Show HN: I made a tiny camera with super long battery life

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Overall reception & product positioning

  • Many commenters praise the engineering depth, documentation, and especially the clear, honest landing page and “fine print.”
  • The industrial design and custom enclosure are widely admired; some compare it favorably to typical Show HN launches.
  • Several people say it fills a narrow but interesting niche (stealthy, ultra-long-life still camera), though others find the niche unclear and suggest marketing it more explicitly as a security or timelapse camera.

Image quality, samples, and specs

  • Multiple photographers say sample images are essential and are frustrated they’re not on the main site; some demo images exist only via the Mac app and in the repo.
  • Specs gleaned from the thread: about 3 MP (2304×1296), 12-bit RAW, AR0330 sensor. Some appreciate the honest resolution vs. “fake” upscaled megapixel claims.
  • Some doubt suitability for helmet/lifelogging timelapse without stabilization.

Mac-only software & platform debates

  • Large subthread around the Mac-only companion app.
  • Creator’s reasons: minimal on-device processing to save power, unformatted SD as linear ring buffer, tiny MSP430 code space, RAW-only pipeline, and a personal preference for polished native Mac apps.
  • Many non-Mac users say “Mac-exclusive” copy is off-putting and commercially limiting, especially for a device marketed as open and hackable.
  • Suggested alternatives: USB mass storage or MTP with a filesystem, a USB-powered bridge MCU, WebUSB/web app, Electron/Qt/Flutter, or at least a basic cross-platform CLI.
  • It’s noted that a low-level CLI tool already exists and could be used on Linux; some urge making this more prominent.

Hardware architecture, power, and storage

  • Architecture: MSP430 with FRAM for state, ICE40 FPGA handling high-speed sensor → SDRAM → SD writes, STM32 for USB.
  • Discussion of why MSP430 was chosen (FRAM, ultra-low sleep current) vs modern low-power ARM/RISC-V options; some argue battery self-discharge dominates, so a beefier MCU could be justified.
  • Camera writes RAW to an unformatted SD card as a ring buffer; uses high-endurance cards and wear-leveling.
  • Battery: ~50k–80k stills per charge, but SD holds ~20k images; then oldest frames are overwritten. Very long theoretical timelapse durations are computed.

Enclosure, mounting, and serviceability

  • Custom machined, anodized aluminum case costs about $18/unit at ~125 quantity; significant manual assembly.
  • Weight around 70 g. No tripod mount; people request standard or GoPro-compatible mounting.
  • Battery is technically replaceable but not user-friendly (sealed backplate, custom tool, low-profile connector).
  • Water resistance and PIR motion sensor behavior are discussed; motion doesn’t work through glass and can be over-sensitive outdoors in wind.

Open-source status & extensibility

  • Repo currently lacks an explicit license, so several point out it’s “source-available,” not fully open source, and urge adding a proper license.
  • Many appreciate the detailed blog posts (architecture, rainproofing, manufacturing) and see the device as a great platform for hacking, including potential ports, new UIs, and alternative power/trigger schemes.