Pikon II, The Ultimate DIY Raspberry Pi Camera!
Build your own Raspberry Pi Camera with the PiKon II. This project guides you through the steps to create a high-quality camera system using the Raspberry Pi and Python.
25 July 20253 minute read
Table of Contents
Pikon II, The Ultimate DIY Raspberry Pi Camera!
Build your own Raspberry Pi Camera with the PiKon II. This project guides you through the steps to create a high-quality camera system using the Raspberry Pi and Python.
Videos
For every project I create, I often make a corresponding YouTube video. Sometimes, there might be more than one video for a single project. You can find these videos in this section.
Explore more through these this dedicated videos.
I created the original Pikon camera back in August 2022, and its a project I take with me to events and shows such as OpenSauce and Maker Faire Rome. The original Pikon camera was a great project, but it had some limitations, such as the lack of a UI to take pictures from the camera, and lack of a touchscreen display. The camera was also quite a basic design, and I wanted to improve it with a more robust chassis and better components.
The PiKon II is the next evolution of the Pikon camera, and it features a new design, a touchscreen display, and a more robust chassis. The camera is powered by a Raspberry Pi 5, and uses the PiCamera2 library to take pictures and video.
PiKon II Overview
The PiKon II is a DIY Raspberry Pi camera project that allows you to build your own camera system. This guide provides step-by-step instructions to create a high-quality camera using the Raspberry Pi and Python.
Features
The PiKon II camera features:
- A Raspberry Pi 5 as the main controller
- A 3.5-inch touchscreen display for easy interaction (Waveshare 3.5 inch SPI IPS display)
- A high-quality camera module (Raspberry Pi HQ Camera)
- A custom-designed chassis for a robust and stylish look
- A user-friendly interface to take pictures and videos
- A standard tripod mount for easy mounting
Bill of Materials
| Item | Description | Quantity | Price | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raspberry Pi 5 | Main controller | 1 | $60 | $60 |
| Raspberry Pi HQ Camera | High-quality camera module | 1 | $50 | $50 |
| Waveshare 3.5 inch SPI IPS display | Touchscreen display | 1 | $20 | $20 |
| 3D Printed Chassis | Custom-designed chassis | 1 | $10 | $10 |
| M2.5 Screws | For assembly | 10 | $5 | $5 |
| M2.5 Standoffs | For mounting the Raspberry Pi | 4 | $5 | $5 |
| M2.5 Nuts | For securing the camera mount | 4 | $2 | $2 |
| USB Power Bank | Power supply for the Raspberry Pi | 1 | $15 | $15 |
| SD Card | Storage for the Raspberry Pi | 1 | $10 | $10 |
| Total | $177 |
Assembly
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Attach the Front section to the chassis using 4x M4 screws.
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Attach 4 M2.5 standoffs to the Raspberry Pi 5 - the variety that has both the male and female threads. Use these to attach the Raspberry Pi 5 to the touchscreen display - it mounts to the bottom of the Raspberrry Pi 5 with the pogo-pinks connecting to the GPIO on the revesrse side of the Pi 5.
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Insert the Camera cable into one of the Raspberry Pi 5’s 2x MiPi connectors.
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Carefully push the camera end of the cable through the slot in the front of the chassis
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Connect the camera cable to the HQ Camera module, the black band on the cable should face the back of the camera module.
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Attach the HQ Camera mount to the chassis. 4 M2.5 screws are used to secure the camera mount to the chassis, with the screws pointing out of the chassis. Use an M2.5 nut to hold the screw in place and also to provide a stand off for the camera module.
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Take the SD Card out of the Raspberry Pi and insert the Pi 5 into the chassis
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Insert the SD card into the Raspberry Pi 5 - you may need to use some long-nose pliers to insert the SD-Card.
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Insert the 2 Power USB powerbank into the chassis
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Attach the bottom section of the chassis to the main chassis using 4x M2 screws
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Plug the power cable from the battery into the Raspberry Pi 5
Gallery
3D Models
Here are the 3D printable STL files:
STL List
| File | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| pikon_ii_chassis.stl | Top | The main chassis section of the PiKon II camera |
| pikon_ii_bottom.stl | Bottom | The bottom section of the PiKon II camera |
| pikon_ii_fronta.stl | Front | The front section of the PiKon II camera |
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