This blog post is kind of a playful idea on the iSight. However, if you want to take it seriously, you should consider using the High Quality Camera with the Pi as a USB webcam. The sensor on that HQ camera is HUGE, thus the picture quality is really really good, especially when you take time to figure out the focus and such [1] [2]. It's better than most if not all the webcams you can buy on the market. It's definitely more compact, cheaper, and less hassle than using the whole Mirrorless + HDMI capture-card setup if you want to upgrade your Zoom appearance.<p>On the software side, I have worked on the exact Pi-as-a-webcam software project for a while [0]. It's quite customizable and you can play with parameters of the camera to further extract values out of the hardware. I also am hoping, in the future, to implement "smart" functions such as auto-panning the camera and such.<p>However, I still couldn't figure out a good case for it so the setup looks kinda crummy, not as slick as the iSight.<p>0: <a href="https://github.com/showmewebcam/showmewebcam" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/showmewebcam/showmewebcam</a><p>1: <a href="https://hackaday.io/project/174479/gallery#715fab460d86cbd1144014c5b3cb72fb" rel="nofollow">https://hackaday.io/project/174479/gallery#715fab460d86cbd11...</a><p>2: <a href="https://hackaday.io/project/174479/gallery#da539049c84e7fd646ed2f6518ff93fa" rel="nofollow">https://hackaday.io/project/174479/gallery#da539049c84e7fd64...</a>
When I imagine a classic webcam, it's definitely the Logitech QuickCam Express (1999), with its memorable industrial design of an orb perched atop a stumpy pyramid. It only predated the iSight (2003) by 4 years, although there were earlier models with a similar design under the Connectix brand name dating back to 1994.
I just acquired an obsolete Tandberg teleconferencing system via surplus auction. The codec isn't much use to me, but the camera is 720p with pan/tilt/zoom/exposure controlled over serial. It looks outstanding and I can re-aim it easily in my office where I sometimes sit different places.<p>I use a cheap HDMI capture device to get the video off of it, and due to Cisco/Tandberg being a bit evasive about the control protocol I'm working on my own software to control it this evening... that and notes about getting it up and running here: <a href="https://github.com/jcrawfordor/tandyberg" rel="nofollow">https://github.com/jcrawfordor/tandyberg</a><p>These Tandberg systems were expensive ($1500 and up) when new but the outdated ones turn up at auction somewhat regularly and the cameras, having been top of the line at the time, are still pretty good by modern standards. I'm quite happy with it for $35. Later versions were 1080p as well.
I’ve used an unmodified iSight camera since working from home, it’s fine, no one needs more pixels of my face on calls.<p>Its FireWire 400 cable is connected to a powered drive enclosure to convert it to FireWire 800. That cable is connected to a Thunderbolt 2 adapter which is connected to a Thunderbolt 3 adapter. I already had all these parts; if I had a FireWire 400 to 800 cable, I wouldn’t need the powered enclosure, the iSight cable is detachable.
Screw this webcam stuff, the iSight chasis would make a sweet case for a raspberry pi zero. Install a Linux OS with MacOS clone interface and it’s like a baby Mac.<p>Apply a dark tint film on the top lens and a white diffuser and add an RGB led that turns on colorfully when you wake the voice assistant.
I actually imagined the iSight as soon as I read 'classic webcam'.<p>The only other 'classic' I can think of is the Logitech QuickCam Express.
This [1] hand labeled green cutting (project) matt image is just about the best ever. Really terrific visual. Gives me a Scott McCloud or How Things Work vibe.<p>Should we call that arrangement "unknolling"? I love it.<p>Fun project, great writeup.<p>[1] <a href="https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1*swkZD1-z23KR2FbsU3OUbQ.jpeg" rel="nofollow">https://miro.medium.com/max/2000/1*swkZD1-z23KR2FbsU3OUbQ.jp...</a>
I wonder if there is a way to salvage the microphones from the isight as well. Author hasn't lost a word about it so I guess it has been discarded.<p>I still have a knock-off iSight from eBay which was quite similar but of course had worse image and production quality. One advantage is that it features a thread on the bottom so it can be mounted to a small tripod which still looks quite nice. I use it for a time-lapse project that records the growth of a plant by taking a photograph every 15 minutes. The image resolution is a lot better than the video resolution on these things but still years behind the pi camera I guess.
Since we’re reminiscing — here’s the SGI Indycam:<p><a href="https://www.geektechnique.org/projectlab/641/how-to-turn-an-indy-into-a-dedicated-webcam.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.geektechnique.org/projectlab/641/how-to-turn-an-...</a><p>I called SGI in high school and received some beautiful brochures, on the Indy, and Indigo II. The webcam on the Indy was the most futuristic thing I’d seen at the time.
Modern industrial design is a nauseating mix of commodification and trend-following, both of which drive drive products in the same niche to look the same. It's the beige-box phenomena writ large. Electronics used to be sexy, dammit.
The idea of 1080p HD or even 4K webcams is silly when most videoconferencing software/apps limits to 320p or 720p.<p>Google Meet, for example, does not even support 1080p.
Good way to reduce your plastic consumption....NOT!, by unnecessarily 3D printing the housing for this project.<p>Sure the plastic will be here for a long time after we have all parted this earthly plane.<p>Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you should.