ioctl(VIDIOC_QUERYCAP): Inappropriate ioctl for device on Raspberry PI Zero W Raspbian Trixie with IMX219

Start by reproducing the failure with libcamerify ffmpeg and ustreamer, then compare their behavior with the working rpicam-hello and MediaMTX commands on the Raspberry Pi Zero W. Done means identifying the cause of the VIDIOC_QUERYCAP error and making the affected libcamerify path work with the IMX219 camera, with the reported commands succeeding.

pi@pizerow:~ $ libcamerify ffmpeg -f v4l2 -framerate 24 -i /dev/video0 output.mp4
ffmpeg version 7.1.3-0+deb13u1+rpt1 Copyright (c) 2000-2025 the FFmpeg developers
  built with gcc 14 (Raspbian 14.2.0-19+rpi1)
  configuration: --prefix=/usr --extra-version=0+deb13u1+rpt1 --toolchain=hardened --incdir=/usr/include/arm-linux-gnueabihf --enable-gpl --disable-stripping --disable-libmfx --disable-mmal --disable-omx --enable-gnutls --enable-libaom --enable-libass --enable-libbs2b --enable-libcdio --enable-libcodec2 --enable-libdav1d --enable-libflite --enable-libfontconfig --enable-libfreetype --enable-libfribidi --enable-libglslang --enable-libgme --enable-libgsm --enable-libharfbuzz --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libmysofa --enable-libopenjpeg --enable-libopenmpt --enable-libopus --enable-librubberband --enable-libshine --enable-libsnappy --enable-libsoxr --enable-libspeex --enable-libtheora --enable-libtwolame --enable-libvidstab --enable-libvorbis --enable-libvpx --enable-libwebp --enable-libx265 --enable-libxml2 --enable-libxvid --enable-libzimg --enable-openal --enable-opencl --enable-opengl --disable-sndio --disable-libvpl --enable-neon --enable-v4l2-request --enable-libudev --enable-epoxy --enable-libdc1394 --enable-libdrm --enable-libiec61883 --enable-vout-drm --enable-chromaprint --enable-frei0r --enable-ladspa --enable-libbluray --enable-libcaca --enable-libdvdnav --enable-libdvdread --enable-libjack --enable-libpulse --enable-librabbitmq --enable-librist --enable-libsrt --enable-libssh --enable-libsvtav1 --enable-libx264 --enable-libzmq --enable-libzvbi --enable-lv2 --enable-sand --enable-sdl2 --enable-libplacebo --enable-librav1e --enable-pocketsphinx --enable-librsvg --enable-libjxl --enable-shared --libdir=/usr/lib/arm-linux-gnueabihf --cpu=arm1176jzf-s --arch=arm
  libavutil      59. 39.100 / 59. 39.100
  libavcodec     61. 19.101 / 61. 19.101
  libavformat    61.  7.100 / 61.  7.100
  libavdevice    61.  3.100 / 61.  3.100
  libavfilter    10.  4.100 / 10.  4.100
  libswscale      8.  3.100 /  8.  3.100
  libswresample   5.  3.100 /  5.  3.100
  libpostproc    58.  3.100 / 58.  3.100
[0:03:44.122832904] [775]  INFO Camera camera_manager.cpp:340 libcamera v0.7.0+rpt20260205
[0:03:47.481243283] [780]  INFO IPAProxy ipa_proxy.cpp:180 Using tuning file /usr/share/libcamera/ipa/rpi/vc4/imx219.json
[0:03:47.561517832] [780]  INFO Camera camera_manager.cpp:223 Adding camera '/base/soc/i2c0mux/i2c@1/imx219@10' for pipeline handler rpi/vc4
[0:03:47.563535820] [780]  INFO RPI vc4.cpp:445 Registered camera /base/soc/i2c0mux/i2c@1/imx219@10 to Unicam device /dev/media0 and ISP device /dev/media1
[video4linux2,v4l2 @ 0x234b7a0] ioctl(VIDIOC_QUERYCAP): Inappropriate ioctl for device
[in#0 @ 0x234b640] Error opening input: Inappropriate ioctl for device
Error opening input file /dev/video0.
Error opening input files: Inappropriate ioctl for device

libcamerify ustreamer --device /dev/video0 --host :: --port 8889 --encoder=m2m-image -r 1640x1232 --debug also doesn't work, it throws the same Inappropriate ioctl for device.

