PiShot: DIY camera on Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W with 3D-printed body

An enthusiast known as Irtaza2009 has unveiled the PiShot project — a compact digital camera built around a Raspberry Pi. The device is housed in a 3D-printed case that resembles classic compact cameras: a screen sits on the back, and a cold shoe mount for flashes or microphones is on top.

Inside the body are a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W single-board computer and a Camera Module 3. Power comes from an 18650 lithium-ion cell connected through a battery management and power supply board. Tactile switches wired to GPIO pins handle shutter control, and an ST7789 SPI display shows the output.

The software side is Python-based: a script processes button presses, captures frames, and renders them on the screen. The author notes the project remains active — the repository is still updated, even though the build was first presented several months ago.

Hackaday, which covered the story, flags a potential drawback: Python scripts on Raspberry Pi often run slowly, which could affect shooting speed. The editors hope PiShot has managed to squeeze out decent performance, but they have not tested the device.

A suggested upgrade is swapping the standard camera module for an HQ version with a larger sensor, which would turn the device into a mirrorless-style compact. Similar projects have appeared before, so the idea is not new, but Irtaza2009's implementation stands out for being ready to use and open source.

The project appeals not only as a DIY kit for photography fans but also as an example of modular Raspberry Pi assembly: the case, display, buttons, and battery are all standard parts, and the code is easy to adapt for other tasks, like building a time-lapse camera or document scanner. Still, for everyday shooting, it is unlikely to replace a smartphone — its strength lies in education and experiments with computer vision.