HIKVision dome IR LED reflections

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lightguy48
Posts: 101
Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2015 7:19 pm

HIKVision dome IR LED reflections

Post by lightguy48 »

I've been using Foscam 9805 cameras for a number of years on my house but recently started switching a couple of cameras to HIKVision 4mp dome cameras but I have noticed that at night I appear to be getting a reflection of the IR LED's into the lens and it's washing out the image pretty severely.

I have tried moving the camera closer to the edge of the eave but the problem doesn't seem to change much.

I'm kind of running out of ideas and looking for some suggestions on how to fix the problem. Any ideas?
mikb
Posts: 585
Joined: Mon Mar 25, 2013 12:34 pm

Re: HIKVision dome IR LED reflections

Post by mikb »

Camera sounds "broken by design" ... if it's the type with 20-30 IR leds inside the same dome as the camera, surrounding the camera, that's a LOT of IR light heading out, and only a tiny fraction needs to bounce off the inside of the dome and get back into the camera for it to dazzle it.

Same problem occurs when people use an IR led camera pointing out of a window at night. All you see is IR dazzle off the window glass ...

Googling "HIKVision camera", there are some other ones where the camera is to one side, and a single(?) hi-watt LED is beside it, not in the same dome.

This is how to do it right.

Is there any way you could use an external IR light source, and not use the camera's own LEDs?

Alternatively, can you add a conical "baffle", inside the dome, like a lens hood, that doesn't interfere with the (conical) field-of-view of the camera lens, but would prevent IR bouncing around and getting into the lens? Some work with black plastic/card sheet may help here!
lightguy48
Posts: 101
Joined: Sun Nov 15, 2015 7:19 pm

Re: HIKVision dome IR LED reflections

Post by lightguy48 »

Thanks, makes total sense thinking about it. My Foscam's have a dual-ring design with the lense physically separated from the LED's by a black plastic isolation ring, and zero issues.

Will have to noodle on this for solution that might work.
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