Camera Siting Problem- I'm looking for how to deal with a bright light.

[eeeeees]

The picture below is from my driveway camera. At night our car is in the drive and I want to be able to watch it. Just in front of the car parked in the street is a street light that is near the center of the cameras field of view. The camera is a HIK GW-2071. The light totally washes out the image of our car. I am looking for strategies to mitigate the problem. I don't need obvious ones like re-locate the camera and double bag the street light. Maybe more like how to set up the camera/video. What I need is a ANVUS filter (used with night vision googles) but hard to remove during the day. Any suggestions appreciated.
Eric

 

[dalepa]

Do you have example night shot?

Have you tried setting the exposure higher 1/100+ or setting up the cam for day mode only, may help.

Is the HIK GW-2071 a 720P cam? If so, I would go with a newer higher dynamic range cam, maybe even 4MP


Ideally, you want the light from the other direction, maybe a flood light to overpower the street light may help, but I would put 2 4mm cams to the right and left of this cam for a better angle.

 

[eeeeees]

Below is a night shot of the Acura in the driveway. Note that darn street light.

The camera is a NIK GW-2071 which is as follows

• Description

[h=2]1080P 5.0MP ONVIF Network HD IP POE dome Security Camera WITH 2.8~12mm Varifocal Len[/h]

5.0 Megapixel HD Network PoE Power Over Ethernet 1920P@10fps, 1080P@30fps, Outdoor HD-IP Security Camera with 2.8-12mm Varifocal Manual Zoom Len, Up to 2592 x 1920 Pixel, 30PCs IR LED, 80 feet IR Distance. TI Davinci DSP DM368. Metal vandal proof & water proof
​

• 1080P (1920 X 1080) Day/Night video recording camera
• 5.0 Megapixel 1/2.5''CMOS senor, resolution up to 2592 x 1920 HD
• 1920P@10fps Pixel 1920(H)×1080(V), 1536P@17fps Pixel 2048(H)×1536(V),1080P@30fps Pixel 1920(H)×1080(V)
• Built-in 30Pcs Infrared LED and IR Cut Filter for Night Vision, up to 80 feet IR distance
• Built in 2.8~12mm Manual Zoom Varifocal megapixel HD lens with IR-CUT which allow you to adjust the angle of View
• Program Motion Detection & Email Alerts
• Power over Ethernet, Remote Mobile or PC view
• Ultra-low illumination and high-performance real-time screen, support ABLC image effect
• Support WEB configuration and IE network monitoring
• Support dual -stream
• Support OSD, color, brightness, saturation, and digital zoom settings
• Support real-time video, transmission, video motion detection and privacy masking
• Support remote monitoring. ONVIF 2.4 protocol and IR-CUT fThe question is how can the image be made more useful by changing settings or even the camera. Ideas anyone? Eric

 

[IPCamNut]

Options, alternatives (may be combined):

1. Change location of camera so it does not look directly into light.
2. Increase light on driveway/car from current camera side.
3. Use true wide dynamic range camera.
4. Obtain BB gun, set alarm clock to 2 am, go outside and shoot out street light. (Joke)
5. Obtain ladder, climb up to street light and secure opaque shield on side of street light facing camera.

 

[fenderman]

@eeeeeesIt appears as though the IR cut filter is stuck or the IR is turned off/dead. The camera is not seeing any ir from itself. Make sure the IR is turned on.

 

[MacNCheese]

Definitely looks like the IR isn't on. I have some that look in the direction of street lights and it makes little different to the camera.

If you look at the camera can you see the LEDs lit up?

 

[eeeeees]

Thank you guys for the insight. The IR LEDs are turning ON but they make no difference. I think that the filter is not moving since I can't hear any click. I just hope that its a mechanical problem and not the drive to the filter mover motor. I'm an old hand at electronics but new to security cameras. After a little you tubing I now know too much about IR cut filters. I wish that NIK knew a bit more about them when they put the camera together.
Thanks again
Eric

 

[Kawboy12R]

I don't think that there'll be much improvement with anything except adding more white light to the scene if the IR filter isn't getting out of the way at night. Even just tilting the camera downwards so that the street light isn't in the frame would help but you'll still get a lousy picture without more white light shining from the camera towards the car. Can you tap the camera or try moving a rare earth magnet around it to get it unstuck? I suppose you could take the camera apart and see if you can unstick the filter manually or even wedge it out of the way permanently if you can't fix it any other way. At least you'll get some help from the IRs at night that way but the daytime picture is going to suck.

 

[klasipca]

Nevermind, looks like I found the wrong cam

 

[hamsoplo]

I would try to privacy screen out the light, it helps with my hikvision cams

 

[Del Boy]

I have the same camera! Ok, well not same but very close (mine's a bullet). Night-vision no where near that bad so I think it's the IR filter.

 

[eeeeees]

Hello All
Just to put a finish on this thread: The problem was the camera GW-2071IP not set up correctly regarding nighttime operation and BI not setup right to allow PTZ commands to work correctly (IR on/off in BI doesn't work) When you go into the camera directly using a browser IR control works and the picture is good.
Thanks to those who got me straightened out.
Eric

 

[klasipca]

On my camera (Longse s500) it appears there is a feature where you can mask the bright spot and it will improve the rest of the image. i haven't tried it, but might be worth a shot to try in yours if your cam supports masking.

They are calling this feature HLC "High Light Compensation", you can see the sample screenshot in this listing:

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/H-265-Compression-IP-Camera-5MP-HD-lens-multi-stream-choose-IP66-IR-cut-auto-vision/32597718827.html?spm=2114.30010308.3.197.j1naXf&ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_6,searchweb201644_2_505_506_503_504_301_502_10014_10001_10002_10016_10005_10006_10003_10004_401,searchweb201560_2,searchweb1451318400_-1,searchweb1451318411_6449&btsid=6cce8d2f-c7a2-453b-bbb8-6604cfd6e763

 

[Del Boy]

HLC is in the Hikvisions too. Ideal for LPR.