Dahua T54IR-ZE-S3 - wow, what a contrast difference

[Sybertiger]

I'm amazed at the contrast difference between two different T5442T-ZE with the same exact settings. Both cams are in the backyard (the east side of house) and it's very cloudy today with no direct sun this time of day but you can see the difference. The first pic the cam is on the north side pointing south toward the other cam. And the second pic the cam is on the south side pointing north toward the other cam and you can. Even when it's a sunny day with morning sun you get the same contrast difference.

 

[Sybertiger]

If you select Self-Adaptive mode it seems somewhat better.

 

[Sybertiger]

Yes, I have been using the default setting for both cams. I'm just surprised at the difference.

 

[Sybertiger]

Still in Self-Adaptive mode but tweaks to the contrast, sharpness and gamma.

 

[wittaj]

We have seen many examples of things like this with other cameras well.

Two cameras bought at same time with same firmware from same lot pointed at basically the same field of view and drastically different settings to make them look alike.

Since you use BI, self-adaptive can wreak havoc with BI and throw up those yellow caution triangles and mess with BI motion if you use it.

 

[bigredfish]

You're not using any Backlight like WDR or SSA in those first pics on either cam?

 

[Sybertiger]

We have seen many examples of things like this with other cameras well.

Two cameras bought at same time with same firmware from same lot pointed at basically the same field of view and drastically different settings to make them look alike.

Since you use BI, self-adaptive can wreak havoc with BI and throw up those yellow caution triangles and mess with BI motion if you use it.

Since the T54IR-ZE-S3 has fairly good AI built in I don't use anything in BI for motion and I don't use DS anymore with these cams.

 

[Sybertiger]

You're not using any Backlight like WDR or SSA in those first pics on either cam

Um, beats me...I don't think so. LOL. The Exposure section is grayed out. And I don't get this AI SSA stuff.

 

[wittaj]

Um, beats me...I don't think so. LOL. The Exposure section is grayed out. And I don't get this AI SSA stuff.

View attachment 221767

Once you go to adaptive, it takes control of many parameters and you can't change them.

 

[bigredfish]

Um, beats me...I don't think so. LOL. The Exposure section is grayed out. And I don't get this AI SSA stuff.

View attachment 221767

I missed that.

I've not had much luck using that global AI SSA. Thats your contrast issue. Someone else had a problem with it, I think @Ri22o ? maybe?

I'd uncheck that and Adaptive and take back control of the camera. There is an SSA option in the Backlight tab you can try, similar to WDR.

 

[Sybertiger]

Once you go to adaptive, it takes control of many parameters and you can't change them.

I exited Adaptive and it's still grayed out. Beats me. Maybe I need to reboot the cam for it to reset.

 

[bigredfish]

AI-SSA is controlling things. Turn off

 

[Ri22o]

I missed that.

I've not had much luck using that global AI SSA. Thats your contrast issue. Someone else had a problem with it, I think @Ri22o ? maybe?

I'd uncheck that and Adaptive and take back control of the camera. There is an SSA option in the Backlight tab you can try, similar to WDR.

Not with AI SSA, I only run SSA.

 

[Sybertiger]

AI-SSA is controlling things. Turn off

I've done that but the Exposure and Backlight are always grayed out day and night. In fact they are grayed out no matter what I do. Maybe I'm not smarter than a 5th grader is the issue. LOL

 

[Ri22o]

Change to Customized Scene, make your adjustments, and then back to Day/Night Switch.

 

[bigredfish]

Are you running SmartCodec or AI codec?

Use General

 

[bigredfish]

I run Customized Scene all the time.

Here's my settings for mt driveway bullet. Note I have issues of too much IR at night with the Z4 right beside this so I have to tone it down

 

[Sybertiger]

The one thing I'm very guilty of is not spending much time playing with the cam settings. I don't have a willing volunteer to run around the yard day or night and I got tired of looking like weirdo to my neighbors watching me walk weirdly through the yard every 10 mins. LOL

 

[alekk]

Have you tried forcing the image settings to be the SAME on both camera's ... and if so, is there still a noticeable difference?
If so, that implies something different in the hardware.

Otherwise, it sounds like the the algorithms are on the "fence" with the scene ... with the two cameras taking different sides.
[Update after @bigredfish's comment below: I'm assuming soft/firmware is behaving the same on both - if not, all bets off]

 

[bigredfish]

With Adaptive, AI-SSA turned off and using the General Codec, if you still can't access Exposure and Backlight controls, its a camera problem.

I'd factory default, make sure those 3 things are right, and assuming the right FW, if it still does it, return it.