Poor brightness and unable to change or save

[cosmo]

I have mounted a HikVision DS-2CD2732F-I dome camera vertically outside. I am getting poor image quality in terms of brightness and I cannot save modified brightness settings on the camera directly.

I have a proper wall mount but I am not using it because I want the camera to be less conspicuous for aesthetic reasons. It is not a security camera. It is a camera just to allow me to see the nice view of the bay when I am not there, which is a lot. I know dome cameras are not ideal outside and supposed to be mounted vertically. This is the setup I had with this particular camera elsewhere and it worked fine in terms of the image quality.

A sample of the image is attached. This is a morning capture looking intro o the sun, but it is still too dark during the day. Night is useless with the IR, the image is almost totally grey. I haven't figured out why yet. It was fine in the other location, but is a secondary concern.

I am wondering if it is because the lens is rotated 90 degrees (It's full rotation) and the sensors are pointing out to sea, to the sky, and it can't get a good reading for brightness. When it was mounted on the wall mount looking at the driveway at the other house, it was good image quality day and night.

I do not have an NVR. That is on it's way. I can save many of the camera's settings, but the Configuration, Basic or Advanced Configuration, Image, Display Settings tab where the brightness settings are located does not have a Save button.

So there are three problems - brightness level, not being able to save a different setting and the night time IR (Which might be just because it can't reflect off anything?) But the main one is not being able to save a change. Is this because I don't have an NVR connected to it?

 

[cosmo]

When it is noon in 4 hours I will attach another image capture to show that the morning sun is not the cause because I can already see people suggesting that.

 

[alastairstevenson]

Are you using IE11, and do you have webcomponents installed and enabled?
The lack of these can be a cause in not allowing settings to be saved.

 

[Keyboard]

Try cleaning the dome cover, inside and out.

I had a similar problem with a DS-2CD2732F-I as well. Over time, the image brightness became flat and dull, especially at night. The dome was mounted in the kitchen near the the stove. It turned out that a thin layer of dirt & grease had built up on the lens cover. After I cleaned it the image was crystal clear.

As far as configuration settings, I'm at a loss. However, I use FireFox when accessing my cameras over the web. I have not had a problem with modifying or saving settings.

 

[cosmo]

I am using Firefox 50.0.2 on Ubuntu 16.10 WebComponents doesn't install nicely on Linux but I can use VLC for live view, but not playback. I ran VMWare Workstation 12 under Ubuntu and opened Windows 7, then IE 11 with Web Components. Yes, save still not available.

Attached, an image taken at 1:36pm. A bit brighter, but I'd still like to adjust it. Also, a capture of IE 11 with Web Components and the brightness tab under VMWare.

I cleaned the cover inside and out. Even tried holding a black magazine over the top to see if the sun was having much of an effect. It wasn't. In any event, it's natural brightness is less of an issue than my inability to have a save button to change the settings.