My rear camera module came in the mail today. Here is the packaging
The actual camera module measures 8.5 x 8.5 x 4.0mm.
Including the connector cable, the total length is 17.4mm.
The connector itself is about 7.6 x 1.5mm.
To make it sit securely, this piece of plastic, confusungly called "connector", is needed.
It has a bit of rubbery material on the back, pressing on the camera connector.
For protection, there's also a plastic front cover.
Let's get installing. Here are the instructions.
There's a slot for the camera module under the top cover.
The module is attached via its connector.
It's held in place with that plastic piece.
Then the new top cover is mounted.
And finally, with the front lens cover mounted.
Before my Gemini was 15.2mm at its thickest point.
Now it is 17.0mm when measured at the camera hump.
Now for some pictures, here's a B4 page of text in reasonable light
The rear camera has auto focus, but isn't all that sharp.
This picture is taken at dusk, about one hour before sunset.
Here is the same picture, but with the front camera.
And, for comparison, a picture from my Samsung Note8 @ 5MP.
Here is the sun setting over the neighborhood.
The same picture with the front camera.
And, again, with my Note8.
So, what do I think? Well, the rear camera is clearly better than the front camera, but that doesn't mean it's good. It resolves very little detail for 5MP. The pictures looks more like 1MP stretched to 5MP. As the camera module claims it can record video in 3840x2176, which would be 8.3MP, it seems the module itself isn't afraid of some interpolation. This makes me think even the 5MP it reports to the camera API might be after some interpolation, but without knowing the exact specs of the module, I'm just guessing here.
Anyway, I find it reasonable for what it is. Sure, I would have preferred a camera at least as good as the 2MP camera in my 2006 Sony Ericsson K750i cellphone, but this is an add-on for a first generation crowdfunded device, bought in very low quantities, and the price paid must cover everything from the new front cover to international shipping and, presumably, UK VAT, so I'm not going to complain. If sufficiently large, it reads even the biggest QR codes without issue and it can make a page or screen of text readable. That's likely the most I'd demand from it, so, yeah, I think it's ok. That said, don't buy this if you need actually good pictures.
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