Critique my night shots

[joshwah]

Hello,

I am running blue iris with several cameras located throughout the property. This one in particular is my driveway camera, normally it does not have the caravan in the driveway.

This camera is a DS-2CD2385G1-I - this one has the following settings:

Video settings:
Resolution = 3840 x 2160
bit rate = variable
Frame rate = 20
max bitrate = 16834
Video encoding = H.265
i frame interval = 20
SVC = off
Smoothing = 50

Image settings:
Exposure = 1/50
Gain = 80
Backlight = WDR (60)
White balance = Warm light lamp
Digital noise reduction = Normal (23)

 

[joshwah]

Here is with my son standing next to the caravan with the IR off and security light off

 

[joshwah]

Here is another one with IR off and security light ON.

 

[joshwah]

IR ON and security light off

 

[joshwah]

IR on and security ON

 

[bigredfish]

About as good as you're gonna get with the average 4K camera

 

[joshwah]

I am struggling because i am not even able to get a decent ID from 3-5m (9ft-16ft)....

 

[bigredfish]

Id try turning down NR and increasing shutter speed.
You just dont have enough light for that camera. Id use the IR ON and the Floodlight armed. You dont have near enough light to allow it to stay in color, and the switch when the floods come on will be far less severe

 

[bigredfish]

Oh, and turn WDR OFF

 

[mat200]

FYI - for those curious about this model

DS-2CD2385G1-I

DS-2CD2385G1-I
8 MP Outdoor IR Fixed Network Turret Camera

1/2" (8 MP) Progressive Scan CMOS
• Up to 3840 x 2160 Resolution @ 20 fps
• Minimum Illumination:
Color: 0.016 lux @ (f/1.6, AGC on),
0 lux with IR
• Up to 100 ft (30 m) EXIR 2.0 Range
• 2.8 mm, 4 mm, and 6 mm Lens Options
• H.265+, H.265, H.264+, H.264
• 120dB True WDR
• MicroSD Card Slot Supports 128 GB
• IP67 Protection
• 12 VDC and PoE (802.3af)

https://us.hikvision.com/sites/default/files/pe_ot_ds-2cd2385g1-i_050219na_0.pdf

 

[bigredfish]

Yep, .016 @F1.6 isn’t going to be great at night without a lot of IR or white light.

 

[joshwah]

Mmm I figured these were good cameras well better than my previous “fwd” version of the hikvisiokn cameras. Do you suggest I add a IR Illuminatator?

 

[bigredfish]

Lots of folks assume more MP is better, but generally speaking not in low light. 2-4MP cameras like the HiK Darkfighters and Dahua Starlights produce a better nighttime image.

That’s an inexpensive way to improve things. Can’t hurt to try one for $20-$30

I think leaving it in B&W at night and adding some IR you see improvement along with some of the setting suggestions. Turn off WDR and dial back NR as much as you can stand it.

Assuming the floods are motion activated, you should be able to get a good image and better when they kick on

 

[joshwah]

Mmm interesting because that camera is a darkfighter with a larger 1/2” lens?

I’ll be adjusting those settings tonight and I’ll post some new pics.

 

[aristobrat]

Mmm interesting because that camera is a darkfighter with a larger 1/2” lens?

The larger lens isn’t “larger enough” to make up for the fact that 8,294,440 pixels (8MP) have to fit on it, meaning the size of each pixel is a lot smaller than the cameras that really do well in low light (like the 2MP 1/2.8” models and now the new 4MP 1/1.8” models that do even better).

Smaller pixels don’t help low-light image quality. This camera’s minimum illumination spec is 0.018. The new 4MP 1/1.8” models are rated at 0.002. Granted the 1/1.8” sensor is a bit bigger than this 1/2” sensor, but having 50% fewer pixels helps immensely with low-light image quality IMO.

 

[joshwah]

Mmm so another idea you recommend would be to lower the resolution as well?

 

[bigredfish]

Bottom line it’s all about light.

btw- try CBR just for grins

 

[aristobrat]

Mmm so another idea you recommend would be to lower the resolution as well?

Usually when you lower the resolution on a camera, the camera still takes the images at the original resolution (8MP in this case) and electronically resizes them before it streams out. So no change in low-light performance.

In your situation I think “more light” (IR or visible) will be the most help. If you buy any more cameras that you want to use in low-light, I think 4MP 1/1.8” is where the best performance for the price is currently.

 

[joshwah]

Thanks. Just curious if you could throw a few models of the popular 1/1.8” sensor cams?

 

[bigredfish]

Here’s mine on the fixed lens bullet

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