YOU CAN BUILD A CINEMA CAMERA THAT RECORDS THE SAME RAW FORMAT AS THE PROFESSIONAL ONES
A buildable cinema camera that records the same 12-bit CinemaDNG RAW as professional workflows, powered by a Raspberry Pi 4.
by Csaba Nagy
Open-hardwareDisplays
Built withRaspberry Pi3D printing
- difficulty
- ●●●●○
- time
- a long weekend
- license
- CC-BY-SA-4.0
- repo
- repo ARCHIVED1,422 stars
●●●●○ · a long weekend · CC-BY-SA-4.0 · 1,422 stars · repo ARCHIVED
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
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COMPAREE VERDICT
This is for someone who wants a modifiable cinema camera and is comfortable modifying hardware to get it. The draw is genuine: it records 12-bit CinemaDNG RAW, a frame-by-frame digital negative format that grading suites handle natively. The author calls the design a template and starting point: buttons, RTC and other parts can be swapped, while the Raspberry Pi 4B and the HQ Camera are the only hard requirements and the HyperPixel Square 4.0 display is a firm one, because the body is shaped around it. The constraint is the Super-8-sized sensor in the Raspberry Pi HQ module: it is far smaller than Super35 cinema sensors, so low-light performance and depth of field will not match larger formats no matter how good the RAW is. The README does not hide the difficulty: the design modifies hardware and is not recommended if you are not comfortable with a soldering iron, and the wiki is a build log rather than a step-by-step guide. If you have built electronics projects before and want a camera you can modify down to the enclosure, this is a real option. If you want something that works out of the box, this will eat more than a weekend.
IN THE REPO
GOOD TO KNOW
- —CAD files for the enclosure are present in STL and STEP formats, designed for standard FDM printing.
- —An itemised parts list with supplier links and prices is in the repo (docs/images/BuildGuide.md); the author invites you to swap buttons, RTC or display for equivalents.
- —The software is cinepi-raw, a C++ recorder forked from Raspberry Pi's rpicam-apps with a modified libcamera (both included as submodules). There is no software guide in the CinePI wiki; cinepi-raw's README lists Redis, Hiredis and Redis++ as requirements and points to the Raspberry Pi camera-software build docs, so expect a manual build on Raspberry Pi OS.
- —The README explicitly states hardware modifications are needed and warns this is not for beginners uncomfortable with soldering.
- —Licence is CC BY-SA 4.0 — you may modify and sell, but derivatives must carry the same licence and credit the original.
- —No official kit or PCB — this is a full DIY build where you source, solder and assemble every component yourself.
Parts to buy
11 itemsFrom our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Videos
CinePI V2 by Schoolpost | Hands-On1:55
Shows the finished camera, interface walkthrough and sample footage — this is the source of our video's visuals.
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Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Read the README and wiki assembly guide fully before ordering anything; the parts list in docs/images/BuildGuide.md names each component, and the author encourages swapping equivalents. (The README warns about hardware modifications; take that seriously.)
- 2.Print the enclosure parts; STL files are in the repo. The author printed his in PLA and lists PLA, ABS, ASA or PETG as options; a print service works too.(About a dozen parts (body, plates, brackets, lens turret, sunhood); the body is the long print.)
- 3.Source the Raspberry Pi 4, HQ camera module, HyperPixel Square display, Zero2Go power board, 18650 cells and remaining hardware from the parts list in docs/images/BuildGuide.md, which links each item.(The BOM lists the Pi 4B in 2, 4 or 8 GB versions; it is one of the two parts you cannot substitute.)
- 4.Flash 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS Lite, then build cinepi-raw following its README (Redis, Hiredis and Redis++ first, then the Raspberry Pi camera-software build steps)(This is terminal work: compiling C++ and its dependencies on the Pi, so budget extra time if you have never built software from source.)
KNOWN ISSUES
- Buying a different 4-inch screen than the HyperPixel Square 4.0 the enclosure is designed around: the printed bracket and screen plate fit that display, so any substitute means redesigning the parts.
- Not testing runtime: recording CinemaDNG RAW to an SSD keeps the Pi busy, so run a full-length test on the internal 18650 pack before relying on it for a shoot.
- Building the 18650 pack yourself without experience: the author deliberately gives no pack-building instructions because it can be dangerous. If you do build one, never skip or bypass the 4S BMS and its low-voltage cutoff, or you risk dead cells or a fire.
- Assuming the HQ camera module performs like a cinema sensor — it is Super-8 sized, so low-light and shallow depth of field are constrained by physics.
- Skipping the RTC module and discovering your clips have no usable timestamp metadata in post.
- Not testing the SSD write speed before a shoot — a slow USB 3 drive will drop frames and you will not know until you offload the footage.
What lenses can I use?
The Pi HQ camera has a C-mount, so any C-mount or CS-mount lens fits directly. You can adapt other mounts, but C-mount glass is cheap and plentiful.
How does the RAW compare to a Blackmagic or RED?
It records 12-bit CinemaDNG, an open RAW format that grading tools such as DaVinci Resolve handle much like other cinema RAW. The sensor is far smaller, so dynamic range, low light and depth of field will not match larger cinema sensors.
Can I use this commercially?
Yes — the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence permits commercial use. If you sell a modified version, you must release the design files under the same licence and credit the original.
How long does the battery last?
It uses an internal pack of four NCR18650B cells with a 4S BMS. Runtime depends on the cells, the SSD and how hard the Pi works, so test a full recording session before a shoot.
Is there a kit or PCB available?
No — this is a full DIY build. You source every component, print the enclosure and assemble it yourself.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
The sensor is Super-8 sized, so depth of field and low-light are physically constrained, but the 12-bit CinemaDNG RAW workflow is real. What would you shoot with it?
Csaba Nagy
Csaba Nagy (schoolpost) published CinePI V2 as a template and starting point for your own camera: the CAD files are included so you can modify the enclosure, and apart from the Raspberry Pi 4B and the HQ Camera module, every part can be swapped. He has since focused on the cinepi-raw recording software.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM1mo agoedited
Practical notes from our verification: the repository is archived and read-only since October 2023, so treat it as a finished reference design rather than an active project. It still has what you need to build: an itemised BOM (BuildGuide.md) with exact parts and Digi-Key or AliExpress links, including the Raspberry Pi 4B, the HQ Camera, a Pimoroni HyperPixel Square 4.0 display, a Zero2Go Omini power board, a PCF8523 real-time clock, four NCR18650B cells with a 4S BMS and a Noctua 40 mm fan, plus about a dozen STL parts and a STEP file for the enclosure. The recording software is cinepi-raw, a C++ application built on a forked libcamera, included as submodules. The README warns that the design modifies hardware and is not recommended if you are not comfortable with a soldering iron. The lens is the biggest open cost variable, since the design leaves the glass up to you. Correction (4 October 2026): we re-checked this page line by line against the project's own repository, documentation and videos, and fixed errors in earlier versions.