Webcams for Vision Portal
This is a short list of common webcams that are known to work with the FTC VisionPortal and the FTC Camera Controls.
VisionPortal is a comprehensive new interface for FTC vision processing, including AprilTag and TensorFlow Object Detection (TFOD).
Many more webcams can work with the FTC VisionPortal; this is a short list of models with built-in calibrations suitable for AprilTag pose estimation.
Logitech C270
Logitech C270 Camera
The Logitech C270 is available at the FIRST Storefront for new FTC teams, and at many online retailers.
FTC Hot Take:
The Logitech C270 is Logitech’s budget line of webcams. It is incredibly inexpensive, and fairly reliable. The C270 is the workhorse webcam for FIRST Tech Challenge.
The Logitech C270 has a 60-degree field of view, and a maximum frame rate of 30fps at 720p which makes it a reasonable choice for vision processing.
The audio quality of the C270 is lackluster, but audio is not generally a factor in FIRST Tech Challenge.
Supported Resolutions: 160x120, 176x144, 320x176, 320x240, 352x288, 432x240, 544x288, 640x360, 640x480, 752x416, 800x448, 800x600, 864x480, 960x544, 960x720, 1024x576, 1184x656, 1280x720
The FTC SDK provides built-in calibration values for the FTC VisionPortal default resolution of 640x480, and no others. Learn more at AprilTag Camera Calibration.
Logitech C310
Logitech C310 Camera
The Logitech C310 is available at some online retailers.
FTC Hot Take:
The Logitech C310 is also in Logitech’s budget line of webcams. It is slightly more expensive than the C270, and is a marginal step up.
Like the C270, the Logitech C310 has a 60-degree field of view, and a maximum frame rate of 30fps at 720p which makes it a reasonable choice for vision processing.
The C310 has slightly better color correction and dynamic color range than the C270, but these likely won’t be realized without using the webcam control interface provided by the FTC SDK.
The audio quality of the C310 is slightly better than the C270, but again audio is not generally a factor in FIRST Tech Challenge.
Supported Resolutions: not published; probably similar to Logitech C270.
The FTC SDK provides built-in calibration values for the FTC VisionPortal default resolution of 640x480, and for 640x360. Learn more at AprilTag Camera Calibration.
Logitech C920
Logitech C920 Camera
The Logitech C920 is available at many online retailers.
FTC Hot Take:
The Logitech C920 is in Logitech’s mid-range line of webcams. It is slightly more expensive than the C310, but is a dramatic step-up in quality. If you find a C310 for almost the same price as a C920, just buy the C920.
The Logitech C920 has a 78-degree field of view, and a maximum frame rate of 30fps at 1080p which makes it a fabulous choice for vision processing. The C920 also includes an auto-focus option, whereas the C270 and C310 are fixed-focus, though the auto-focus tends to be slow.
The C920 has additional options for mounting the camera, with a 1/4 inch threaded mount. The C920 also has a much better mounting clip.
The audio quality of the the C920 is phenomenally better than the C270, or C310, but again audio is not generally a factor in FIRST Tech Challenge.
Supported Resolutions: 160x90, 160x120, 176x144, 320x180, 320x240, 352x288, 432x240, 640x360, 640x480, 800x448, 800x600, 864x480, 960x720, 1024x576, 1280x720, 1600x896, 1920x1080, 2304x1296, 2304x1536.
The FTC SDK provides built-in calibration values for the FTC VisionPortal default resolution of 640x480, and five others: 640x360, 800x448, 800x600, 864x480, and 1920x1080. Learn more at AprilTag Camera Calibration.
Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000 v1/v2
Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000 v1/v2
The Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000 is available at some online retailers.
FTC Hot Take:
The Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000 has been a mainstay in FIRST Robotics Competition for a number of years, so it’s likely a local team might have one they will just give you. The HD-3000 has been around for over 10 years, with a “don’t fix what isn’t broken” mentality. It defines the “budget” part of Microsoft’s “budget” line of webcams.
The HD-3000 sports a 68.5 degree field of view, slightly wider than the Logitech C270 and C310 webcams, at 30fps at 720p (same as the others).
The HD-3000 is as “no-frills” as it gets otherwise, but at its price point that shouldn’t be much of a surprise.
Supported Resolutions: not published; up to 1280x720.
For v1 and v2 of this webcam, the FTC SDK provides built-in calibration values for the FTC VisionPortal default resolution of 640x480, and no others. Learn more at AprilTag Camera Calibration.
