ESP32-CAM development board, Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, OV5640 5MP

The ESP32-CAM development board with the 5MP OV5640 camera module is a compact and high-performance solution for artificial vision projects, video streaming, and IoT. Compatible with Arduino IDE, as well as other popular development platforms and environments, the board integrates 802.11b/g/n WiFi connectivity and Bluetooth 4.2 LE, offering maximum flexibility for wireless projects.

The 32-bit dual-core LX6 processor, with frequencies up to 240MHz and computing power of up to 600DMIPS, ensures high performance for complex applications. The integrated 520KB SRAM memory, complemented by 4MB external PSRAM, allows efficient handling of data streams and high-resolution images.

The 5MP OV5640 camera provides high-resolution images with fine detail, making it an ideal choice for surveillance, facial recognition, or automated photography projects. The board supports JPEG, BMP, and grayscale image formats, image upload via WiFi, an external TF card of up to 4GB, and several low-power modes (Deep-sleep, Modem-sleep, Light-sleep).

Notable features include support for UART, SPI, I2C, PWM, ADC, and DAC protocols, Smart Config/AirKiss technology, FOTA support, and operation in STA/AP/STA+AP modes. The board is shipped without a programmer included, so a compatible programmer must be purchased separately (FT232 or equivalent recommended).

Due to issues caused by the OV2640 camera, the option was chosen to replace it with the more capable OV5640 camera.

Specifications:

Supply voltage: 5V (power pin)

Current consumption (Flash LED off): 180mA @ 5V

Current consumption (Flash LED on, maximum brightness): 310mA @ 5V

Current consumption (Deep-sleep): 6mA @ 5V min

Current consumption (Modem-sleep): 20mA @ 5V min

Current consumption (Light-sleep): 6.7mA @ 5V min

Number of pins: 16

WiFi: 802.11b/g/n

Bluetooth: 4.2 LE

CPU frequency: 80 - 240MHz

CPU: Dual-core 32-bit

Integrated memory: 520KB SRAM

External memory: 4MB PSRAM

Protocol support: UART/SPI/I2C/PWM/ADC/DAC

Included camera: Yes, OV5640, 5MP

WiFi image upload support: Yes

TF card support: Yes, up to 4GB

Low-power mode support: Yes (Deep-sleep, Modem-sleep, Light-sleep)

Integrated: LwIP and FreeRTOS

Operating modes support: STA/AP/STA+AP

Smart Config/AirKiss support: Yes

FOTA support: Yes

SPI Flash: 32Mbit

PSRAM: 4MBit

Camera connector: FPC

Image formats: JPEG, BMP, grayscale

ESP32 dimensions in mm: 42 x 27 x 12

Programmer included: No

Tutorial:

The drivers and code can be found in the Downloads section of the product page.

Tested with:

- ESP32-CAM Development Board

- FT232 Programmer

- MiniUSB cable

The first thing to do is install the FT232 driver (if you are using another programmer, install the corresponding driver), mount the camera on the development board, and connect the programmer to the ESP32 board according to the picture below. The selector jumper on the programmer must be in the 5V position.

The next step is to install the driver. Connect it to the PC and download the FT232 driver archive -> In Device Manager, click update driver and select the extracted files -> Do the same for the serial port if it is not detected.

Adding the ESP32-CAM board in Arduino IDE:

To install the board in Arduino IDE, proceed as follows: File -> Preferences. In Additional Boards Manager, enter the following URL: https://dl.espressif.com/dl/package_esp32_index.json

Then go to Tools->Board->Boards Manager, search for "esp32", and install ESP32 by ESpressif Systems

Uploading code via Arduino IDE:

Select the AI-Thinker ESP32-CAM board from Tools->Board->ESP32.

Select the CameraWebServer example from File->Examples->ESP32->Camera. This example will create a server accessible from the local network via the computer, where we will be able to view a live stream directly from the camera.

Prepare a Female-to-Female Dupont cable before clicking Upload.

Select the camera model "CAMERA_MODEL_AI_THINKER" according to the code below.

Add SSID and Password:

Click Upload. When it starts connecting and Arduino IDE displays "Connecting....", connect pin IO0 (GPIO 0) to GND using the Dupont wire. The board will enter Flash Mode. After connecting the wire, press the board's Reset button and the code will be uploaded.

Once the code upload is complete, disconnect the connection between GPIO 0 and GND.

Open the serial monitor, set the baud rate to 115200 according to the code, and wait for the module to connect to WiFi. The IP address and port for accessing the camera will be displayed in the Serial Monitor.

View stream:

Open the browser and access the address shown in the Serial Monitor. In this case, the address is "http://192.168.0.104/" followed by the Web Server port, in this case "80". The final address will look like this: "http://192.168.0.104:80".