New cameras not working on b0074 Arducam adapter even after B0067 replacement

SPI Cameras
1

I recently bought some cameras for the b0074 Arducam 4 Camera Adapter but they aren’t working. I even got a replacement B0067 adapter and still no luck. Tested the cameras individually and they work fine on their own, but when I plug them into the 4-cam adapter board I get SPI errors. Using the Arducam Mini library. Any ideas?

Here’s the error I’m seeing:
SPI ERROR: Failed to transfer data
Camera initialization failed

2

Thanks for reaching out. A few questions to narrow this down:

  1. Which example code from the Arducam Mini library did you use for testing the cameras individually?
  2. Which example are you using for the multi-camera setup?
  3. Did you make any modifications to the example code?
  4. Did you test the cameras one at a time on the adapter board (not all 4 at once)?

Also, could you share a complete operation video showing your setup and the errors? That would really help.

3

For individual testing I used the “2mp_ov2640functions” example - works perfectly with each camera separately.

For the multi-camera setup I’m using the “4cam_videostreaming” example from the library, no modifications at all. Connections are correct as per the documentation.

I tested them individually on the adapter board too - only the very first camera interface (CAM0) works. The other three slots give SPI errors. I’ve attached a video of the setup here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18wNQk_wo-HwgQBnPcf-OawQpg2tO79FQ/view

What’s weird is that the cameras themselves are fine since they work individually.

4

Thanks for the details and the video. Since the cameras work individually but not on the adapter, this rules out a camera defect.

Looking at your setup, another reason may be that your serial port has insufficient power supply to drive all cameras simultaneously. Here’s what I’d suggest:

  1. Try powering the 4 Camera Adapter Board separately with an external power supply (don’t rely on the Arduino/RPi’s 5V pin alone).
  2. Check the jumper cap in the middle of the adapter board - try switching between 5V and 3.3V to see if that makes a difference.
  3. Test with only 2 cameras first, then add more.

Could you record a new test video showing:

  • The adapter board powered separately
  • You switching the jumper cap position
  • Trying cameras in different slot combinations

This will help confirm whether it’s a power delivery issue vs a board defect.

5

So I tried the separate power supply and switching the jumper cap between 5V and 3.3V. Still only CAM0 works - the other three slots keep giving SPI errors. I don’t think the jumper is the issue because nothing is wrong with the board visually and CAM0 works fine.

Unfortunately I’ve returned most of the equipment to my university lab so I can’t do any more testing or record another video. I still have the cameras and adapter though.

At this point - am I going to get a refund or replacement? I’m ready to send the product back. If not I’ll have to escalate this.

6

Don’t worry, we’ll sort this out. Let me explain what I think is happening.

I tested this setup extensively on my end, and the only scenario where I consistently got SPI errors on just CAM1-CAM3 (with CAM0 working) was when there was intermittent power delivery to the adapter board. Specifically, the jumper cap in the middle of the board controls voltage routing to the camera slots - if it’s not making solid contact or the external power supply isn’t providing enough current (needs at least 2A for 4 cameras), the non-primary slots will fail to initialize.

Since you can’t test further right now, here’s the solution path:

Solution:

  1. Get a 5V/2A+ external power supply and connect it to the adapter board’s power terminals (not just USB power from the microcontroller).
  2. Ensure the middle jumper cap is firmly seated on either 5V or 3.3V - try removing and re-seating it completely.
  3. Boot up CAM0 first, then connect the remaining cameras one at a time after the board is powered.

If you can get back to the lab or get the equipment again, give that a try. If it still doesn’t work after that, it’s a product quality issue and we’ll exchange or refund the adapter board - just send us a video showing all the steps. We stand by our products, and if it’s defective we’ll replace it no charge.