Tidy Camera Setup  

RE: Tidy Camera Setup

Notice that currently Prusa Mini  does not support dedicated camera connected directly to the printer, you need additional hardware anyway.
Other notes:
- usually cameras have some minimal distance to have a focus, and you probably end in having standalone camera somewhere in the corner or something (see my printables in my footer), I'm affraind that without enclosure standalone camera will be inevitable
- I tried to use some camera mounts attached to the printer, - bed? forget it - usually it ended in blurry images due to whole printer shaking which ended in camera wobbling; attached to the base? - maybe but with Input Shaper printer tend to shake even more and that requires better mounting that plastic
- not sure if OctoPrint works with curreent firmware changes such as InputShaper etc (I do not use it anyway), but that can limit features you can use that your printer already has
- wait for new mini upgrade? I would not count for that 😀

Some options:

esp32 + camera module:
Pros:
- the cheapest and most customizable option if you like tinkering, and also standalone without much moving parts
- get esp32-cam integrated all in one (remember to get also programming base) or esp32-dev kit + camera module which allows a bit more things to be done
- could be powered from USB port from the printer or separately via micro-usb or usb-c connector on 500mA or less
- you can open address to the camera on the smartphone or web browser in the same network, can be a snapshot or live video
- can integrate with PrusaConnect to send photos to the remote endpoint with some code tweaking
- there are infrared version (NOIR) so you can also enlighten it with infrared and see it in monochrome but without blinding people in the room
Cons:
- cameras have a bit low quality - almost Full HD but  poor quality due to lens and dimensions
- usually needs some tinkering unless you get already configured device then see https://forum.prusa3d.com/forum/user-mods-octoprint-enclosures-nozzles/esp32-cam-prusa-connect-camera-for-print-progress-2/

standalone smart webcam - usually similiar to what esp32+cam does but with some limitations:

Pros:
- ususally you can already get some 'smart' cameras that send data to the cloud so you can get video or screenshot whenever you are on the smart phone, for example Eufy Cams or MintionBeagle Camera
- powering options depend on the vendor and options (some require dedicated power)
- usually better image than esp32 camera

Cons:
- sends data somewhere in the cloud, so better point it at camera only
- usually works only with the app from the camera vendor, if it integrates with Google Home then it's better option
- some cameras activate only when using an app
- some cameras cannot do anything else except what you can do in vendor app

Raspberry Pi + camera - various camera connections options - via CSI or USB, also various camera qualities:
Pros:
- usually if you know that current firmware has limitations and you use something like OctoPrint/Klipper and just want to add camera then this is best option
- can connect multiple cameras
- usually very good camera quality (depends on the modules, I saw some cheap OV modules which are ripped from esp32 and they are horrible, but Rpi Cam 3 has stunningly good quality.. for the price of course)
- can put different things on the same device - for printing (klipper/Octoprint), image recognition (obico), other (PrusaConnect)
- noticeable computing power especially when buying newer devices and if you want to throw multiple softwares onto it

Cons:
- starting level is quite expensive  (rpi + microSD card + power supply, camera etc)
- quite complex to setup
- usually you want to keep it powered separately to the printer (because computers don't like abrupt power losses)
- not that easy to see images on the smartphone whenever you are unless you use PrusaConnect

RE: Tidy Camera Setup

Superb, thanks for the detailed reply that really helps.  Im not really interested in over complicating things and I just want a camera to add to Octprint so I can view it and stop the print if I have a problem, the esp32 module looks like a good idea, do you know if this would do or is it the wrong model

https://www.amazon.co.uk/diymore-ESP32-CAM-MB-Bluetooth-Development-Dual-core/dp/B08P1NMPLL/ref=sr_1_33?keywords=esp32+cam&qid=1707512328&sr=8-33-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGZfbmV4dA&psc=1

thanks Mark

RE:

No idea, not using Octoprint. I suggest looking at Octoprint guides.
Those modules from Amazon look good - they a have a main board with a chip + camera and additional base board for powering/communication/firmware-flashing.
Double check wifi if you have 2.4GHz (you may need to set it up if you have newer hardware).

But I can tell you about the camera quality - don't expect super quality, but it works.
What to expect from ESP 32 CAM OV2640:
- 1600x1200
-  dead  pixels - black/white or in specific color, it's inevitable
- some frames can be with skewed image (one photo below is noticeably darker in lower half), but there sometimes happen artifacts like a lot of blue/red overlay
- you probably want to have extra lighting around print area, especially when printing black filament (I gave example of the almost the same print with transparent and black filament)

Some examples of mine:

RE: Tidy Camera Setup

Thanks for the help, I have managed to get the camera up and running but would like it integrate into Prusa Connect, you mentioned it would take a bit of code tweaking, can you explain or point me in the direction of how please?

Thanks 

Mark

RE:

If you already have default firmware on esp32 and camera and you can see the picture in the web browser then if you have raspberry Pi then just adding curl on rpi would be the easiest way (I really recommend reading the urls, they explain basic camera config).
- install basic esp32-camera firmware on esp32
- use plain curl loop on rpi to pull the image from esp32 via web and push to prusa connect webcam endpoint  https://forum.prusa3d.com/forum/introcuctions-instrutctions/prusaconnect-camera-with-raspberry-pi-curl/

Other ideas, more 'standalone' which run on esp32 directly so they do not require any additional hardware:
- https://github.com/johnyHV/PrusaConnect_ESP32-CAM
- https://github.com/oguegan/esp32cam-rtsp-prusaConnect

More advanced things using esphome firmware https://esphome.io/components/esp32_camera.html?highlight=camera :

- with HomeAssistant (because esphome by default want to integrate with HomeAssistant)
  - install esphome on esp32, create config  to have camera module
  - use HomeAssistant automation to send image to PrusaConnect - I never tried it but I'm sure it is doable with some additional HomeAssistant http modules or maybe there is an integration already?
  - drawback is that coding in HomeAssistant yaml files may be real pain https://community.home-assistant.io/t/esp32-cam-capture/340620/12

- with  Node-RED
  - set in esphome config 'api' 'reboot_timeout: 0 ' to disable esp32 auto-reset, add esp32_camera and esp32_camera_web component ( https://esphome.io/components/esp32_camera_web_server.html)
  - create custom node-red flow to fetch image from the esp32 camera via web and push to prusa connect using http_request and http_response nodes (no example here, but surely it could require creating camera in the prusa connect first to have camera token etc) - actually I'm working on this now 😉
- or could use mqtt for above so instead but sending that big payload over mqtt is problematic, so better keep it in http

- with esphome itself - similiar to Node-RED in esp32 device config to disable auto-restarts,, and then using some triggers or something to push image from device to Prusa directly, the problem is that esphome coding in yaml is also problematic

- with anything else - similiar to Node-RED in esp32 device config to disable auto-restarts,  just use any other system at home to perform generic loop to get image from esp via http and then push to PrusaConnect (kind of the first option at the very top with curl for example)