TyPHON RASP PI CINEMA CAMERA
Typhon – DIY 3D Printed Cinema Camera (Raspberry Pi 5 + IMX585 + NVMe)
Typhon is a fully 3D‑printable, open‑source cinema camera built around the Raspberry Pi 5, a Sony IMX585 sensor, and NVMe SSD recording. It accepts C‑mount lenses and runs on the combined software power of CinePi and Cinemate – two outstanding GitHub projects.
Whether you're a filmmaker, a maker, or just tired of locked‑down cameras, Typhon gives you RAW recording, low‑light excellence, and total control over your hardware.
📸 Key Features
3D‑printed rigid body – print in PETG, ASA, or ABS. No expensive CNC needed.
Raspberry Pi 5 – the brain. Fast PCIe, plenty of GPIO, real computing power.
IMX585 (StarlightEye) sensor – Sony STARVIS 2, excellent dynamic range and low‑light sensitivity.
NVMe SSD – connected via Pi 5’s PCIe interface. Records Cinema DNG RAW at high bitrates without dropping frames.
C‑mount lens mount – use vintage lenses, modern machine vision glass, or adapted optics.
Based on CinePi + Cinemate – RAW capture pipeline + intuitive Python UI with GPIO buttons, rotary encoders, and web remote.
🧠 What can it do?
Record 12‑bit or 16‑bit RAW sequences (Cinema DNG).
Adjust ISO, shutter, frame rate, white balance on the fly.
Start/stop recording with physical buttons – no screen required (optional display support).
Remote control via any browser on your local network.
Swap lenses in seconds thanks to the C‑mount thread.
🛠️ What you need (BOM)
Part Notes
Raspberry Pi 5 (4GB or 8GB) Required
IMX585 sensor module (StarlightEye) Available from Arducam or similar
NVMe SSD (M.2 2230 or 2280) + PCIe adapter For Pi 5
Lilliput 4" monitor (selfiemonitor) mini hdmi
C‑mount lens Any brand works
Power supply (5V/5A USB‑C) For Pi 5
M2/M3 screws, heat set inserts See assembly guide
Filament (PETG recommended) ~500g
📂 Project origins
Typhon is not a from‑scratch project – it’s a physical and software fusion of two incredible open‑source repositories:
CinePi – the core camera firmware and RAW recording engine.
Cinemate – the user interface, button handling, and web remote.
All credits go to their developers. Typhon provides the 3D printable chassis and integration guide to turn those projects into a handheld cinema camera.
🖨️ Print instructions
Layer height: 0.2 mm
Infill: 40% (gyroid or honeycomb for rigidity)
Supports: Yes, for the C‑mount ring and button recesses
Material: PETG or ASA (PLA works for prototypes but avoid heat)
Orientation: Print main body vertically with the lens facing up
All STL files, STEP files, and a Fusion 360 source are included.
🔧 Assembly overview
Insert heat‑set inserts into the printed body.
Mount the Pi 5 + NVMe adapter + SSD.
Connect the IMX585 sensor via its FPC ribbon cable (or CSI‑2 adapter).
Screw the C‑mount ring into the front plate.
Attach buttons/encoder to GPIO (see wiring diagram in /docs).
Flash CinePi/Cinemate image to microSD, boot, and configure.
Close the back panel, attach lens, and start shooting.
Detailed assembly PDF is inside the /assembly folder.
⚠️ Notes
This is a DIY advanced project – basic soldering and Linux familiarity help.
The IMX585 sensor is not included in the 3D files – you source it separately.
NVMe speed depends on the Pi 5 firmware; use a known‑working PCIe adapter.
📜 License
3D models: tag @disgrazia.production on IG.
Software components follow their original licenses (GPLv3 / MIT).
Build your cinema. Own your image.