Multi-Cam Module Error

Question

I am trying to run 2 Camera Modules via the Multi-Cam Module(https://www.amazon.com/Arducam-Camera-Adapter-Compatible-Raspberry/dp/B012UQWOOQ) on a Ras-Pi 2B. The pi is running the latest version of Raspibian Jessie(Linux raspberrypi 4.4.11-v7+ #888 SMP,) and I've been sure to enable cameras with the configuration tool. However, when trying to run this demo code after setting up, I am getting the following output (appears 4 times, one for each call to a camera):

mmal: Cannot read camera info, keeping the defaults for OV5647
mmal: mmal_vc_component_create: failed to create component 'vc.ril.camera' (1:ENOMEM)
mmal: mmal_component_create_core: could not create component'vc.ril.camera' (1)
mmal: Failed to create camera component
mmal: main: Failed to create camera component
mmal: Camera is not detected. Please check carefully the camera module is installed correctly

The error persists when I try to access only one camera at a time, and I am quite sure that I did indeed install the module correctly. The error also persists across the singular Camera modules. What is causing this error, and what can I do to be able to capture images from the cameras?

Answer 1

You need to either run raspi-config and enable the camera that way, then reboot, or else add to /boot/config.txt (then reboot):

start_x=1
gpu_mem=256

Which is all raspi-config does -- actually it sets gpu_mem to 128, which is (apparently, I haven't tried less) the minimum required for the camera to work. So two cameras, maybe twice the memory...this is deducted from your "CPU mem", BTW, i.e., that's about actual RAM allocation, so on a quad-core model you will have 3/4 GB left.

The (poorly or un- documented) start_x enables the camera.