zr300 or d400/435?

[ANag1]

Hello,

I am new to the realsense technology. I am planning to get one of the realsense camera. However I am unable to decide which one to purchase. d400 is certainly better quality with higher resolution but is heavier than zr300.

d400 mass is given as 72 gms in the spec sheet, however I could not find out the mass of zr300.

Also to run either of this camera, do I need to get a development board, or they could be run by plug and play into the pc like a Kinect.

Finally, I am from Singapore, are there local vendors where I can find these cameras quickly, then getting it shipped from the USA.

Thanks in advance,

AN

[MartyG · Accepted solution]

I was not able to find a mass for the ZR300 Development Kit camera, unfortunately.

It is not certain when the D-cameras will be released. They will apparently be going through a pre-order phase first before they are available. So if your project has an urgent deadline, the ZR300 would be a better choice as you can get one immediately.

Please be aware though that the ZR300 model is being retired imminently, so if you want the latest technology that will remain current for a couple of years before being replaced my another model, a D-camera would be the appropriate choice. However, international Intel Approved Distributor companies may not be able to order stock of them for some time, as the cameras have not been released yet. At present, Singapore is also not listed on Intel's list of countries that they will ship the D-cameras directly to when released.

Both the D-cameras and the ZR300 need a computer or a development board to run. I do not have any information about which boards would be compatible with the D-cameras. The most compatible development boards for the ZR300 would likely be the Intel Joule (which is retired) and the recent Up Core board.

Singapore is listed on the ship-to countries for the ZR300 camera model, so you should be able to buy one directly from Intel's online Click store. Alternatively, you could inquire to the Intel Authorized Distributor companies in Singapore listed below.

[ANag1]

Thanks MartyG,

That looks like some good pointers to start with. I checked the d-series is not available for pre-order for any location probably. Then I have to go with the zr300. I was a bit confused whether I need to have the development board, but as you said it could be either used with a pc or board, so I should be able to plug and play with my Linux system. Thanks again for your suggestion. I will check with the vendors you sent me.

Just a quick question, can I use the ZR300 for development in unity 3D?

[MartyG]

I haven't seen anyone use the ZR300 with Unity, so I do not know how compatible it would be with the Linux version of Unity 2017. Traditionally, RealSense cameras have been used with the Windows version of Unity to create RealSense applications. Whilst I never say that something is impossible, I believe it would be highly unlikely to work with the Linux version of Unity.

Intel are working on Unity compatibility for the new RealSense SDK 2.0 that will be the cross-platform SDK for the D415 and D435 cameras. So perhaps Unity compatibility in Linux will be a future possibility with those cameras.

[ANag1]

Hi MartyG,

Apologies for the confusion. I meant the windows version of Unity 3d here. That sounds great. Looks like zr300 is the camera I need now. However the vendor list you provided, they dont have realsense cameras. So probably I have to get it shipped from USA.

Thanks again for your pointers. Great Help.

[MartyG]

You're very welcome. I haven't even seen the ZR300 used with the Windows version of Unity. If it were possible, I would expect Unity to treat it like an R200 camera though, since the ZR300's IR components are identical to the R200's IR parts.

[ANag1]

Hi MartyG,

So you are saying ZR300 would not be possible to integrate with Unity 3D (windows). I am planning to access the point cloud. I saw someone already did it with R200 camera.

[MartyG]

I do not have the knowledge to say with certainty that it is impossible. It would be an interesting thing to try if you were going to buy an ZR300 anyway for use with Linux, but I would not get a ZR300 solely on the hope that it might work fine with Unity, given the uncertainty on that subject.

I do not know how you plan to use your robot. But if it is a Turtlebot-like robot with SLAM navigation, you could likely do it with an older R200 camera. This is currently available from the online Click store as part of the RealSense Robotic Development Kit, which is on greatly discounted special offer at $169 because the stock is being cleared due to R200's retirement

Paste the link below into a browser window to find out more.

clearpathrobotics.com/2016/05/mapping-navigating-intel-realsense-r200-camera/

An R200 would also give you much greater confidence about being able to achieve your project goals with Unity. It can also ship to Singapore.

The Robotic Development Kit includes an R200 camera and an Up Board development board.