Other Webcams
Many other webcams are available online, with and without published UVC compatibility. The FTC SDK supports only UVC compatible webcams. Many modern webcams are UVC compatible without specifically advertising it; often indicated by “no drivers needed”.
In general, other webcams (not listed above) will require user-provided Camera Calibration Values. for AprilTag pose estimation.
A digital camera opens its shutter to allow light (“the image”) to reach the detector’s array of small sensors (pixels). (Webcam shutters are typically electronic, not mechanical.) Most webcams use a “rolling shutter”, where the the image data is read one pixel row at a time.
Another type of webcam, called “global shutter”, reads all pixels at the same time. This can help when the webcam (robot) is moving fast. Teams are encouraged to research the characteristics of rolling shutter vs. global shutter.
One difference is that many global shutter cameras use a compressed video format called MJPEG. This saves bandwidth, to offset a higher frame rate (frames per second or FPS). The FTC VisionPortal uses a default (uncompressed) video format called YUY2, but does allow specifying MJPEG.
Below is one example of a global shutter webcam, tested to work with the FTC VisionPortal.
Arducam Global Shutter 120 FPS
Arducam GS 120 Camera
The Arducam Global Shutter 120 FPS is available at some online retailers, including Amazon.
FTC Hot Take:
The Arducam OV9281 Global Shutter camera can pump out 100+fps in MJPG mode at full resolution, with phenomenal resistance to motion blur effects (due to the Global Shutter design).
The Arducam OV9281 is a monochrome (black&white) camera, so applications needing color should look elsewhere.
The Arducam OV9281 is fantastic in low-light scenarios, and has a very low-distortion lens making it perfect for object tracking and motion detection.
The Arducam required a patch to the SDK and EasyOpenCV to work properly at high speeds, so it is not guaranteed to work properly with the FTC SDK prior to SDK 9.0.
The FTC software have been observed to not function properly with more than one Arducam OV9281 at a time. If you encounter this issue please refer to the Serial Number Tool <https://docs.arducam.com/UVC-Camera/Serial-Number-Tool-Guide/> to reassign at least one of the Arducam serial numbers.
Supported Resolutions in YUY2 format: 1280x720, 1280x800. Note frame rate limitations.
Supported Resolutions in MJPEG format: 320x240, 640x480, 800x600, 1280x720, 1280x800.
The FTC SDK provides no built-in calibration values for this webcam. Learn more at AprilTag Camera Calibration.
Other Global Shutter Cameras
Two other tested global shutter webcams (offering different resolutions than the Arducam) are from
both of these are available from AliExpress and other online retailers.
Quick Summary
This below table summarizes the most common and known-supported cameras with the FIRST Tech Challenge SDK, including resolutions with built-in calibrations and those without calibrations.
Camera |
Features |
Resolutions with Built-In Calibrations |
Resolutions without Calibrations |
|---|---|---|---|
60 DegFOV, 30fps@720p |
640x480 |
160x120, 176x144, 320x176, 320x240, 352x288, 432x240, 544x288, 640x360, 752x416, 800x448, 800x600, 864x480, 960x544, 960x720, 1024x576, 1184x656, 1280x720 |
|
60 DegFOV, 30fps@720p |
640x480, 640x360 |
All other resolutions |
|
78 DegFOV, 30fps@1080p |
640x480, 640x360, 800x448, 800x600, 864x480, 1920x1080 |
160x90, 160x120, 176x144, 320x180, 320x240, 352x288, 432x240, 960x720, 1024x576, 1280x720, 1600x896, 2304x1296, 2304x1536 |
|
68.5 DegFOV, 30fps@720p |
640x480 |
All other resolutions |
|
70 DegFOV, 120fps@1280x800 MJPG, Monochrome |
No Built-In Calibrations |
MJPEG: 320x240, 640x480, 800x600, 1280x720, 1280x800; YUY2: 1280x720, 1280x800 |
|
Kayeton Global Shutter (Other Global Shutter Cameras) |
70 DegFOV, 120fps@720p MJPG, Monochrome |
No Built-In Calibrations |
All resolutions |
ELP Global Shutter (Other Global Shutter Cameras) |
70 DegFOV, 90fps@1920x1200 MJPG, Monochrome |
No Built-In Calibrations |
All resolutions |
Questions, comments and corrections to westsiderobotics@verizon.net