TheIntel RealSense D405is a palmsize closerange depth camera built on theD401 stereo moduleand Vision Processor D4 v4. Where other RealSense cameras prioritise mid to longrange depth, the D405 is engineered for one mission:ultraprecise 3D perception at 750 cm. With aMinZ of just 7 cmandsubmillimetre accuracy, it detects features down to the 0.1 mm level a capability no other RealSense camera can match at this form factor. It captures depth at1280 720 / 90 fpsthrough aglobalshutter stereo pairand colours the point cloud using anonmodule ISP that derives RGB from the left depth imager, eliminating the need for a separate colour sensor and keeping the body ultracompact. The D405 draws~1.55 Wfrom USB, weighs only~60 g, and is powered by the opensourcelibrealsense SDK 2.0with fullROS / ROS 2support.

Features

• 7 cm MinZ UltraClose Depth Capture Starts detecting depth at just7 cm(vs ~28 cm on D435 / ~52 cm on D455), enabling machinevision workflows that no other RealSense camera can perform without specialised optics.
• SubMillimetre Accuracy Depth error < 2% at 50 cm; individual feature detection down to0.1 mmat the 7 cm working distance ideal for precision inspection, component placement, and qualitycontrol tasks.
• Optimised for 750 cm Range The D401 stereo module is specifically calibrated for closerange operation, delivering the highest depth quality precisely where other RealSense cameras are weakest.
• No Dedicated RGB Sensor RGB colour is synthesised from theleft depth imager via onmodule ISP, perfectly coregistered with depth (no extrinsic calibration drift) and enabling a much smaller and lighter housing.
• 87 58 Depth FOV Wide field of view at close range gives generous spatial coverage for desktop and workcell capture volumes without sacrificing resolution.
• Global Shutter on Both Depth and Colour Eliminates motion blur and rollingshutter artefacts when capturing moving parts on assembly lines or during robotarm pickandplace cycles.
• 1280 720 @ 90 fps Depth Highresolution, highframerate depth streams keep up with fast automation cycles and deliver dense, lownoise point clouds.
• Compact & Lightweight At42 42 23 mmand~60 g, the D405 is the smallest and lightest RealSense camera easy to integrate into spaceconstrained robot endeffectors, handheld devices, or compact enclosures.
• Low Power ~1.55 Wtypical (depth + IR) with a 35 mW standby mode, suitable for batterypowered or thermally sensitive embedded deployments.
• Dual Mounting Threads 1/420 UNC tripod thread plus 2 M3 screw holes for direct robotframe, armend, or fixture mounting.
• Vision Processor D4 v4 Onboard ASIC handles all stereo matching and ISP processing, offloading the host CPU and reducing USB bandwidth requirements.
• Open SDK & ROS Support Crossplatform librealsense 2.0 (Python, C++, C#, Java, MATLAB) and realsenseros / realsense2ros packages for rapid prototyping and production deployment.

Specifications

Reference Documents

• Intel RealSense D405 Official Specifications
• Intel RealSense D401 Depth Module Specifications
• librealsense SDK 2.0 GitHub Repository

Application

• Precision Robotics & PickandPlace 7 cm MinZ and 0.1 mm feature detection enable reliable binpicking, component placement, and microassembly with SCARA or delta robots operating in tight workspaces.
• Inline Quality Inspection & Defect Detection Submillimetre depth resolution catches surface defects, dimensional variances, and assembly faults on productionline parts at close range with no additional optics.
• Medical & Healthcare Noncontact wound measurement, surgicaltool tracking, and 3D woundbed modelling for healingprogress monitoring; global shutter handles movement without distortion.
• Agricultural Harvesting Closerange, submillimetre fruit and vegetable detection for robotic picking heads on fragile produce that requires gentle, precise gripper alignment.
• PCB & Electronics Inspection Inspect solder joints, component placement, and trace integrity at 750 cm working distance the exact range of most benchtop optical inspection stations.
• Handheld 3D Scanning Compact 60 g body and wide FOV at close range are ideal for handheld portable scanners capturing fine surface details on objects held in the operator’s hand.
• AR / VR NearField Interaction Handtracking, objectplacement, and deskscale spatial mapping benefit from the D405’s closerange depth accuracy and perfectly aligned colour from the left imager ISP.
• OEM / Embedded Integration The D401 bare module version enables highvolume OEM embedding; the compact 42 mm camera is small enough for drone landing pads, endoscopic companions, or labautomation platforms.

