SATURNIX: A 3D PRINTED RASPBERRY PI CAMERA THAT SHOOTS RAW AND LOOKS LIKE A FILM PROP
A cassette-futurist camera body around a Raspberry Pi Zero that writes DNG files and looks like it belongs on the set of Alien.
by Yutani140x
Open-hardwareDisplays
Built withRaspberry Pi3D printing
- difficulty
- ●●●●○
- time
- a weekend-plus
- license
- MIT
- repo
- repo ACTIVE442 stars
●●●●○ · a weekend-plus · MIT · 442 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Jump to section
COMPAREE VERDICT
SATURNIX is a functional 16 megapixel autofocus camera in a resin-printed body with a cassette-futurist look. It writes DNG raw files alongside JPEG, applies film-inspired looks on the camera, and is operated through five mechanical keyboard switches and a small screen with a deliberately retro interface. The repository is complete: firmware, a PDF assembly manual with BOM, GPIO pinout and wiring diagrams, and STL and STEP files for the body — though the author warns the manual is still being revised. The single thing most likely to go wrong is the hand wiring between the Pi, the screen, the keys and the UPS HAT, whose header is removed so it can be hard-wired inside the shell; the sensor itself just plugs into the CSI ribbon connector. The other catch is the body: it is designed for MSLA resin printing in ABS-like resin, not FDM. You build this because you want a camera that looks like this and exists nowhere else, not because it is cheaper or better than commercial hardware. If that proposition does not appeal, this is not the project. If it does, the documentation will get you there.
IN THE REPO
GOOD TO KNOW
- —Repository ships STL and STEP files for the body, a complete PDF assembly manual, and MIT-licensed firmware.
- —Hardware is CERN-OHL-S-2.0 (strongly reciprocal: share modified design sources if you distribute hardware) and documentation/photos are CC BY 4.0 (attribution required).
- —BOM is in the Assembly Manual (§02): Pi Zero 2 W, Arducam IMX519, Waveshare 2-inch LCD, Waveshare UPS HAT (C), five Kailh low-profile switches and small hardware.
- —No Gerbers because there is no custom PCB — assembly is the printed body, off-the-shelf electronics, and wiring.
- —Six film-inspired JPEG presets (S-Saturnix, S-Gold, S-Vivid, S-Natural, S-MonoX, VHS) run on-device; they and the rest of the camera behaviour are configurable in config.json.
- —The SATURNIX logo and brand assets are excluded from the open licence and may not be isolated or reused.
Parts to buy
12 itemsFrom our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.
- Arducam IMX519 16MP autofocus moduleFind
- Raspberry Pi Zero 2 WFind
- Waveshare 2-inch IPS SPI LCDFind
- Waveshare UPS HAT (C) with batteryFind
- Five Kailh Low Profile 1350 switchesFind
- SS12D10 power switchFind
- Passive buzzerFind
- USB-C panel socketFind
- MicroSD card (32GB+)Find
- HeatsinkFind
- M1.7 and M2 screwsFind
- Silicone hook-up wireFind
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
More builds like this
All projectsGallery
Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Read the assembly manual PDF in the repository (The manual has exploded diagrams and the GPIO wiring map; read it before ordering parts to confirm you are comfortable with the soldering and assembly steps.)
- 2.Order the Arducam IMX519 module and other electronics from the BOM(The sensor is the most expensive single part and the project will not work with a cheaper Pi camera module; the firmware is written specifically for the IMX519.)
- 3.Print the body parts in ABS-like resin on an MSLA printer using the reference profile in Manual §03(Use ABS-like resin — standard resin cracks under screw torque. Wash, cure fully, then test-fit the keycaps in the rear cover and the boards in the DIONE mount before painting.)
- 4.Install Raspberry Pi OS (Legacy, 32-bit) on the microSD card, add the Arducam IMX519 driver and copy the SATURNIX software folders as Manual §05 describes, then boot the Pi to test the sensor, screen and keys before final assembly (Testing the electronics on a bench before they go into the body will save you from disassembling the camera if a wire is loose or a key is not responding.)
KNOWN ISSUES
- The project is built around the Arducam IMX519 autofocus module and its driver; another camera module would mean adapting the software and the body yourself.
- The wiring between the Pi, the screen, the keys and the UPS HAT is hand-soldered hook-up wire following the manual's GPIO map (the UPS HAT's header is removed so it can be hard-wired); if a connection is bad the camera will boot but keys or the screen will not respond. The sensor itself just plugs into the CSI ribbon connector.
