ESP32 CAM – 10 Dollar Camera for IoT Projects

Today we are working with the ESP32-CAM, an amazing 32-bit microcontroller module with a built-in camera and microSD card interface that retails for less than 10 dollars!

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Quick quiz – what has a camera, a microSD card socket, several GPIO pins, WifI and Bluetooth and costs less than 10 bucks? Answer – the ESP32-CAM module from A-Thinker!

We have already worked with the ESP32, it’s a 32-bit microcontroller from Espressif Systems that has a wealth of features. The ESP32 is a perfect choice to build WiFi-enabled or IoT projects, and it can be programmed using the familiar Arduino IDE.

There are many different modules that use the ESP32, and today we will look at one of the most popular ones – the ESP32-CAM. As its name would imply this module has a built-in 2-megapixel camera, as well as a microSD card and provisions for using an external antenna.

The demo sketch that comes with the module creates a full-featured Camera Web Server, complete with a control panel and advanced features like face detection. All you need to do to get it working is to add your WiFi credentials.

One thing that is missing from the ESP32-CAM module, however, is a USB connector. To program this device you’ll need to use an FTDI adapter, the same type you would use when programming an Arduino Pro Mini.

Today I’ll show you how to hook up that FTDI adapter and program the ESP32-CAM. I’ll also show you how to add an external antenna, and how to troubleshoot any “brownout condition” errors you might get when experimenting with this device.

Here is what we will be covering today:

ESP32-CAM Introduction – 3:23
Using the FTDI Adapter – 8:18
Camera Web Server Example – 9:28
Resolving Brownout Problems – 15:44
Using an External Antenna – 22:39

If you need more information or would like a copy of the Antenna Test Sketch head over to the DroneBot Workshop website where you will find an article that accompanies this video at https://dbot.ws/esp32cam.

If you want to discuss the ESP32_CAM or anything you see here on the DroneBot Workshop channel just head over to the forum at https://forum.dronebotworkshop.com. The Forum is also the place to go to suggest content for new articles and videos, and it’s a great place to meet new people who have similar interests to you.

I hope you enjoy the video!

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