OpenCV, Tensorflow, Conda and Scipy (Python3) for ARM based Mac (M1)

Installation guide for native opencv, tensorflow and scipy with all relevant tools.

CMake

Install CMake by building it from source:

git clone https://github.com/Kitware/CMake.git
./bootstrap && make && sudo make install

Conda

Install miniconda for ARM: Miniforge3-MacOSX-arm64.sh

Create and activate a Python 3.8 eviroment in order to be able to use tensorflow later:

conda create --name python38 python=3.8
conda activate python38

Scipy

Install your packages from conda-forge: e.g. (opencv and tensorflow are not availble)

conda install -c conda-forge scipy
conda install -c conda-forge pandas
conda install -c conda-forge numpy
conda install -c conda-forge matplotlib
conda install -c conda-forge jupyter-lab
conda install -c conda-forge skikit-learn

OpenCV

Clone the opencv source code.

cd ~
git clone https://github.com/opencv/opencv.git
git clone https://github.com/opencv/opencv_contrib.git

create a seperate build folder.

mkdir build_opencv
cd build_opencv

Copy all the .h files from the /Users/USER/miniforge3/envs/python38/include directory into the /Users/USER/miniforge3/envs/python38/include/python3.8 directory (copying the contents of both into another directory and setting that as the path would also work) so that all the .h files are in the same folder visible to the compiler. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/36814673/installing-opencv-in-anaconda3-python-h-no-such-file-or-directory

Remeber to change the User Name accordingly.

cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
-DBUILD_opencv_python2=OFF \
-DBUILD_opencv_python3=ON \
-DPYTHON3_EXECUTABLE=`which python3` \
-DPYTHON3_INCLUDE_DIR=~/miniforge3/envs/python38/include/python3.8 \
-DPYTHON3_PACKAGES_PATH=~/miniforge3/envs/python38/lib/python3.8 \
-DPYTHON3_NUMPY_INCLUDE_DIR=~/miniforge3/envs/python38/lib/python3.8/site-packages/numpy/core \
-DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr/local \
-DOPENCV_EXTRA_MODULES_PATH=~/opencv_contrib/modules \
-DOPENCV_ENABLE_NONFREE=ON \
../opencv

make -j7
sudo make install

OpenCV and all installed packages should now be available in Python!

Tensorflow