Raspberry Pi – the charity and single-board computer maker – has just released the “High-Quality Camera”, a fully-customizable interchangeable lens camera capable of shooting 12.3-megapixel stills and capturing 4K/30p video.

The official announcement was made by Simon Martin, Principal Engineer at Raspberri Pi, over on the site’s blog.

“There has always been a big overlap between Raspberry Pi hackers and camera hackers,” writes Martin. “Even back in 2012, people (okay, substantially Dave Hunt) were finding interesting ways to squeeze more functionality out of DSLR cameras using their Raspberry Pi computers.”

Since 2013, Raspberry Pi has released a few different camera modules: the original 5MP camera board based around the OmniVision OV5647 sensor, a Pi NoIR board for infrared photography and a follow-up camera board that used the Sony IMX219 8MP sensor (this unit replaced Raspberry Pi’s 5MP camera board, which has the distinction of being just two other products the company has ever officially discontinued).

This new module is built around the Type 1/2.3” (7.9mm diagonal) Sony IMX477 backside-illuminated CMOS sensor that features 1.55μm pixels (double that of the IMX219 found in the 8MP camera board) and can shoot 12-megapixel stills and 4K/30p video. In front of the sensor is a C and CS lens mount with adjustable back-focus, a mount most commonly used on 8mm, 16mm cameras, closed-circuit security cameras, and other industrial-focused systems. It even features a built-in 1/4”-20 tripod mount for supporting the system.

This represents a massive step up from the 8MP Camera Module V2 launched in 2016 and opens up a world of possibilities for DIY creators who want to really go crazy.

While any off-the-shelf C- and CS-mount lenses will work with the new sensor, Raspberry Pi has announced it will be working with its official retail partners to carry a pair of lenses: a 6mm CS-mount lens and a 16mm C-mount lens for $25 and $50, respectively. There’s always the option of 3D printing or purchasing a third-party adapter.

The High-Quality Camera is compatible with almost all Raspberry Pi models, starting with the original Raspberry Pi 1. Only exception is a number of early Raspberry Pi Zero boards that lack the connector.

Raspberry Pi has compiled accompanying support documentation on the product page, including a ‘Getting Started’ guide. There’s also ‘The Official Raspberry Pi Camera Guide’ that’s available to download for free as a PDF or buy in physical form on the Raspberry Pi Press Store for £10.

Follow a sample pictures:

The Raspberry Pi High-Quality Camera, which will remain in production until at least January 2027 per Raspberry Pi’s obsolescence statement, is available starting today for $50 on the Raspberry Pi website.