Ghosting/Double Images at Night

[smccann3]

We have a new AXIS Q6075-E PTZ Dome Network Camera and are having issues with ghosted images and double images at night. The area the camera is set to record is well lit. We've tried tweaking the various settings but have had no improvement. It has no issues during the day and, if we remove the dome cover at night the ghosting goes away. I searched for alternative dome covers as our older AXIS 6155 PTZ Dome Network Cameras have dome covers with blacked out sides and I was hoping one would be available for this camera as the old cameras have zero issues with ghosting/double images at night. Any guidance or tips on what I might be able to do to fix this issue or even improve it would be appreciated.

 

[wittaj]

That can be the problem with domes is they attract and bounce light from anywhere.

Pictures help us diagnose, so it could be anything.

Are you in color or B/W with infrared? If infrared then it sounds like the seal is rolled or damaged allowing the IR to bleed into the lens.

Is there a film or dirty dome - wipe both sides - the tiniest of smudge like a fingerprint can wreak havoc on a dome.

 

[smccann3]

That can be the problem with domes is they attract and bounce light from anywhere.

Pictures help us diagnose, so it could be anything.

Are you in color or B/W with infrared? If infrared then it sounds like the seal is rolled or damaged allowing the IR to bleed into the lens.

Is there a film or dirty dome - wipe both sides - the tiniest of smudge like a fingerprint can wreak havoc on a dome.

Thank you for getting back to me. It’s color, I’ve attached a photo.

 

[wittaj]

WOW and it only does it at night?

There is enough light at a ballgame that the camera should pretty much respond the same day or night.

That is a new one on me. If it were happening day and night then I would think it is a defect in the dome that is causing that, but only at night in that situation is a head scratcher.

The fact that it clears up when you remove the dome is making me wonder if there is so much light coming from different directions that the image is reflecting off the lens back onto the dome and then causing the double image?

If you hold something over the camera so it doesn't get so much light from above does it go away?

 

[smccann3]

We would have to try that out. We tried covering the sides to simulate a dome cover that has blackened sides like we have on the other AXIS cameras but it didn’t improve anything. Didn’t think to try to blocking out the light from above, but we can test it out.

 

[fenderman]

We would have to try that out. We tried covering the sides to simulate a dome cover that has blackened sides like we have on the other AXIS cameras but it didn’t improve anything. Didn’t think to try to blocking out the light from above, but we can test it out.

Try disabling the WDR

 

[smccann3]

WDR was set to off and I turned it on and then off again and no improvement of the image. I took a couple more photos this morning and the ghosting/double images were visible (very early in the morning daylight). Once the sun fully comes out it all goes away and the camera works perfectly. The other photo I shared was from when I moved the camera around using PTZ controls I saw the camera reflecting off the globe cover at a certain angle, not sure if that indicates anything or is normal. The other thing I’ve noticed that might have meaning is all of this happens (the ghosting/double images) with the camera zoomed in quite a bit (there isn’t a numerical value on the PTZ manual zoom bar but it’s zoomed in about 70% of the total possible range) AND when it’s zoomed back to 50% or less there is no issue. I was wondering if maybe some of the controls that might prevent the ghosting might lose their effect as I zoom in a lot?

 

[prairietech]

I'm wondering if it's due to some kind of mis-alignment in the optics of the zoom lens?
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[CCTVCam]

Probably optics as some of the ghosting appears to be of static objects, but ensure the gain isn't set too high or the shutter too slow. Gain below 50 (40 on some cameras) and shutter probably at least as low as 8ms for something as fast as baseball.

Edit looking closely, maybe the static objects aren't affected only the moving billboards in which case check gain and shutter.

 

[bigredfish]

The static objects are indeed ghosted so its not just movement

If taking off the dome cover, and zooming out to less than 50% solves it, it sounds like a pure reflection issue from the dome.