Adjusting Security Cameras for More Accurate Night Vision
Apr 1, 2018 14:37:41 GMT
Post by Wanklein on Apr 1, 2018 14:37:41 GMT
Chargrove said:
I had a security camera system installed about a year ago. Don't ask me what brand of cameras IDK...they are supposedly 1080p during daylight hours, at which time they rock. I have five cameras.
At night, I'm encountering what I suppose is a common issue with what are I'm sure middle of the road cameras, which is fair to poor image quality and even what I would call "false" images/etc showing up in the field of view in darker areas. These things run a wild gamut that have basically forced me to quit looking at the cameras at night because I get so freaked out by some of the things I think I see. The most common things I see are (ready for this) people wearing hooded cloaks like monks or wizards. I'm not joking. I also think I see a variety of bizarre and cartoonish little characters running around all over the place when I look at the cameras thru the app on my hi res iPad screen. Sigh.
Now, the darkness obviously causes numerous interpolation errors, and the hi res screen really magnifies this. When I watch things on my samsung monitor, a lot of that disappears and gets smoothed out, but I still see some very odd things that simply make no sense. I have considered adding a few side lights and maybe a couple of the infrared banks to clear things up, which I'm sure would help. But I also have a number of camera settings available and I've researched some tips like frame rate, noise reduction, etc etc... But from what I've tried, those don't do much for me.
When I first noticed this right after the cameras were installed, I didn't understand that what I was seeing was not really there because the installers told me that cameras don't lie. Well, my cameras are lying at night, because this stuff simply isn't there or it's a badly distorted view caused by what I mentioned above. Anyway, before I understood this, I completely freaked out and was telling my wife about it nonstop and she would have NONE of it and it literally almost caused a divorce. I quit paying attention to them entirely and stopped thinking about it. Now I'm thinking about it again but not freaking out because I understand more about what is going on with the images and stuff, but I will tell you it's still somewhat unnerving.
Look: you install security cameras for peace of mind. Most "bad" things do in fact occur at night. I need an accurate record of what's going on outside AT NIGHT. If the cameras do not have an immediate close bright light source (not pointed at them of course), they are prone to all this weird stuff and I wish they weren't but they are.
Does anyone have some good tips/ideas/suggestions as to what I can do to help with this? I know I need some more light, but due to problems this caused before, if I start putting up lights outside I'm afraid my marital problems could come back because I would be pegged as becoming the person who freaked out the first time all over again. If there are any knowledgeable camera guys out there who know about security camera setting, I can provide you with my info if you would be willing to help me with some settings that might adjust some of this nonsense out of the picture. Seriously, any help appreciated. PM me if you are a pro who would be willing to help, otherwise any responses appreciated.
Thank you so much.
I had a security camera system installed about a year ago. Don't ask me what brand of cameras IDK...they are supposedly 1080p during daylight hours, at which time they rock. I have five cameras.
At night, I'm encountering what I suppose is a common issue with what are I'm sure middle of the road cameras, which is fair to poor image quality and even what I would call "false" images/etc showing up in the field of view in darker areas. These things run a wild gamut that have basically forced me to quit looking at the cameras at night because I get so freaked out by some of the things I think I see. The most common things I see are (ready for this) people wearing hooded cloaks like monks or wizards. I'm not joking. I also think I see a variety of bizarre and cartoonish little characters running around all over the place when I look at the cameras thru the app on my hi res iPad screen. Sigh.
Now, the darkness obviously causes numerous interpolation errors, and the hi res screen really magnifies this. When I watch things on my samsung monitor, a lot of that disappears and gets smoothed out, but I still see some very odd things that simply make no sense. I have considered adding a few side lights and maybe a couple of the infrared banks to clear things up, which I'm sure would help. But I also have a number of camera settings available and I've researched some tips like frame rate, noise reduction, etc etc... But from what I've tried, those don't do much for me.
When I first noticed this right after the cameras were installed, I didn't understand that what I was seeing was not really there because the installers told me that cameras don't lie. Well, my cameras are lying at night, because this stuff simply isn't there or it's a badly distorted view caused by what I mentioned above. Anyway, before I understood this, I completely freaked out and was telling my wife about it nonstop and she would have NONE of it and it literally almost caused a divorce. I quit paying attention to them entirely and stopped thinking about it. Now I'm thinking about it again but not freaking out because I understand more about what is going on with the images and stuff, but I will tell you it's still somewhat unnerving.
Look: you install security cameras for peace of mind. Most "bad" things do in fact occur at night. I need an accurate record of what's going on outside AT NIGHT. If the cameras do not have an immediate close bright light source (not pointed at them of course), they are prone to all this weird stuff and I wish they weren't but they are.
Does anyone have some good tips/ideas/suggestions as to what I can do to help with this? I know I need some more light, but due to problems this caused before, if I start putting up lights outside I'm afraid my marital problems could come back because I would be pegged as becoming the person who freaked out the first time all over again. If there are any knowledgeable camera guys out there who know about security camera setting, I can provide you with my info if you would be willing to help me with some settings that might adjust some of this nonsense out of the picture. Seriously, any help appreciated. PM me if you are a pro who would be willing to help, otherwise any responses appreciated.
Thank you so much.