Packing List

FAQ

1. How does the D405 differ from the D435 and D455 series?

The D405 uses the dedicatedD401 shortrange stereo modulewith a7 cm MinZ(vs ~28 cm on D435 and ~52 cm on D455). It is engineered for closerange precision tasks at750 cmwith accuracy down to 0.1 mm. By contrast, the D435 and D455 are optimised formid to longrange (0.3 m 10 m)applications. Additionally, the D405 hasno independent RGB sensor colour is derived from the left depth imager via an onmodule ISP which keeps it ultracompact at 42 mm 42 mm 23 mm.

2. What does “MinZ of 7 cm” mean in practice?

MinZ is the closest distance at which the camera can produce valid depth data. The D405 starts outputting accurate depth at7 cmfrom the lens surface at 640 480 resolution. This is critical for desktop inspection, endeffectormounted robotics, and any scenario where the camera must be very close to the target surface or object.

3. How does the D405 produce RGB without a dedicated colour sensor?

The D405 uses theleft stereo depth imagercombined with an onmoduleImage Signal Processor (ISP)that colourises the monochrome depth image. Because both colour and depth originate from the same sensor, they areperfectly intrinsically aligned there is no extrinsic calibration drift between depth and colour streams, which is a structural advantage over cameras with separate RGB sensors.

4. Does the D405 work outdoors?

The D405 can be used in outdoor environments with caution. Like all RealSense activestereo cameras, direct sunlight can saturate the IR projector and degrade depth quality. For outdoor shortrange tasks, shading the camera improves results. If your primary environment is outdoors with strong ambient light, consider a LiDARbased solution like theIntel RealSense L515for sunlight immunity.

5. Can the D405 be used with ROS or ROS 2?

Yes. The officialrealsenserosandrealsense2rospackages expose depth, colour, and pointcloud topics as standard ROS messages. Ubuntu 18.04 / 20.04 / 22.04 are officially supported. Python examples and prebuilt Docker images are also available for rapid prototyping without a native Linux install.

6. What is the power consumption of the D405?

The D405 draws~1.55 Wduring active depth and colour streaming and drops to35 mWin standby. This is the lowest power draw in the RealSense camera family, making the D405 well suited for batterypowered, thermally constrained, or embedded robot deployments where heat dissipation is a concern.

7. Is the D405 available as a bare module for OEM integration?

Yes. The underlyingIntel RealSense D401 Depth Moduleis available separately for highvolume OEM customers who want to embed the stereo optics and ISP into their own enclosures or products. Volume pricing and integration support are handled through Intel’s sales channel contact OpenELAB for D401 module availability and lead times.

8. Can multiple D405 cameras be used simultaneously without interference?

Yes. Multiple D405 units can operate in the same space without mutual interference from their IR projectors, unlike some structuredlight cameras. This makes the D405 suitable formulticamera rigsfor 360 coverage, volumetric capture, or stereopair augmentation in desktopscale work cells.

9. Does the D405 support hardware synchronisation?

The D405 supportssoftware synchronisation(timestamp matching through librealsense). For precise hardwaresync use cases, consider theD455 serieswhich includes a dedicated sync cable header for framesynchronised multicamera setups.

10. What frame rates and resolutions are available for depth and colour?

The D405 outputs depth at1280 720 @ 90 fps(primary),848 480 @ 90 fps, and640 480 @ 90 fps. Colour (from ISP) is available at1280 720 @ 90 fpsor1920 1080 @ 30 fps. Both depth and colour share the same 87 58 globalshutter FOV, ensuring pixelaccurate colour mapping across the entire depth field.