get a Camera Development Kit (CDK) which allows you to program the ISP to your liking. This is unusual in the camera space, where most manufacturers keep this behind closed doors. You can use the camera as is in production if it meets your requirements. If you have something even more interesting in mind, THine Solutions is eager to help with bringing your custom solutions to market.
Also, this is a plug and play camera. In practice, the image quality is equivalent to an iPhone 12. The camera works with MS Windows, Apple Macintosh, Linux PCs, Raspberry Pis and other machines that support the plug and play format.
Basic Specs
Courtesy THine Solutions (https://www.thinesolutions.com/13mp-pdaf-uvc-camera)
The camera supports different formats, depending on if you are using USB 3 or USB 2. Here’s a table:
It is a rolling shutter camera. Make sure that if your camera doesn’t show all the above resolutions, that you update the firmware. Updating the firmware is a little tedious depending on in which platform you are using, but worth it to get mo’ better.
Let’s not pretend that I’m listing all the specs here. Here’s a link to the full datasheet. That should answer the real technical questions you have.
Manual Tuning
Without getting too deep into programming the ISP, you can adjust many of the camera parameters using UVC (as shown in the video). This includes general functions such as format and frame rate, along with camera control, image processing and UVC extension functions. Most of these are available through simple system calls when you are programming. Note that you can also dive deeper into the customization process by adjusting firmware features of the camera using the Camera Extension Controller.
Conclusion
I’ve been using the THEIA-CAM for a while now, and have found it really enjoyable to use. This is a real high-res camera with a large feature set. It is priced competitively, but it’s the real deal. Don’t expect a $50 webcam type of quality or price. If you’re working on a project, this is definitely worth checking out!
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