Aug 14, 2025

Public workspaceImage capture with Raspberry Pi

DOI
https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.261geeoywg47/v1
  • Cassidy Schneider1,
  • Spencer Koury1,
  • Laurie Stevison1
  • 1Auburn University
Cassidy Schneider
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DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.261geeoywg47/v1
Protocol Citation: Cassidy Schneider, Spencer Koury, Laurie Stevison 2025. Image capture with Raspberry Pi. protocols.io https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.261geeoywg47/v1
Manuscript citation:
Schneider C, Koury S, Stevison L. 2025. Protocol: An absolute egg-to-adult viability assay in Drosophila melanogaster. microPublication Biology. 10.17912/micropub.biology.001656
License: This is an open access protocol distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License,  which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Protocol status: Working
We use this protocol and it's working, but the GitHub repository is private
Created: April 03, 2025
Last Modified: August 14, 2025
Protocol Integer ID: 126106
Keywords: Drosophila, software, image capture with raspberry pi, image capture, pi camera, stevison lab, egg quantification in fiji, use of the stevison lab, egg quantification, attached pi camera, pictures of narrow vial, containing egg, image processing, protocol, vial, egg, image, picture, following protocol, narrow vial, sample, software
Funders Acknowledgements:
NIH
Grant ID: R35GM147501
Abstract
This protocol outlines the use of the Stevison lab's ImageCaptureApp software (available at: https://github.com/StevisonLab/ImageCaptureApp), running on a Raspberry Pi with an attached Pi camera to take pictures of narrow vials containing eggs. Although the protocol and software was developed for this purpose, it can be used to take pictures of any set of samples.

This protocol was developed to be used alongside the following protocol:
- Image processing and egg quantification in Fiji (dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.q26g75bo3lwz/v1)
Materials
  • Raspberry Pi (Model 4B) set up for taking pictures (https://github.com/StevisonLab/ImageCaptureApp)
  • 5mp camera (SKU: B0031, Arducam) 1/4” (OV5647)
  • 1/2.5″ M12 Mount 16mm (SKU: , Arducam)
  • M12 lens with HFOV 10° on 1/4” RPi Camera (SKU: LN001, Arducam)
  • Vial holder (square block with vial-sized cylindrical cutout)
  • 2 lamps with 12.2W, 1100 lumens, daylight (5000K) bulbs (e.g., Model # BR30DMHO/950CA/2, Feit Electric)
  • Tray of vials to be photographed
  • Optional. Empty tray (for completed vials)
Troubleshooting
Set up
Turn on and sign in to the Raspberry Pi
Run ImageCaptureApp

Note

In a dark room, place lamps each one foot away from the ring stand on either side of it (left and right) with light bulbs aimed up
If not already in place, position camera 24 cm above table
Place vial holder in frame of image using camera preview
Take pictures
Create or load vial list
Select vial ID for first vial from list
For each vial to be imaged:
Validate destination file name matches current vial’s ID
Remove vial plug and place vial in holder under camera
Position vial in frame, making sure entire egg-laying surface can be seen in image preview
Adjust focus by turning lens
Click “Take picture” and wait for buttons to be reenabled

Wrap up
Back up images to desired location

Close all tabs
Close ImageCaptureApp and any other open windows
Sign out and shut down the Raspberry Pi