The OV5640 75-Degree Standard Angle Camera Module with 3.6mm Lens is a high-resolution 5.0 Megapixel CMOS image sensor expansion engineered specifically for ESP32-CAM development boards, ESP32-S3 Eye / CAM modules, and compatible 24-pin DVP embedded vision platforms. Built around the OmniVision OV5640 image sensor and paired with a high-definition 3.6mm focal length optical lens, it provides a standard 75° field of view (FOV) that mimics natural human vision perspective with minimal geometric distortion. Connected via an industry-standard 24-pin 0.5mm pitch flexible flat cable (FFC / DVP interface), this module features internal hardware JPEG compression, auto-exposure (AEC), auto-gain (AGC), and automatic white balance (AWB). It serves as an ideal high-resolution imaging upgrade for facial recognition, AI machine vision, smart doorbells, access control terminals, optical character recognition (OCR), and IoT security streaming.

Specifications

• Sensor Model: OmniVision OV5640 5MP CMOS Image Sensor
• Compatibility: ESP32-CAM (with OV5640-supported firmware), ESP32-S3-CAM / ESP32-S3-Eye, and standard 24-Pin DVP camera sockets
• Active Array / Sensor Resolution: 5.0 Megapixels (2592 × 1944 pixels / QSXGA)
• Optical Format: 1/4-inch CMOS Active Pixel Array
• Pixel Size: 1.4 µm × 1.4 µm (OmniBSI™ backside illumination architecture)
• Lens Specification: 3.6 mm Fixed Focal Length Optical Lens
• Field of View (FOV): 75° Diagonal / Approx. 65° Horizontal (Natural Standard Perspective)
• Focus Type: Fixed Focus / Hyperfocal (Approx. 20 cm to Infinity)
• Interface / Bus Type: 24-Pin 0.5mm Pitch DVP (Digital Video Port) Flexible Flat Cable (FFC)
• Cable Length: Approx. 75 mm (Standard FPC ribbon)
• Supported Output Formats:
  • Hardware Compressed JPEG / MJPEG
  • Raw RGB, RGB565 / RGB555
  • YUV422 / YCbCr422
  • Grayscale (8-bit)
• Maximum Frame Rates:
  • QSXGA (2592 × 1944): Up to 15 fps
  • 1080p Full HD (1920 × 1080): Up to 30 fps
  • 720p HD (1280 × 720): Up to 60 fps
  • VGA (640 × 480): Up to 60 fps
  • QVGA (320 × 240): Up to 90 fps
• Operating Core Voltage: 1.5V DC ± 5% (Internal regulator)
• Analog Supply Voltage (AVDD): 2.6V to 3.0V DC (Typ. 2.8V)
• I/O Supply Voltage (DOVDD): 1.7V to 3.0V DC (Typ. 1.8V / 2.8V / 3.3V)
• Power Consumption:
  • Active / Streaming: Typ. 140 mW (VGA @ 30fps) to 280 mW (Full 5MP JPEG)
  • Standby / Sleep: < 20>
• Dynamic Range: 68 dB
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR): 36 dB
• Operating Temperature: -30°C to +70°C (Stable image: 0°C to +50°C)
• Module Dimensions: Approx. 25 mm × 24 mm (Lens Head) with 75 mm FPC Cable

Features

• Natural 75° Field of View: The 3.6mm focal length lens delivers a balanced, natural perspective without the fisheye curvature of ultra-wide lenses, making it ideal for accurate face framing and OCR document scanning.
• High-Resolution 5MP Imaging: Upgrades standard 2MP (OV2640) systems to crystal-clear 2592×1944 still captures and 1080p Full HD video streams.
• Hardware JPEG Compression: Built-in hardware JPEG encoding compresses image frames directly on-chip, enabling smooth, low-latency Wi-Fi and Bluetooth video streaming over ESP32/ESP32-S3 boards.
• Integrated On-Chip ISP: Automated exposure control (AEC), automatic white balance (AWB), auto black level (ABLC), color saturation, sharpness, noise reduction, and gamma correction directly on silicon.
• Low Distortion Optics: Clean optical geometry ensures straight horizontal and vertical lines, reducing the need for software geometric corrections in computer vision models.
• Standard 24-Pin Plug-and-Play FFC: Connects directly into standard bottom-contact FPC camera latch sockets on ESP32-CAM, ESP32-S3-CAM, and ESP32-S3-Eye boards.

Common Applications

• Facial Recognition & Access Control: Face detection, biometric verification, and employee attendance systems deployed on ESP32-S3.
• AI Machine Vision & Object Classification: Running TensorFlow Lite, Edge Impulse, and YOLO neural networks for object tracking and inspection.
• Optical Character Recognition (OCR) & Barcode Reading: Scanning QR codes, barcodes, serial numbers, and meter dials with clear, undistorted focus.
• Smart Video Intercoms & Doorbells: Natural perspective video streaming for front door access and security monitoring.
• Time-Lapse & Industrial Datalogging: Automated interval photography for plant growth monitoring, construction progress, or 3D print monitoring.

Usage Tips

• ESP32 PSRAM Requirement (Crucial): Capturing 5MP resolution frames requires substantial frame buffer memory. **Ensure your ESP32-CAM or ESP32-S3 board has external PSRAM enabled (4MB / 8MB)** and configure `frame_size` to `FRAMESIZE_QSXGA` or lower in the ESP-IDF / Arduino camera driver.
• FPC Ribbon Insertion: Carefully lift the black locking latch of the 24-pin socket on the ESP32 board, slide the blue stiffener side facing upward (or gold contact pins facing the PCB pads depending on socket orientation), and gently press the lock down flat. Never force the ribbon while the latch is closed.
• Adequate Power Supply: The OV5640 draws higher peak current during initialization and high-resolution JPEG bursts than the OV2640. Power the ESP32-CAM with a stable **5V DC supply rated for at least 2.0A** with a 470µF electrolytic capacitor across the 5V and GND rails to prevent brownout reboots.
• Driver Initialization: In Arduino IDE / ESP-IDF code, ensure you define the camera sensor as `CAMERA_MODEL_AI_THINKER` or your specific board model, and verify that the driver includes support for the OV5640 sensor ID (`0x5640`).

Datasheet