ESP32CAM

ESP32-CAM is a low-cost development board that combines Espressif's ESP32 series microcontroller with an onboard camera and microSD card slot. Widely produced by multiple vendors (often marketed under the AI-Thinker module name), it is designed for compact Internet of Things (IoT) camera applications such as remote monitoring, image streaming, and simple vision tasks.

The module typically pairs an OV2640 2-megapixel camera sensor (up to 1600x1200 resolution) with an ESP32 System-on-Chip that provides dual-core 32-bit Xtensa processors running up to 240 MHz, integrated Wi‑Fi 802.11 b/g/n, and Bluetooth/BLE. Variants may include external PSRAM for higher-resolution buffering and flash sizes that vary by manufacturer. A microSD card slot supports local storage of images and video.

Development and deployment commonly use the Arduino core for ESP32, Espressif’s ESP-IDF, or ports of MicroPython. Example applications include MJPEG streaming, HTTP/RTSP servers, motion detection, and basic machine-learning tasks such as face detection/recognition using available libraries. Programming requires an external USB-to-serial adapter because the board lacks a native USB interface; certain GPIO pins are used for boot mode selection.

Strengths of the ESP32-CAM are its low price, wireless connectivity, and small footprint. Limitations include limited GPIO availability, power supply requirements (stable 5V/3.3V source due to camera and Wi‑Fi current spikes), modest image quality compared to dedicated cameras, and potential security considerations when used in networked environments. Variations and community-supported modules make it a popular choice for hobbyist and prototype projects.