OV7670 camera module: specs
A 1/6 inch VGA CMOS image sensor with an on-chip image processor. It outputs 8-bit parallel pixel data and is configured over an SCCB (I2C-compatible) interface.
Specs
| Spec | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Active array size | 640 x 480 | source Key Specifications table (p.4); sensor key specs reproduced by ArduCAM from OmniVision |
| Power supply, analog | 2.45 V to 3.0 V (sensor chip) | source Key Specifications table (p.4); sensor key specs reproduced by ArduCAM from OmniVision |
| Power supply, digital core | 1.8 V DC +/-10 % (sensor chip) | source Key Specifications table (p.4); sensor key specs reproduced by ArduCAM from OmniVision |
| Power supply, I/O | 1.7 V to 3.0 V (sensor chip) | source Key Specifications table (p.4); sensor key specs reproduced by ArduCAM from OmniVision |
| Module supply (ArduCAM module, not confirmed to be this part) | 3.3 V single supply, ArduCAM-branded module with on-board regulator; the stocked listing may be a different module | source Features (p.3); Pin Definition (p.6) |
| Active power | 60 mW typical (15 fps VGA YUV) | source Key Specifications table (p.4); sensor key specs reproduced by ArduCAM from OmniVision |
| Standby current | Under 20 uA | source Key Specifications table (p.4); sensor key specs reproduced by ArduCAM from OmniVision |
| Maximum frame rate | 30 fps at VGA | source Key Specifications table (p.4); sensor key specs reproduced by ArduCAM from OmniVision |
| Operating temperature | -30 degC to 70 degC | source Key Specifications table (p.4); sensor key specs reproduced by ArduCAM from OmniVision |
| Output formats (8-bit) | YUV/YCbCr 4:2:2, RGB565/555/444, GRB 4:2:2, raw RGB | source Key Specifications table (p.4); sensor key specs reproduced by ArduCAM from OmniVision |
| Control interface | SCCB, compatible with I2C | source Features (p.3) |
Power
| Value | Source | |
|---|---|---|
| Supply | Sensor chip: analog 2.45-3.0 V, core 1.8 V, I/O 1.7-3.0 V. ArduCAM-branded module (not confirmed to be this part): 3.3 V single supply | source Key Specifications table (p.4) |
| Current | 60 mW typical active (15 fps VGA YUV); standby under 20 uA | source Key Specifications table (p.4) |
Pinout
We don't publish a pin table for this part: no official source we could verify gives one. Check the labels printed on your module, and see the notes below.
The source is the ArduCAM-branded module datasheet, not the OV7670 maker sheet. Its 16-pin table (VCC, GND, SCL, SDATA, VSYNC, HREF, PCLK, XCLK, DOUT9 to DOUT2) belongs to the ArduCAM module. The stocked listing (pin count, header order, FIFO or not) is not confirmed to match it, so no pin table is given.
Build with it
Project ideas for the OV7670 camera module. Each link opens Soldr with the prompt filled in; Soldr assigns the pins, checks power and shows how to wire every part.
- Small-size still capture experiment: Learning project. The sheet says image sizes scale down from CIF to 40x30; a small size is what a host with no frame buffer can hold in RAM. The ESP32 must supply XCLK and read 8 data lines plus PCLK, HREF and VSYNC and use SCCB, so count free GPIOs first (about 11 camera lines plus 2 for SCCB). Do not add a TFT and microSD without checking the pin count. Photograph only with the subject's consent.
- Low-resolution preview experiment: Learning project at QQVGA/QVGA-class sizes. The module has no frame buffer (the sheet says the host must buffer a frame), so expect a slow, small preview, not 30 fps VGA; the TFT is smaller than 640 x 480 anyway. Check the pin count for camera plus display. Get consent before pointing it at people.
- Pico frame grabber: The Pico is 3.3 V; reading 8 parallel data lines plus PCLK needs a PIO program and the pixel clock timing from the maker's sheet, which this page does not cover. There is no frame buffer on the module, so keep the frame small. Get consent before imaging people.
Common mistakes
- Driving it from 5 V: the sensor chip I/O is 1.7-3.0 V, and the ArduCAM-branded module the sheet describes takes a single 3.3 V supply; the stocked module is not confirmed to be that board, so check it before powering. (source)
- Expecting a picture over I2C: SCCB only sets registers; pixels come on the 8-bit parallel bus with PCLK, HREF and VSYNC, and an external oscillator drives XCLK (source)
- Using a microcontroller with no camera interface and no frame buffer: the document says the host must buffer a whole frame or use extra hardware (source)
Not covered by the official source
- The OmniVision OV7670 maker datasheet is not covered on this page.
- The ArduCAM module may differ from the listing's module; supply and pins are for that module only.
- I2C/SCCB address and register map are not in this source.
- Host-side wiring (XCLK source, parallel bus capture on ESP32 or Pico) is not verified by this source.
- The ArduCAM 16-pin table is not given because it describes the ArduCAM module, not a confirmed match for the stocked part.
- The sheet says a host without a camera interface must buffer a whole frame; there is no frame buffer on the sensor module. The GPIO count for the ideas (about 11 camera lines plus SCCB) is not checked against any board pinout.
Sources
- link (ArduCAM CMOS OV7670 Camera Module datasheet, Rev 3.0, May 2015)