ESP32-CAM development board with CH340G, WiFi, 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 platforms and development environments, the board integrates WiFi 802.11b/g/n and Bluetooth 4.2 LE connectivity, offering maximum flexibility in wireless projects.

The 32-bit dual-core LX6 processor, with frequencies up to 240MHz and computing power up to 600DMIPS, ensures high performance for complex applications. The integrated 520KB SRAM memory, supplemented 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 up to 4GB, and several low-power modes (Deep-sleep, Modem-sleep, Light-sleep).

Notable features also include the integrated Hall Sensor and temperature sensor, 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 kit includes the ESP32-CAM board with OV5640 camera and a USB-TTL serial converter with CH340G driver and Type-CB connector for programming and serial communication with the computer.

The board may be incompatible with the latest version of the CH340 driver (2023). Download the driver from the Download section.

Due to problems caused by the OV2640 camera, the option to replace it with the OV3660 camera was chosen. The method of use is the same.

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

I/O ports: 9

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: CH340G

Programmer connector: Type-C

Pinout:

Tutorial:

Use the Download button when uploading the code to the board.

*Depending on the batch, the programmer may or may not have a Download button. If it does not, program the board directly. If the Download button does not work, short GPIO0 to GND, power the board, upload the code, remove the short between the pins, and power it again. If you still cannot compile, make sure Flash Mode DIO is selected in Tools -> Flash Mode.

Adding the ESP32-CAM board in Arduino IDE:

To install the board in Arduino IDE, do the following: 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 through 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 through 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:

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.

Stream viewing:

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".