- Printing on a different resin printer without calibrating: the author's profile is for the Anycubic Photon P1 with Anycubic ABS-like resin, and the manual says any other printer or resin needs its own exposure calibration print first. Do not use standard resin — it cracks under screw torque.
- Expecting accurate film simulations: the presets (S-Saturnix, S-Gold, S-Vivid, S-Natural, S-MonoX, VHS) are simple creative looks; you tune them in config.json, not from an in-camera menu.
- Ordering the wrong UPS board: the case, wiring and shutdown logic are built around the Waveshare UPS HAT (C) only, and a wiring fault on SDA/SCL makes the camera shut down right after boot.
- If you reuse the project's own documentation, photos or renders, CC BY 4.0 requires attribution — the author suggests 'SATURNIX Camera by Yutani140x, CC-BY-4.0'. Builds shared publicly should be called 'based on SATURNIX', because the plain SATURNIX name and logo are reserved for the author's official releases.
Can I use a cheaper Raspberry Pi camera module instead of the Arducam IMX519?
The project is built around the Arducam IMX519 autofocus module and its Arducam driver, and the body is shaped for it. Another module would mean adapting the software and possibly the body yourself.
How long does the battery last?
There is an internal battery on the Waveshare UPS HAT (C) with an on-screen percentage and charging indicator, and the camera shuts down automatically at 5% to protect the SD card. The author does not publish a runtime figure, and the Pi Zero 2 W is not a low-power board.
Can I modify the film emulation presets or add my own?
Yes. JPEG presets, ISO and shutter menus, UI colours and GPIO pins are all set in config.json on the camera, so tweaking a look is a text edit, not a code rewrite. The full reference is in Manual §07.
What resolution and frame rate does it shoot video at?
The repository and manual focus on stills (DNG raw and JPEG); video capability is not mentioned, so assume this is a stills-only camera unless proven otherwise.
Can I sell cameras built from these files?
Yes — the README explicitly allows building and selling hardware based on the project. The hardware is CERN-OHL-S, so if you distribute modified hardware you must publish your modified design sources under the same licence and link back to this repository. The firmware is MIT. You may call your product 'based on SATURNIX' or 'SATURNIX-compatible', but the plain SATURNIX name and logo are reserved for the author's official builds.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
An IMX519 autofocus sensor, a Pi Zero 2 W, mechanical keyboard switches and a resin-printed body — it will never beat a phone on specs, and it is not trying to. Would you build it for the feel and the film looks?
Yutani140x
Yutani140x built SATURNIX as a personal project out of a love of cassette futurism and cameras as physical devices — their first device build — and open-sourced it after sharing it online drew strong interest. The project combines a resin-printed body, open firmware and a deliberately retro interface.
Keep building — related projects
Same category or platform, picked by how close they are to this build.
FULL CADYou can build night vision goggles out of an old VR headset
Open-hardwareFor advanced builders
FULL CADYou can build a model of the space station that moves with the real one overhead
DisplaysFor advanced builders
FULL CADYou can build a cinema camera that records the same RAW format as the professional ones
Open-hardwareFor advanced builders
FULL CADYou can build a spinning disk that paints a floating 3D globe in mid-air
DisplaysFor expert builders
NO CAD FILESYou can build a wall clock that follows your network's precision time and shows it to nine decimal places
DisplaysFor advanced builders
FULL CADYou can make the LEGO Game Boy actually play games
Open-hardwareFor advanced builders
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.
CompareeTEAM2mo agoedited
Practical notes from our verification: the repository includes a PDF assembly manual with the full BOM, a master GPIO pinout and per-module wiring diagrams, which makes this much more buildable than most Pi camera projects — though the README warns the manual is still being revised and may contain errors, and there is a Discord for updates. Power is handled by a Waveshare UPS HAT (C) with a battery, a real battery percentage, a charging indicator and automatic shutdown at 5 percent; order exactly that board, because the case and wiring are designed around it, and its factory header and switch are removed so it can be hard-wired inside the shell. The film-style presets, menus, colours and GPIO pins are set in config.json, so tweaking them does not need code changes. The body is designed for resin printing in ABS-like resin, not FDM, so if you only own a filament printer, plan for that first. The manual also advises test-fitting the keycaps and boards before final assembly. 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.