Newer Balena base images break RPI camera support

So I’ve been trying to get the Raspberry Pi camera module working within a container for way too long. I have discovered that something is broken in the newer balenalib images.

As the most basic test, I have just been running several images and running raspistill as a test of functionality. ie:

docker run -it --privileged --entrypoint /bin/bash balenalib/raspberrypi3:latest

then from the command line issuing the command:

raspistill -o test.jpg

When using the balenalib/raspberrypi3:latest or balenalib/raspberrypi3:stretch the raspistill command just hangs and the light on the Pi camera never comes on.

Using the balenalib/raspberrypi3:jessie image, the command works as expected and the camera captures a picture.

I figured someone at Balena might be interested in this and it might save some other people a few hours of trying to figure out WTF is going on.

Found the same bug the other day. They’re aware and seem to be working on it. Here’s a link to my post about it: Raspberry Pi Camera not working on Buster

Hey @dkoffler thanks for reporting this issue. We will be tracking progress in the other thread, please refer to that for updates.

Workaround posted: Raspberry Pi Camera not working on Buster