The Matrix and Max Payne didn't invent the famous Bullet Time, but they certainly helped put it on the map, transforming it into a goal for many photography and cinema enthusiasts. The good news is that costs have dropped, and what was once only within reach of a Hollywood production is now possible with low-cost hardware. Eric Paré and his team are experts at creating the Bullet Time effect, and they decided to push it to the limit with a special configuration of 15 Pi Cams and Raspberry Pi.
The Raspberry Pi Camera
The official Raspberry Pi camera averages around 30 euros. With 8 megapixels of resolution and an ultracompact format, DIY enthusiasts have used it for all kinds of projects. However, the feeling is that it falls short in specific cases. That led the Raspberry Foundation to release its update, the Pi Cam HQ with 12.3 megapixels and a C mount, allowing us to experiment with different lenses.
So, what can we do? How about Bullet Time? That's right: the effect brought to fame by The Matrix and the classic Max Payne is within our reach. Obviously, professionals adopt much more advanced configurations with DSLR cameras and complex synchronization systems, but Eric Paré decided to follow this particular low-cost route, and after multiple adjustments, we must admit the final result is very good:
From Photogrammetry to Bullet Time
Eric and his team began working on a Pi Cam version of their multi-camera system several months ago, although at first it had nothing to do with Bullet Time, but with photogrammetry. The reduced size of the cameras became an advantage, as Eric was able to achieve a much higher density than normal in these structures.
But the first version suffered calibration problems due to a small detail: The Pi Cam's lens is mounted on the PCB with a kind of thermal paste (which in the video looks like foam), destroying any attempt at precision extended to fifteen modules. The solution was to modify each of the lenses to eliminate the paste and obtain more solid joints.
The Setup
The general configuration is based on 15 normal Pi Cams, 15 Raspberry Pi 3B+, and continuous light. There are no custom electronic components here beyond the necessary mod on the lenses, and a small PCB to send a signal to the speedlite. Each Pi connects to a laptop via Ethernet, and the trigger is a simple Bluetooth unit used for PowerPoint. Needless to say, Eric does not plan to replace his professional equipment with this, but it opens a wide range of possibilities, and it is also compatible with the new HQ modules.
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