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TWO SCANNERS SOLD AS BROKEN BECAME A 3.2 GIGAPIXEL CAMERA

Two scanners sold as defective became a camera designed for 3.2-gigapixel, 80,000 x 40,000 pixel images.

by Yannick Richter (Gigawipf)

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

Open-hardwareScience

Built withRaspberry PiRaspberry Pi Pico / RP2040

difficulty
●●●●●
time
weeks to months
license
license not specified
repo
repo FINISHED0 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Videos
1
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COMPAREE VERDICT

This is a technical achievement, not a weekend build. Yannick (Gigawipf) bought two Epson flatbed scanners sold as defective (a V300 and a V370) on eBay and turned their linear CCD into a medium format camera designed for up to 80,000 x 40,000 pixel images - 3.2 gigapixels with 16-bit colour, beyond any commercial camera's resolution, as long as the subject stays still. The build log is thorough: reverse-engineering the ILX561K sensor and its clock-generator protocol, first captures with an RP2350, then a Raspberry Pi 5 driving the sensor directly through PIO, a linear motion stage, Pentax 6x7 lenses and iterative mounts until alignment was tight enough. The payoff is real - in a 200-megapixel test shot, small labels on a frequency counter stay readable when you zoom in. The code and his interface board files are on GitHub, but he says the repo is a work in progress and likely not enough to recreate the camera on its own, and the mount CAD is not published. If you want a cheaper, simpler scanner camera, Yunus Zenichowski's 489-megapixel Super Cheap Scanner Camera shares its 3D files on GrabCAD, though he too calls his design unfinished. The one thing most likely to go wrong: buying a scanner with a different CCD, then realising weeks in that the protocol does not match.

GOOD TO KNOW

  • —Detailed public build log on hackaday.io (4 logs, components list, project video) plus a GitHub repo with the interface code, the Qt capture app, a Pico breakout board (Eagle) and the Raspberry Pi camera schematic. The creator says the repo is a work in progress and likely not enough to recreate the camera on its own; the mount CAD is not published.
  • —No licence published — the project is documented but not released as a kit or downloadable build package
  • —CAD files for the 3D printed mounts are not published
  • —You will need to reverse-engineer the scanner CCD protocol yourself or adapt his interface board design to your specific scanner model
  • —A simpler alternative exists: Yunus Zenichowski's Super Cheap Scanner Camera reaches 489 megapixels; he estimates under 150 euros and shares the 3D file on GrabCAD, but calls the design unfinished.
  • —Commercial use status is unclear due to absent licence

Parts to buy

10 items

From our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.

  • Two used Epson scanners with the ILX561K CCDFind
  • Raspberry Pi 5Find
  • 100 mm linear stage with 4 mm pitchFind
  • TMC2209 stepper driverFind
  • Pentax 6x7 lensFind
  • 8-inch Waveshare DSI touchscreenFind
  • NVMe SSD with m.2 adapterFind
  • IMX219 camera and IR cut filtersFind
  • Parts for the interface board in the GitHub repofrom the repo files
  • Oscilloscope or logic analyzer if your scanner differsFind

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Can I build this?

PrintMultiple iterations of sensor mount brackets (STL files not published — you design or adapt these yourself)
BuyTwo used Epson scanners with the ILX561K CCD (V300 and V370 in the original, bought as defective), Raspberry Pi 5, 100 mm linear stage with 4 mm pitch, TMC2209 stepper driver, Pentax 6x7 lens, 8-inch Waveshare DSI touchscreen, NVMe SSD with m.2 adapter, IMX219 camera and IR cut filters, parts for the interface board in the GitHub repo; an oscilloscope or logic analyzer if your scanner differs
ToolsSoldering iron for direct sensor data line connections, oscilloscope for protocol analysis, 3D printer, PCB fabrication (order or etch yourself)
SkillsAdvanced electronics (CCD sensor reverse-engineering, oscilloscope protocol decode, board-level soldering), low-level Raspberry Pi programming (PIO timing, high data rates), mechanical iteration (mount alignment is trial-and-error)
TimeWeeks to months depending on how closely your scanner matches the original and how much reverse-engineering you need to do
CostHigh; the creator does not publish a total. Expect a medium format lens, a Raspberry Pi 5, a linear stage, a touchscreen and two used scanners.
SafetyNone beyond ordinary electronics care — low voltage throughout, no mains modification, no lasers or hazardous chemicals

