A camera system comprising: a plurality of peripheral cameras, the peripheral cameras arranged around a center point such that an optical axis of each camera is within a plane and a field of view (236,238,240) of each camera faces away from the center point, and that outside of a threshold distance any object (242,244) in a portion of a local area is within a field of view (236,238,240) of at least two peripheral cameras; at least one top axis camera (212,214;260,265) that is positioned such that an optical axis of the at least one top axis camera (212,214;260,265) is along an alignment axis that runs perpendicular to the plane through the center point; a first rigid plate positioned along the alignment axis such that the alignment axis bisects a center of the first frigid plate, the first rigid plate including a first top surface and a first bottom surface, the first top surface coupled to a first mounting surface of the top axis camera by a top axis mount centred along the alignment axis, such as to allow the top axis camera to be vertically offset from the first top surface, the first bottom surface coupled to first mounting surfaces of the plurality of peripheral cameras; and a second rigid plate being parallel to the first rigid plate and positioned along the alignment axis such that the alignment axis bisects the center of the second frigid plate, the second rigid plate including a second top surface coupled to second mounting surfaces of the plurality of peripheral cameras and a second bottom surface to which a bottom axis camera (214,265) is coupled, wherein the bottom axis camera (214;265) is positioned such that an optical axis of the bottom axis camera (214;265) is along the alignment axis that runs through the center point, and the center point is between the top axis camera and the bottom axis camera (214;265), wherein the camera system further comprises a bottom axis mount, centred along the alignment axis and configured to secure the bottom axis camera (214,265) to the second bottom surface of the second rigid plate such that the bottom axis camera (214,265) is vertically offset from the second bottom surface of the second rigid plate, and wherein the axis mounts (206,208) are substantially cylindrical and hollow within. a plurality of peripheral cameras, the peripheral cameras arranged around a center point such that an optical axis of each camera is within a plane and a field of view (236,238,240) of each camera faces away from the center point, and that outside of a threshold distance any object (242,244) in a portion of a local area is within a field of view (236,238,240) of at least two peripheral cameras; at least one top axis camera (212,214;260,265) that is positioned such that an optical axis of the at least one top axis camera (212,214;260,265) is along an alignment axis that runs perpendicular to the plane through the center point; a first rigid plate positioned along the alignment axis such that the alignment axis bisects a center of the first frigid plate, the first rigid plate including a first top surface and a first bottom surface, the first top surface coupled to a first mounting surface of the top axis camera by a top axis mount centred along the alignment axis, such as to allow the top axis camera to be vertically offset from the first top surface, the first bottom surface coupled to first mounting surfaces of the plurality of peripheral cameras; and a second rigid plate being parallel to the first rigid plate and positioned along the alignment axis such that the alignment axis bisects the center of the second frigid plate, the second rigid plate including a second top surface coupled to second mounting surfaces of the plurality of peripheral cameras and a second bottom surface to which a bottom axis camera (214,265) is coupled, wherein the bottom axis camera (214;265) is positioned such that an optical axis of the bottom axis camera (214;265) is along the alignment axis that runs through the center point, and the center point is between the top axis camera and the bottom axis camera (214;265), wherein the camera system further comprises a bottom axis mount, centred along the alignment axis and configured to secure the bottom axis camera (214,265) to the second bottom surface of the second rigid plate such that the bottom axis camera (214,265) is vertically offset from the second bottom surface of the second rigid plate, and wherein the axis mounts (206,208) are substantially cylindrical and hollow within.