The ESP32 CAM Board (Ai-Thinker style) is a versatile, miniature development board designed for wireless video streaming, face recognition, and local surveillance prototyping.
The ESP32 CAM Board (Ai-Thinker style) is a versatile, miniature development board designed for wireless video streaming, face recognition, and local surveillance prototyping. Built around the Espressif ESP32 32-bit dual-core Tensilica Xtensa LX6 microprocessor operating up to 240 MHz, it integrates 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n) and Bluetooth 4.2 capabilities into a package barely larger than a coin.
The board comes pre-packaged with a detachable 2MP OV2640 camera sensor capable of outputting JPEG, BMP, and Grayscale images at resolutions up to UXGA (1600 × 1200). It features an onboard microSD card slot supporting up to 4GB storage for local image logging, 4MB external PSRAM for smooth frame buffering, and a high-intensity white LED flash on GPIO 4 for low-light recording.
Due to its compact form factor, the board does not feature a native USB-to-Serial converter chip. Programming and firmware flashing are easily accomplished using an external FTDI / USB-to-TTL programmer board or an ESP32-CAM-MB micro-USB baseboard daughterboard. It is fully supported in the Arduino IDE (via the AI-Thinker ESP32-CAM board profile) and ESP-IDF, making it a staple for home automation, smart doorbells, time-lapse photography, and wireless telemetry.
| Core Controller | Espressif ESP32-S (32-bit Dual-Core Xtensa LX6 MCU @ up to 240 MHz) |
|---|---|
| Onboard Memory | 520KB SRAM + 4MB External PSRAM + 4MB Flash |
| Camera Module Included | OV2640 2MP sensor module (supports UXGA 1600 × 1200 resolution, JPEG compression) |
| MicroSD Card Slot | Supports TF/MicroSD cards (up to 4GB) for local image/video logging |
| Wireless Connectivity | 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n) & Bluetooth 4.2 BR/EDR/BLE |
| Antenna Type | Onboard 3D PCB trace antenna + IPEX / U.FL connector for external antenna hookup |
| Illumination | Onboard ultra-bright white LED flash (mapped to GPIO 4) |
| Operating Voltage | 5V DC supply input (requires stable ≥ 5V 2A power for clean camera performance) |
| Peripheral Interfaces | 9 GPIO pins supporting UART, SPI, I2C, PWM, ADC, and DAC |
| Software Compatibility | Arduino IDE, ESP-IDF, MicroPython, & FreeRTOS |
| Board Dimensions | Extremely compact 40.5mm × 27mm × 4.5mm |
What is the operating voltage?
5V DC supply input (requires stable ≥ 5V 2A power for clean camera performance).
Which interface does it use?
9 GPIO pins supporting UART, SPI, I2C, PWM, ADC, and DAC.
Is it compatible with Arduino and ESP32?
Yes. It works with Arduino, ESP32 projects.
Can I buy the ESP32 Cam Board in Kanpur?
Yes – buy online with delivery across India, or pick it up from the iTechBuilders store, Damodar Nagar, Kanpur.
