5442 impossible to correct color balance

[Corvus85]

Hey guys,


For months, I've been wrestling with one of my 5224 cams, which for one reason or another, cannot auto-adjust the color balance.
Here's a picture taken around 10am (cropped):


And here's the same scene, taken from another camera of the same model pointed at the same area, at the same time, albeit at a different angle:


The first picture is clearly giving a way-too-warm picture. In real life, the colours are far more similar to the second image. As it's 10am, it's not like it's getting some yellow from the sunrise or anything, as the sun is quite high in the sky by this hour.

I've tried everything - every preset white balance mode, including 'regional custom', and even manually adjusting the white balance.

What happens is that when I finally get it looking just right using either regional custom or manual, as the day progresses, it will gradually shift way too blue!
I have no idea why it's doing this, especially since nothing is partially obscuring the camera's FOV - no walls, plants, etc. It's got clear line of sight until the pavement distance in every corner of the frame. All my other 5442's are set to 'auto' and perform accurately, but if I leave this one on auto, it just makes everything look like an old western.

Is there maybe a firmware update that fixes this?
I'm currently on V2.800.15OG004.0.R, Build Date: 2020-12-03

 

[wittaj]

Do you have backlight enabled like too high WDR or something?

 

[Corvus85]

Do you have backlight enabled like too high WDR or something?

I do, however I also have it enabled on all of my 5442 cams.
Ironically, if I set it lower, it gets more yellow.

 

[bigredfish]

I was gonna say WDR also. It plays hell with an image but is necessary in some scenes…

 

[DanDenver]

You can try to turn the saturation down to 30 percent. you will still have color, but with less emphasis

 

[tigerwillow1]

Any chance it's a stuck IR filter?

 

[Corvus85]

You can try to turn the saturation down to 30 percent. you will still have color, but with less emphasis

Sorry, that's not an option. I shouldn't have to reduce total colour output in order to get color balance working exactly the same as my other cameras.

Any chance it's a stuck IR filter?

How do I check this?

 

[Corvus85]

I was gonna say WDR also. It plays hell with an image but is necessary in some scenes…

It doesn't matter whether I have WDR, BLC or any backlight compensation solution (even 'no' selected). It's still yellow.

 

[Mike A.]

One of mine is like that too. Can't get the grass to look right for the life of me. That same too-yellow green color with bright sunlight. Then as the sun moves it turns to a more of a too-blue. Think it's just the scene. I can see the same general color shift in some of my others but it's not as pronounced. Maybe one day I'll swap one of the others in to see if it follows the scene or follows the cam.

 

[Corvus85]

So there's no firmware update for this?

 

[wittaj]

Sometimes it is just field of view issues despite you having two cameras basically looking at the same area from different angles. It looks like this angle sees a lot more white pavement than the other and that can cause the issues. Swap cameras and see if the same thing happens with a different camera at that location. If it does then a firmware fix isn't going to fix it....if it doesn't then leave the cams in the swapped position...

And why isn't adjusting the saturation an option? That is the whole point of having the ability to make adjustments based on field of view...

 

[Corvus85]

And why isn't adjusting the saturation an option? That is the whole point of having the ability to make adjustments based on field of view...

Because I don't want to desaturate the image, I want to change the color balance. The saturation is fine.

 

[Mike A.]

So there's no firmware update for this?

See the thread below. Read through later posts to make sure that it doesn't break something else you need that's working. I updated one of my 5442s to this not long ago and haven't noticed anything that I use not working right.

No idea if it will help with your color balance issue.

IPC-T5442T-ZE IPC-T5442TM-AS IPC-T5842T-ZE SMD 3.0 Smart IR Latest New Firmware From EmpireTech

Hey guys The Smart IR firmware with SMD 3.0 V2.8 2022 Aug Version has been released. The update is mainly for Smart IR, New Security Baseline function, highly recommend to update, esp the 4K models. This firmware is working great with the help of @Wildcat_1 , has big improvement on the 4K...

ipcamtalk.com

 

[wittaj]

Then swap the camera to prove it isn't a field of view issue....

I suspect it is. I have two cameras on either corner facing a crossing pattern that basically see the same thing from a different angles and even swapping identical cameras, the one on the left always looks a little off in color.

These sensors are tiny and light reflection can be perceived differently from different angles. Your problem view looks like it sees a lot more light color material than the other and that can be the issue with all that reflectivity.

 

[Flintstone61]

Were trying to catch asshole motherfucking fucktards, not a photoshoot for OCD Monthly or a Hollywood Western. I have one that's not quite like the others...but the thing is looking into the Sun as it arcs across the day.
I'm after the data it provides me. It tells me if Charlie Converter thief has been loitering about. Or if asshats have been loitering in my parking lot.
it acted differently when it was up front by the Front lot in a different scene.

 

[Corvus85]

Were trying to catch asshole motherfucking fuckards, not a photoshoot for OCD Monthly or a Hollywood Western

Exactly. So I'm trying to prevent it from looking like a western

I have one that's not quite like the others...but the thing is looking into the Sun as it arcs across the day.

You're trying to catch a**hole motherf*****g f***tards on the sun?

 

[Swampledge]

Just for chuckles, double check the bit rate on that camera. I had one I was using to test camera locations that had a funny color balance, too. Then I found it wasn’t providing a sharp picture on faces. The problem was the bit rate was too low. I think the camera‘s GUI/firmware changed it when I lowered the FPS setting. After readjusting the bit rate, the color looks like my other cameras again.

 

[wittaj]

He doesn't want our proposed solutions, he wants a firmware update

 

[Flintstone61]

Clint Eastwood called, he wants to borrow your Camera for his next shoot.

 

[IAmATeaf]

Does the cam behave the same if you fully reset it to defaults?