Fotokapan/README.md

👀 Fotokapan Overview

A handmade camera trap

🚀 Features

This is a portable mini camera trap. It detects motion with a PIR sensor, uses flash when needed, and saves every photo to an SD card with a unique name.

🔎 Preparation

1. Components

'1' ESP32-CAM
'1' Motion sensor (PIR Sensor Hc-Sr501)
'3' AA Batteries (1.5V each)
'1' MT3608 adjustable DC/DC voltage regulator (4.5V to 5.01V step-up)
'1' FT232RL USB to UART Converter

2. Use an SD card with a minimum capacity of 4 GB, formatted as FAT32 with a 32 KB allocation unit size.
3. Then insert this SD card into your ESP32-CAM board.
4. Connect your 'OV2640' camera to your ESP32-CAM board.

📦 Setup

1. Refer to the 'circuit_fotokapan-programming.png' diagram
2. Install the 'Arduino IDE' software and open 'fotokapan.ino' file
3. File>Preferences>Additional Boards Manager URLs:(Click the double window button)

Paste this code

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/package_esp32_index.json

4. Click 'OK'
5. Tools>Board>Boards Manager...
6. Search 'esp32' by Espressif Systems, and install it

⚠️ Warning: Make sure you have installed the correct USB driver (CH340, CH341, FT232R / FTDI Driver, CP2102) before connecting the ESP32CAM to your computer.

7. Plug the ESP32CAM into your computer
8. Tools>Board>esp32>'AI Thinker ESP32-CAM'
9. Tools>Port>'Select the esp's port'

Apply these changes:

• CPU Frequency: 240MHz (WiFi/BT)
• Core Debug Level: None
• Erase All Flash Before Sketch Upload: Disabled
• Flash Frequency: 80MHz
• Flash Mode: QIO
• Partition Scheme: Huge APP (3MB No OTA/1MB SPIFFS)
• 115200 baud

10. Tools>Manage Libraries...>Install the libraries used in the code
11. Click the 'upload ➡️' button
    ✅ To make sure it has been uploaded successfully, you should see the message 'Done uploading'

⚠️ Advisory for Developers: If you want to try this project in the future with new generation boards and you want to add new features like using 'DS1302 real time module', you must have 3 unused pins.

🎉 Run

1. Refer to the 'circuit_fotokapan.png' diagram
2. Let the electricity pass through the switch
3. Press the reset button on the esp32cam
4. You are ready to use your mini camera

⚠️ After turning on the camera, wait 5 seconds before using it. Turn off the power before removing the SD card. When taking photos, leave at least a 2–3 second interval between shots. Do not cover the front of the flash to prevent a potential fire hazard.

🔒 License

📜 GPL-3.0 License