AI-Thinker · ESP32
ESP32-CAM (AI-Thinker)
A $9 Wi-Fi camera with a microSD slot. Perfect for streaming, time-lapses and motion capture — as long as you can live with very few free pins.
Wi-FiBLEBT Classic3.3 V logicIntegrated
Typical price
$9
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Specifications
| Maker | AI-Thinker |
|---|---|
| Chip | ESP32-S (OV2640 camera) |
| CPU | Xtensa LX6 dual-core |
| Clock speed | 240 MHz |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11 b/g/n) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.2 + BLE (+ classic) |
| Zigbee / Thread radio | No |
| GPIO pins | 9 usable |
| ADC | 6 channels, 12-bit |
| DAC | None |
| Flash | 4 MB |
| RAM | 520 KB + 4 MB PSRAM |
| Logic level | 3.3 V |
| Power input | 5V (pin) — USB needs an adapter |
| Deep sleep (typ.) | ~6 mA |
| Active current (typ.) | ~180 mA |
| Form factor | Integrated |
| USB | None (needs FTDI / ESP32-CAM-MB) |
| Programming | Arduino, MicroPython, ESP-IDF |
| Released | 2018 |
Typical values. Sleep current is approximate; whole-board numbers are higher than the bare chip's datasheet figure.
Pros
- OV2640 camera and microSD slot built in
- Streaming web server examples everywhere
- Very cheap for a Wi-Fi camera
Cons
- No USB port — you need an FTDI adapter or the MB programmer
- Only a handful of free GPIOs, and several are shared with the SD card
- Brown-outs on weak power supplies
Best use cases
- 01Wi-Fi security or pet camera
- 02Time-lapse photography
- 03Doorbell cameras
- 04Simple face-detection demos
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