--- a/src/plugins/multimedia/ffmpeg/qwindowscamera.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/multimedia/ffmpeg/qwindowscamera.cpp
@@ -198,8 +198,9 @@
     void onReadSample(HRESULT status, LONGLONG timestamp, IMFSample *sample)
     {
         if (FAILED(status)) {
-            const std::string msg{ std::system_category().message(status) };
-            m_windowsCamera.updateError(QCamera::CameraError, QString::fromStdString(msg));
+            const QString message = QSystemError::windowsComString(status);
+            qWarning().noquote() << "Camera read failed (Unicode):" << message;
+            m_windowsCamera.updateError(QCamera::CameraError, message);
             return;
         }