Using e-CAM21_CURB Monochrome Camera with Raspberry Pi for 3D Printing Monitoring
Hi everyone,
I’m looking for a camera solution to monitor my 3D printer at night using the e-CAM21_CURB 2MP OV2311 Global Shutter Monochrome Camera with my Raspberry Pi 4.
Here are my requirements:
e-CAM21_CURB Camera: I’m specifically interested in the 2MP OV2311 Global Shutter Monochrome Camera from e-con Systems.
Night Vision: Since this is a monochrome camera, I assume it performs well in low light. It would be great if anyone can confirm its night vision capability, especially for 3D printing monitoring at night.
Compact Size: A small and compact camera that doesn’t take up much space in my setup.
No Cloud Streaming: I prefer a local solution, so I do not want the camera to rely on cloud services.
Integration with Home Assistant: I would like to integrate the camera with Home Assistant for local monitoring, without needing any additional cloud setup.
I understand that the Mini+ 3D printer uses a USB drive, and I don’t have an additional USB port available for a webcam. However, this is not an issue as the camera will be powered by the Raspberry Pi.
Has anyone used the e-CAM21_CURB camera or something similar for 3D printing monitoring with the Raspberry Pi and Home Assistant? I’d appreciate any feedback on its night vision capabilities and integration tips.
Thanks in advance!
RE: Using e-CAM21_CURB Monochrome Camera with Raspberry Pi for 3D Printing Monitoring
You don't need global shutter cam ( they are usually much more expensive and are required for special use cases especially super low light conditions to capture undistorted image for further processing.
Wha you want to get is normal NoIR camera, which is a normal camera without infrared filter on it ( NoIR=no-infra-red). Yet you may still need a infrared light source to light up the print, and this the best option would be a classic infrared setup available for RaspberryPi used for bird nest boxes or night animal tracking, for example https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/night-vision-camera-module-for-raspberry-pi?variant=12516582817875 or arducam with motorized IR filter
See my GitHub and printables.com for some 3d stuff that you may like.