Here's a quick guide on how to use the Mini Spy Camera to make timelapses and control from a microcontroller like a Trinket.

Camera modes

The Spycam can work in two different modes- video and snapshot.

In general, the white trigger line is pulled high.

If trigger is pulsed low for a short amount of time (less than half a second) it will take a photo.

If trigger is pulsed low for a long amount of time (a second or longer) it will start/stops video recording.

Follow these instructions to make your own timelapse camera!

Wiring

  • Spycam BLACK -> Trinket GND
  • Spycam RED -> Trinket BAT+
  • Spycam WHITE -> Trinket PIN 0 (Trigger)

Solder

 Solder the connections listed above between the Trinket & the Spycam. 

 

Also solder a JST connector to the back of the Trinket so you can plug in a Lipo battery.

 

The larger the battery, the longer it will run, but note that the Spycam is limited to storing 1000 photos maximum.

Below is the code to take a photo every 10 seconds on a Trinket! Follow our Trinket starter guide to learn how to upload code to your Trinket

Code

int trig = 0;
int led = 1;

void setup() {                
  // initialize the digital pins as output.
  pinMode(led, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(trig, OUTPUT);         

  digitalWrite(led, HIGH);  
  digitalWrite(trig, HIGH); 
}

// Hold HIGH and trigger quick (<250ms) LOW to take a photo. Holding LOW and trigger HIGH starts/stops video recording

void loop() {
  digitalWrite(trig, LOW);   
  digitalWrite(led, LOW);
  
  delay(50);               

  digitalWrite(trig, HIGH);    
  digitalWrite(led, HIGH);   

  //Delay between pictures
  delay(10000);               
  
}

This guide was first published on Nov 29, 2016. It was last updated on Nov 29, 2016.

This page (Overview) was last updated on Nov 02, 2016.

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