Step 1: infrared / LED control
Check whether the infrared LEDs turn on when it gets dark. You can see this by the purple LED spots.
Then check the infrared LEDs of the camera. With the dome cameras in particular, it may be that the infrared LEDs while installing are angled in a way, that the infrared light is mirrored by the inside of the glass dome which causes reflections.
You can fix this by adjusting the lens and angle of the camera.
Example photo for reflective LEDs:
Step 2: aligning the camera
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Make sure that the camera does not look into an empty space like the sky, so that the infrared lighting has the widest possible areas for reflection, especially if the night vision images appear foggy. The infrared lighting is mainly concentrated in the middle of the video image.
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Point the camera more towards the floor and make sure that the camera is not aimed at a white or light surface, as these reflect strongly. This causes the camera to automatically adjust the light, which can make other areas appear too dark.
Examples of misalignment:
It is an object that is placed very close (in this case a wall). As a result, the frame is overexposed by the camera, which is why the rest of the image darkens.
Step 3: check image settings
If the infrared does not turn on, it is disabled. You can reactivate the infrared via the recorder as follows:
- Settings> Cameras> Image Control> Settings (cogwheel symbol behind the desired channel)
- Set IR-CUT MODE to GPIO AUTO
- IR-LED to Auto (if available on your camera model)
Step 4: cleaning the camera
It may be that the camera lens is contaminated by adhesive residues from the protective film or fingerprints.
The images may be ideal during the day, but reflections can occur when the infrared LEDs are switched on and affect the image quality at night.
Clean the clear cover of the camera with a mixture of methylated spirit and a little water. Then dry the area with a clean cotton cloth.
Step 5: reset the camera
If the points listed above do not help, you can reset the camera via the menu of the recorder.
To do this, please carry out the following steps in the menu
- Settings > System> Camera Maintenance> Load Default > select the desired channel> click on Load Default