camera init failed exit code 0xffffffff

[RajatVardam]

I am using esp-idf on VS Code. My hardware unit is an esp32 cam from espressif. the camera module is OV 2640.

I am running in the following problem: E (539) cam_hal: cam_dma_config(300): frame buffer malloc failed E (549) cam_hal: cam_config(384): cam_dma_config failed E (549) camera: Camera config failed with error 0xffffffff E (559) Camera: Camera Init Failed

I changed my hardware 3 times. each time it runs into same problem.

my esp-idf version I am using is 5.1

I am using your example code only:

/**

• This example takes a picture every 5s and print its size on serial monitor. */

// =============================== SETUP ======================================

// 1. Board setup (Uncomment): // #define BOARD_WROVER_KIT // #define BOARD_ESP32CAM_AITHINKER

/**

• 2. Kconfig setup
• If you have a Kconfig file, copy the content from
• https://github.com/espressif/esp32-camera/blob/master/Kconfig into it.
• In case you haven't, copy and paste this Kconfig file inside the src directory.
• This Kconfig file has definitions that allows more control over the camera and
• how it will be initialized. */

/**

• 3. Enable PSRAM on sdkconfig:
• CONFIG_ESP32_SPIRAM_SUPPORT=y
• More info on
• https://docs.espressif.com/projects/esp-idf/en/latest/esp32/api-reference/kconfig.html#config-esp32-spiram-support */

// ================================ CODE ======================================

include

include

include

include <sys/param.h>

include

include "freertos/FreeRTOS.h"

include "freertos/task.h"

// support IDF 5.x

ifndef portTICK_RATE_MS

define portTICK_RATE_MS portTICK_PERIOD_MS

endif

include "esp_camera.h"

define BOARD_ESP32CAM_AITHINKER 1

// WROVER-KIT PIN Map

ifdef BOARD_WROVER_KIT

define CAM_PIN_PWDN -1 //power down is not used

define CAM_PIN_RESET -1 //software reset will be performed

define CAM_PIN_XCLK 21

define CAM_PIN_SIOD 26

define CAM_PIN_SIOC 27

define CAM_PIN_D7 35

define CAM_PIN_D6 34

define CAM_PIN_D5 39

define CAM_PIN_D4 36

define CAM_PIN_D3 19

define CAM_PIN_D2 18

define CAM_PIN_D1 5

define CAM_PIN_D0 4

define CAM_PIN_VSYNC 25

define CAM_PIN_HREF 23

define CAM_PIN_PCLK 22

endif

// ESP32Cam (AiThinker) PIN Map

ifdef BOARD_ESP32CAM_AITHINKER

define CAM_PIN_PWDN 32

define CAM_PIN_RESET -1 //software reset will be performed

define CAM_PIN_XCLK 0

define CAM_PIN_SIOD 26

define CAM_PIN_SIOC 27

define CAM_PIN_D7 35

define CAM_PIN_D6 34

define CAM_PIN_D5 39

define CAM_PIN_D4 36

define CAM_PIN_D3 21

define CAM_PIN_D2 19

define CAM_PIN_D1 18

define CAM_PIN_D0 5

define CAM_PIN_VSYNC 25

define CAM_PIN_HREF 23

define CAM_PIN_PCLK 22

endif

static const char *TAG = "example:take_picture";

if ESP_CAMERA_SUPPORTED

static camera_config_t camera_config = { .pin_pwdn = CAM_PIN_PWDN, .pin_reset = CAM_PIN_RESET, .pin_xclk = CAM_PIN_XCLK, .pin_sccb_sda = CAM_PIN_SIOD, .pin_sccb_scl = CAM_PIN_SIOC,

.pin_d7 = CAM_PIN_D7,
.pin_d6 = CAM_PIN_D6,
.pin_d5 = CAM_PIN_D5,
.pin_d4 = CAM_PIN_D4,
.pin_d3 = CAM_PIN_D3,
.pin_d2 = CAM_PIN_D2,
.pin_d1 = CAM_PIN_D1,
.pin_d0 = CAM_PIN_D0,
.pin_vsync = CAM_PIN_VSYNC,
.pin_href = CAM_PIN_HREF,
.pin_pclk = CAM_PIN_PCLK,

//XCLK 20MHz or 10MHz for OV2640 double FPS (Experimental)
.xclk_freq_hz = 20000000,
.ledc_timer = LEDC_TIMER_0,
.ledc_channel = LEDC_CHANNEL_0,

.pixel_format = PIXFORMAT_RGB565, //YUV422,GRAYSCALE,RGB565,JPEG
.frame_size = FRAMESIZE_QVGA,    //QQVGA-UXGA, For ESP32, do not use sizes above QVGA when not JPEG. The performance of the ESP32-S series has improved a lot, but JPEG mode always gives better frame rates.

.jpeg_quality = 12, //0-63, for OV series camera sensors, lower number means higher quality
.fb_count = 1,       //When jpeg mode is used, if fb_count more than one, the driver will work in continuous mode.
.grab_mode = CAMERA_GRAB_WHEN_EMPTY,

};

static esp_err_t init_camera(void) { //initialize the camera esp_err_t err = esp_camera_init(&camera_config); if (err != ESP_OK) { ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Camera Init Failed"); return err; }

return ESP_OK;

}

endif

void app_main(void) {

if ESP_CAMERA_SUPPORTED

if(ESP_OK != init_camera()) {
    return;
}

while (1)
{
    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Taking picture...");
    camera_fb_t *pic = esp_camera_fb_get();

    // use pic->buf to access the image
    ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Picture taken! Its size was: %zu bytes", pic->len);
    esp_camera_fb_return(pic);

    vTaskDelay(5000 / portTICK_PERIOD_MS);
}

else

ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Camera support is not available for this chip");
return;

endif

}

[remibert]

I also had this problem recently on an S3 camera, and I solved it by setting ".fb_location = CAMERA_FB_IN_DRAM".

[rchandrashekar53]

@RajatVardam :

the code you shared does it solve the problem?

@remibert : i am also receiving the Camera init error.

[RajatVardam]

Yes the issue is solved for me. I am using VS-Code as an editor of choice for programming my esp32-cam with ESP-IDF extension on VS-Code. this problem occurred only because of PSRAM not enabled. the camera click of esp32-cam requires a larger temporary storage area which is why espressif have externally added a PSRAM to the board. So when adding the PSRAM, make sure you add configurations for an external PSRAM since esp32S chip; which comes with esp32-cam module does not in-built have a PSRAM but on the esp32-cam board, they have a PSRAM attached which is actually treated as an external component. the base esp32 also does not have a PSRAM neither on board, nor on the esp32S chip which is attached on it.

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