However, rpicam-hello works:

pi@pizerow:~ $ rpicam-hello
[0:13:31.734110649] [787]  INFO Camera camera_manager.cpp:340 libcamera v0.7.0+rpt20260205
[0:13:32.671382328] [790]  INFO IPAProxy ipa_proxy.cpp:180 Using tuning file /usr/share/libcamera/ipa/rpi/vc4/imx219.json
[0:13:32.784960168] [790]  INFO Camera camera_manager.cpp:223 Adding camera '/base/soc/i2c0mux/i2c@1/imx219@10' for pipeline handler rpi/vc4
[0:13:32.788708163] [790]  INFO RPI vc4.cpp:445 Registered camera /base/soc/i2c0mux/i2c@1/imx219@10 to Unicam device /dev/media0 and ISP device /dev/media1
[0:13:32.790456160] [790]  INFO RPI pipeline_base.cpp:1117 Using configuration file '/usr/share/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/vc4/rpi_apps.yaml'
Made DRM preview window
Preview window unavailable
Mode selection for 1640:1232:12:P
    SRGGB10_CSI2P,640x480/0 - Score: 4504.81
    SRGGB10_CSI2P,1640x1232/0 - Score: 1000
    SRGGB10_CSI2P,1920x1080/0 - Score: 1541.48
    SRGGB10_CSI2P,3280x2464/0 - Score: 1718
    SRGGB8,640x480/0 - Score: 5504.81
    SRGGB8,1640x1232/0 - Score: 2000
    SRGGB8,1920x1080/0 - Score: 2541.48
    SRGGB8,3280x2464/0 - Score: 2718
[0:13:32.834654098] [787]  INFO Camera camera.cpp:1215 configuring streams: (0) 1640x1232-YUV420/sYCC (1) 1640x1232-SBGGR10_CSI2P/RAW
[0:13:32.838167093] [790]  INFO RPI vc4.cpp:620 Sensor: /base/soc/i2c0mux/i2c@1/imx219@10 - Selected sensor format: 1640x1232-SBGGR10_1X10/RAW - Selected unicam format: 1640x1232-pBAA/RAW
#7 (0.00 fps) exp 6956.00 ag 1.00 dg 1.00
#8 (30.01 fps) exp 6975.00 ag 1.00 dg 1.00
#9 (30.00 fps) exp 6975.00 ag 1.00 dg 1.00
#10 (30.01 fps) exp 6975.00 ag 1.00 dg 1.00
#11 (15.00 fps) exp 6956.00 ag 1.00 dg 1.00
#12 (30.01 fps) exp 6956.00 ag 1.00 dg 1.00
#13 (30.01 fps) exp 6956.00 ag 1.00 dg 1.00
#14 (30.00 fps) exp 6956.00 ag 1.00 dg 1.00
#15 (30.00 fps) exp 6956.00 ag 1.00 dg 1.00
#16 (30.01 fps) exp 6956.00 ag 1.00 dg 1.00
#17 (30.00 fps) exp 6956.00 ag 1.00 dg 1.00
#18 (30.01 fps) exp 6956.00 ag 1.00 dg 1.00
#19 (30.01 fps) exp 6956.00 ag 1.00 dg 1.00
#20 (30.00 fps) exp 6956.00 ag 1.00 dg 1.00
<snip>

MediaMTX also works, which does not use libcamerify.
I am running a Raspberry Pi Zero W with Raspbian Trixie, and I have a Raspberry Pi Camera v2 connected.

pi@pizerow:~ uname -a
Linux rpizerow 6.12.75+rpt-rpi-v6 #1 Raspbian 1:6.12.75-1+rpt1 (2026-03-11) armv6l GNU/Linux