How to control gain on Hikvision Cube camera

[DaveGee]

Hello,

I have a hikvision cube camera that is sh*tting me. The night vision is constantly dark and incredibly grainy. It's weird, but it changes over time. If I 'reset' the camera, the picture is bearable for about 12 hours, then it slowly returns to being dark and incredibly grainy, without me ever changing a setting! I am convinced that the gain is somehow at 100%. However, I cannot find a control anywhere (on the NVR OR the camera) to amend the gain. It seems to be auto-only.

Does anyone know how I can control the gain manually? I am thinking that perhaps it used to be possible in older firmware, as I've found instructions/references online, but never an actual control on the camera or NVR. I really don't want to have to reset the camera every 12 hours to get a usable picture!

I've uploaded a picture too. This is not as bad as it gets, its about halfway to being horrible!

Thanks in advance!

Details:
NVR: DS-7608NI-I2 / 8P (firmware V3.4.95 build 170626)
Camera: DS-2CD2452F-IW (firmware V5.4.3 build 160902)

 

[fenderman]

Hello,

I have a hikvision cube camera that is sh*tting me. The night vision is constantly dark and incredibly grainy. It's weird, but it changes over time. If I 'reset' the camera, the picture is bearable for about 12 hours, then it slowly returns to being dark and incredibly grainy, without me ever changing a setting! I am convinced that the gain is somehow at 100%. However, I cannot find a control anywhere (on the NVR OR the camera) to amend the gain. It seems to be auto-only.

Does anyone know how I can control the gain manually? I am thinking that perhaps it used to be possible in older firmware, as I've found instructions/references online, but never an actual control on the camera or NVR. I really don't want to have to reset the camera every 12 hours to get a usable picture!

I've uploaded a picture too. This is not as bad as it gets, its about halfway to being horrible!

Thanks in advance!

Details:
NVR: DS-7608NI-I2 / 8P (firmware V3.4.95 build 170626)
Camera: DS-2CD2452F-IW (firmware V5.4.3 build 160902)

ensure smart ir is turned off...gain is under image>exposure settings...

 

[DaveGee]

ensure smart ir is turned off...gain is under image>exposure settings...

Hi! Thanks for the reply, I got excited, however no such luck. 'Smart Supplement Light' (this is the smart IR, right?) was already off. Under exposure settings there simply is no gain setting. I've never seen one, and I'm pretty good with tech stuff and photography. What am I missing? Thanks.

 

[fenderman]

Hi! Thanks for the reply, I got excited, however no such luck. 'Smart Supplement Light' (this is the smart IR, right?) was already off. Under exposure settings there simply is no gain setting. I've never seen one, and I'm pretty good with tech stuff and photography. What am I missing? Thanks.

that is newer firmware that may have removed the option, though dont know why they would...doesnt look like a gain setting issue..can you see whether the ir light is getting weaker? how are you powering the camera?
have you tried a hard reset?

 

[Mike A.]

Does look like the IR is weak. Not the exact same cam (2MP version) but I'm sure that mine would be a lot brighter at 1/25 and default settings otherwise in that same setting.

I do have the gain control under exposure settings in 5.3.5 btw.

 

[DaveGee]

that is newer firmware that may have removed the option, though dont know why they would...doesnt look like a gain setting issue..can you see whether the ir light is getting weaker? how are you powering the camera?
have you tried a hard reset?

thanks for the reply. Makes sense that it is an IR light issue, I guess the gain is trying to compensate. If it is a lack of IR, I assume that is a hardware problem?

What do you mean by hard reset? I've done the 'Restore' from System > Maintenance a few times. Is the hard reset the 'Default' button? I'll try that and see.

Also, I am powering the camera currently via POE. However until recently it was powered with an external power supply.

Thanks,

 

[fenderman]

thanks for the reply. Makes sense that it is an IR light issue, I guess the gain is trying to compensate. If it is a lack of IR, I assume that is a hardware problem?

What do you mean by hard reset? I've done the 'Restore' from System > Maintenance a few times. Is the hard reset the 'Default' button? I'll try that and see.

Also, I am powering the camera currently via POE. However until recently it was powered with an external power supply.

Thanks,

try powering externally to see if it helps..there is a reset button on back..remove power, hold reset, while holding reset, apply power keep holding reset for 30 seconds

 

[DaveGee]

thanks for the replies. I updated the firmware to 5.4.5 (170124) and unbelievably, the picture looks alot better. It's nowhere near as good as my 8mp EXIR turrent, but its still much better than before. Still a fair bit of grain though. I've attached a pic. In your experience, is this a quality to be expected for a Cube? Or do you think there is possibly still a hardware issue? Thanks again.

 

[fenderman]

thanks for the replies. I updated the firmware to 5.4.5 (170124) and unbelievably, the picture looks alot better. It's nowhere near as good as my 8mp EXIR turrent, but its still much better than before. Still a fair bit of grain though. I've attached a pic. In your experience, is this a quality to be expected for a Cube? Or do you think there is possibly still a hardware issue? Thanks again.

Well I can tell you that the 2mp and 3mp cube are orders of magnitude better than that..it could be because of the 5mp sensor which is terrible in low light or more likely there is something wrong with the camera..

 

[gringo]

All cubes with 5.4.0 and newer are with missing gain control. In 5.5.0 gain is gone for all other models!
5mp is really horrible at night (the CMOS size is too small for 5mp) as fenderman said.