camera IR poor at night

[username]

Just added a camera to my system. Hikvision XC-2142FWDI. I have several other identical cameras attached and they all work as expected.

When this new camera transitions from day to night, the view is very dark. I don't know exactly how these devices work but it's as if the camera cannot determine that it is dark outside and so the IR is insufficient.

If I reboot the camera, then it is fine. Plenty of IR 'vision'. It transitions from night back to day ok. But at night I have to reboot it again.

I am thinking of returning this to the vendor but perhaps there is some kind of setting that I can change. It has the same settings as other cameras (unless I overlooked something).

Any ideas on settings to alter?

 

[nayr]

reset it back to defaults using the built in UI and reconfigure from scratch, Ive had a few settings that seemed to get stuck in a profile and when it switched from day/night it did not change one of the settings appropriately.. but resetting it to default fixed it, not sure how it got in that bad state but its a good first attempt to fix.. it too was out of the box like this, I wondered if it was caused by an dirty testing process (bad config)

 

[username]

The only changes made since outta the box have been IP Gateway (to allow viewing on browser), OSD, & password.

I'll give your approach a shot and see what happens, seems like a good thing to try first. The only other variable is the cat5e. Doesn't seem like that is a problem since it works otherwise.

Thanks.

 

[nayr]

some vendors have automated testing scripts setup to check cameras are operating properly before re-shipping, these can play with settings and inadvertently leave it in a non-default state by the time you get it.. so first thing to try with a camera misbehaving out of the box is to factory reset it just to rule that possibility out.. if you havent changed anything it wont hurt.

other than that there are some settings that need to be applied in certain environments, and default settings might just be total junk for this specific location.. fine tuning is almost always required, especially at night.. go through and play with all the settings and get familiar with them, then test with real targets at night.. an overly dark image is ok in some places if it has to keep low gain for detail.. that just means you need more lighting, visible or ir.

 

[username]

other than that there are some settings that need to be applied in certain environments, and default settings might just be total junk for this specific location.. fine tuning is almost always required, especially at night.. go through and play with all the settings and get familiar with them, then test with real targets at night.. an overly dark image is ok in some places if it has to keep low gain for detail.. that just means you need more lighting, visible or ir.

The only thing is that if I reboot the camera, then the IR lighting is good. It's like it is not kicking in at nightfall. That said, it's in my backyard and a neighbor has very bright driveway lights. So my first thought was that these lights are 'fooling' the IR. But if that is the case, then why does reboot work just fine?

Also, when I first installed that camera, I used the camera's reset button to force it to pick up the NVR password. I've never been able to find a manuf pw that worked but the button does the job just fine. That is not the same as your suggestion to use the built in UI and starting from scratch makes the most sense. I'll work on that tomorrow. But I would think that my reset with the button at initial install is the same as reset to default, except for what it picks up interfacing with the NVR.

After installing 6 identical cameras, I thought I had it all figured out. Guess I was wrong.

 

[username]

reset it back to defaults using the built in UI and reconfigure from scratch,

An update: Logged into the camera, I chose "reset all except IP & User info to Default". That did not resolve my problem. My other choice, which I need to try is "Restore all parameters to default". I did not choose that because I did not think resetting the IP & pw would make a difference on camera settings.

Below are before and after pictures:

This is the image I see after dark, as if the camera does not put out enough IR light:


When I reboot the camera after it gets dark outside, I get a good image:



What I will try next is to activate the 'privacy' option and block out that bright light in the upper left of the image. It is much brighter in live view than in these uploaded screen captures. I don't know if the privacy options actually blocks out the light entering the camera or if it merely modifies the output of the live view. I am thinking that perhaps the bright light is somehow altering the light sensor so that the camera does not realize it is as dark outside as it really is.

 

[nayr]

privacy mask wont do jack squat, can you move the camera a little bit so that bright light is not hitting the sensor directly? just needs a few degrees of down tilt

 

[username]

privacy mask wont do jack squat, can you move the camera a little bit so that bright light is not hitting the sensor directly? just needs a few degrees of down tilt

Thanks for confirmation of privacy mask. I did have my doubts.

Yes, I can tilt down to move image below the bright light. I was hoping to avoid that solution but I will do that tomorrow.
I also have a spare camera. If nothing else helps, I can try replacing it.

 

[username]

Following up, I changed the camera. Now all is well with the IR day/night switch.