60+ ESP32-CAM Projects, Tutorials and Guides with Arduino IDE | Random Nerd Tutorials (2024)

FAQs

How to program ESP32-CAM using Arduino IDE? ›

Restart Arduino IDE and connect your board to a USB port. Install the Esp32 library by going to “Tools > Board > Boards Manager > Search for Esp32 > Install Esp32 from Espressif Systems”. Select the right board: “Tools > Board > ESP32 Arduino > AI Thinker ESP32-CAM”.

The main difference between the ESP32 and the ESP32-CAM is that the ESP32 is a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip with a dual core processor, while the ESP32-CAM is a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip with a single core processor and an onboard camera. Additionally, the ESP32-CAM has more memory and storage than the ESP32.

It allows you to set up a video streaming web server, build a surveillance camera, take photos, face recognition and detection, and much more. We have several ESP32-CAM Tutorials and project ideas.

max_framerate (Optional, float): The maximum framerate the camera will generate images at. Up to 60Hz is possible (with reduced frame sizes), but beware of overheating. Defaults to 10 fps .

Setting up ESP32-CAM board on Arduino IDE

After installing the Arduino IDE, go to the File menu, then select Preferences. Add the new preference to the additional board manager URLs. 2. Next, go to the Tools menu and click on the Board Manager, search for ESP32, and install it.

ESP-CAM Code to upload

So go to "Tools", then to "Board", head to "ESP32 Arduino" and choose "ESP Wrover Module". You can also choose "AI Thinker ESP32 Cam", however, I have noticed that it is worse from a performance point of view, especially in terms of framerate.

Arduino boards typically offer lower processing power compared to ESP32 but are often sufficient for many applications. Similar to a devkit, the easy-to-use layout and a range of built-in components make them great for beginners.

In terms of connectivity, most Arduino boards don't have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth functionality on their own, and this includes the R4 Minima. They require the use of an add-on Ethernet or Wi-Fi shield. On the other hand, the Esp32 has Wi-Fi capabilities built-in, making it suitable for IoT projects.

For example, if I'm creating a simple daylight sensor that will turn off my lights automatically, the Raspberry Pi would work, but its size and cost would make it impractical for this application. In this case, the ESP32 would work better as it is smaller, cost-effective, and can get the job done.

The disadvantages of ESP32 Cam include the following. ESP32-CAM boards are expensive. This board doesn't contain a USB-to-UART interface, so you cannot connect this board directly to your PC with a USB cable. This board has a narrow field of view.

Can ESP32 cam work without Wi-Fi? ›

To connect an ESP32 camera module without WiFi, you will need to use a USB cable to connect it to your computer. Then, you can use a serial terminal program to communicate with the module and configure it to your desired settings.

Espressif offers a complete AIoT solution that combines ESP32 with an artificial intelligence (AI) development framework. This solution includes the ESP-EYE development board, together with Espressif's IoT and AI development frameworks, also known as ESP-IDF and ESP-WHO, respectively.

The internet advises setting it to 10 or 20 MHz. I set it to 20 MHz, but you can try changing this parameter until you get the best results. You have to be careful with this setting as it may not work correctly at some resolutions. The number of frame buffers – allows you to increase the FPS the camera captures.

Board: AI Thinker ESP32-CAM. CPU Frequency : 240MHz (WiFi/BT) Flash Frequency: 80MHz.

The ESP32-CAM is only capable of working with 4GB of MicroSD storage. If you have a larger card it will work, providing it is formatted with FAT32, but it will only store 4GB of data.

You stack the ESP32-CAM on the daughterboard, attach a micro USB cable, and click the Upload button to program your board. It's that simple. The highlight of this board is the CH340G USB-to-Serial converter. That's what translates data between your computer and the ESP32-CAM.