Get camera to switch from B&W when motion light comes on??

[rufunky]

I think I have everything set up right for this to work but my camera just isn't switching from B&W to color when motion light comes on. Below is the settings I have applied if I am missing something please let me know.

 

[biscuit]

Take a look at backlight and wb


Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met Tapatalk

 

[bigredfish]

Funny thing in that my Starlights react the same. Seems it takes a good strong direct white light to get them to switch back to color once they've gone to B&W. Try forcing it to color at night and see how the image is and if you truly gain enough to matter.. Of course they still do great in either mode.

Oddly enough a have a couple of cheapy non-starlight 2MP eyeball cams that switch back pretty quickly.
Sample: (switch to 1080P)

The Starlight at the front of Mom's will switch but it takes a lot of light and it seems to do so grudgingly
Sample: (switch to 1080P)

 

[rufunky]

Take a look at backlight and wb


Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met Tapatalk

Doesn't seem to be anything in there that makes a difference in relation to this issue.

Funny thing in that my Starlights react the same. Seems it takes a good strong direct white light to get them to switch back to color once they've gone to B&W. Try forcing it to color at night and see how the image is and if you truly gain enough to matter.. Of course they still do great in either mode.

Oddly enough a have a couple of cheapy non-starlight 2MP eyeball cams that switch back pretty quickly.
Sample: (switch to 1080P)

The Starlight at the front of Mom's will switch but it takes a lot of light and it seems to do so grudgingly
Sample: (switch to 1080P)

Hmm, interesting. Seems these cameras are a little stubborn! I am almost tempted to swap my current flood lights out with the super bright LED ones I have around my house and see if that triggers them. The only worry I have is flooding the lens with too much light and washing out the picture or creating blind spots.

 

[Merlin93]

Alternatively, if your motion lights will always come on at night, you might be able to keep the IR cut filter from engaging at all. Though that would mean you would end up with very dark images other than when there was an event of course. I'm thinking of doing this myself since I have at least one camera that will be facing my driveway which will be lit by external light sources most of the evening which will also come on due to motion triggers the rest of the night.

 

[rufunky]

Alternatively, if your motion lights will always come on at night, you might be able to keep the IR cut filter from engaging at all. Though that would mean you would end up with very dark images other than when there was an event of course. .

Right, this is how I have my front camera setup but it works well because I happen to have a street light right next to my driveway. The back is pitch black. Not sure I want to rely on the motion lights to come on.

I can't imagine there isn't some settings that will make this work.

 

[bigredfish]

Honestly we're all chasing great image quality at night in forced color mode, and it's just not easy to obtain with the price point quality cameras we're using. Just 2-3 years ago it wasnt really possible under $1000. Sometimes simply allowing a good camera, such as the Starlights, to give you amazing images in B&W/IR is just as useful.