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

Videos

Project Gigapixel | Developing a 3200MP linear scan medium format camera (Gigawipf)

Full walkthrough of the build including oscilloscope captures and example images

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Gallery

cdn.hackaday.io
imageio.forbes.com
img.youtube.com

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Read the full build log on hackaday.io (This is the primary source - protocol notes, build logs and the components list are here; the code and interface board files are in the creator's GitHub repo (work in progress).)
  2. 2.Watch the main YouTube walkthrough (Shows the oscilloscope work and final image quality)
  3. 3.If you want a simpler open build, check the Super Cheap Scanner Camera alternative(489 megapixels, estimated under 150 euros by its creator, 3D file on GrabCAD - but he calls the design unfinished)

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

KNOWN ISSUES

  • The CAD files for the 3D printed sensor mounts are not published — you will be designing or adapting these yourself based on your scanner model and lens
  • Scanner models matter — the CCD protocol, pinout, and physical dimensions vary, so buying a different model means re-doing the reverse-engineering with an oscilloscope
  • No licence is published on the project — treat this as a build log to learn from, not a released kit you can replicate exactly
  • Medium format lenses are expensive and the focal length has to match the sensor sweep geometry — expect to spend significant time on lens selection and testing
  • Alignment is iterative — the build log shows multiple printed mounts before the sensor was positioned correctly, and you will likely do the same
  • Image processing for a 3.2 gigapixel file is computationally heavy — expect long processing times and large file sizes

Can I download the CAD files and replicate this exactly?

Not exactly. The interface code and board files are on the creator's GitHub, but the printed mount CAD is not published, the repo is a self-described work in progress, and the build is specific to the Epson V300/V370 sensor he used. Treat it as a documented build to learn from, not a released kit.

What if I buy different scanner models?

You will need to reverse-engineer the CCD protocol and pinout yourself with an oscilloscope, then adapt the interface board and firmware to match. Scanner CCD designs vary significantly.

How does this compare to the simpler open scanner camera alternative?

Yunus Zenichowski's Super Cheap Scanner Camera reaches 489 megapixels using cheap old projector lenses; he estimates under 150 euros if you have a 3D printer and shares the 3D file on GrabCAD, but says the design is not finished and is troublesome to replicate. Project Gigapixel aims much higher (3.2 gigapixels) with a medium format lens and direct sensor control, and publishes its code and interface board files, but not a complete build package.

What dominates the cost?

The creator does not publish costs. The likely big items are the medium format lens (he used Pentax 6x7 lenses), the Raspberry Pi 5, the touchscreen and the linear stage; the scanners were bought cheaply as defective.

How long does it take to capture one image?

The sensor sweeps mechanically across the frame like a flatbed scanner, so expect exposure times measured in seconds to minutes depending on the sweep speed and lighting.

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Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

The original build started from two Epson scanners bought as defective — a V300 and a V370 — and their linear CCD. What would you search for first: specific scanner models with a known sensor, or any broken flatbed you can reverse-engineer?

CompareeTEAM1mo agoedited

Practical notes from our verification: the hackaday.io build log documents the reverse-engineering of two Epson flatbed scanners (a V300 and a V370 bought as defective) and their ILX561K linear CCD, with the controller ending up on a Raspberry Pi 5 after RP2350 tests. The log has a component list and three files (a test image, a test video and a reference schematic from the Epson service manual), and the creator's GitHub repo, linked from his video, adds the interface code, the Qt capture app, a Pico breakout board and the camera schematic. He says the repo is a work in progress and likely not enough to recreate the camera on its own; the mount CAD is not published and no licence is stated. The first linked video is the creator's own development video; the second is a different builder's 489-megapixel scanner camera. If you enjoy reverse-engineering as much as the final photograph, this is the project. 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.

Yannick Richter (Gigawipf)

Yannick Richter documented this build under the username Gigawipf. The project started with two broken flatbed scanners bought on eBay and the question of what else a linear CCD sensor could do. The full reverse-engineering process — oscilloscope protocol decode, board-level soldering, iterative mount printing — is public on hackaday.io.

Web

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