Does this MT9T112 camera module need a lens, and can it be used for night-sky imaging?
Asked 10/20/2015
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I'm considering a build-it-yourself project using an MT9T112 / MI-SOC3132 3.1MP CMOS camera module with adapter board. It looks like the module may not include a lens, so I'm trying to understand whether I need to buy one separately and what kind of lens would fit a module this small.
My goals are:
- taking sharp images of the night sky, especially the moon and brighter stars
- also reusing the same camera later for closer subjects, roughly a few inches to about a foot away
Can this type of module work without a lens, and if so, when would that make sense? If I do need a lens, would a fixed/manual-focus lens be enough for these uses?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
10y ago
2 Answers
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It appears that this "camera module" does not have a lens (though from the illustration it seems to have an IR-blocking filter). There are lenses for the module on the same page, though they do not appear to have diaphragm, mechanical shutter or electronic focus mechanism.
The Micron spec sheet indicates that it would be feasible for the module to control a lens with electronic focus mechanism. However, if your interest is astrophotography, the lens can be manually set to infinity.
With the f 2.8 lens, this module should easily take pictures of the moon with the 0.44 V/lux responsivity, but that might be a bit short of the responsivity needed to capture faint nebulae or dim stars. However, you might skip using a lens and simply place the module at the focal plane of an inexpensive reflecting telescope. You'll need a clock drive, too, unless you just want to capture star trails or the moon.
Originally by user35542. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user35542
10y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—this type of camera module generally needs a lens unless you are placing the sensor at the focal plane of another optical system, such as a telescope. From the product description and image, the module appears not to include a lens, though it may have an IR-cut filter.
Small board-camera lenses are usually sold separately for the module or mount type. The lenses mentioned for this module appear to be simple lenses without iris, shutter, or autofocus, so you would likely set focus manually.
For your uses:
- Moon / bright sky objects: a lens can work, especially if it is reasonably fast (for example around f/2.8).
- Dim stars / nebulae: this module is likely limited; a telescope or other larger optical system would be more suitable.
- Close subjects: you would need a lens that can focus at those distances, or an adjustable-focus lens.
If astrophotography is the main goal, manually focusing the lens to infinity is fine. For the best results on faint objects, using the bare module at a telescope’s focal plane may make more sense than using a tiny standalone lens.
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