Return Dahua Camera or Try at Home Repair of Stuck IR Filter

[Alaska Country]

Have a Dahua HFW-5242HN-Z6E bullet camera with a stuck IR filter that is still under warranty. Andy can obtain an RMA, but is it worth the time and effort to return?

Will Dahua pay for shipping both ways? Do I pay both or just one way?

It would appear to a simple mechanical issue as there is a click, but no action to remove the filter from the color side. i.e. the image is a nice rose.

Could be just a stick piece of plastic or could require the replacement of the entire IR filter assembly.

Did the tapping along with the use of an external placed magnet. Still rose. Power on/off, factory reset/defaults, etc.

Decreased the saturation to zero and the camera works well in B/W with no color cast. Also, a slight amount of color can be obtained, even with the stuck filter, if white balance is set for 'Regional Custom'.

 

[Mark_M]

I had the same issue with a camera from Andy.
When @EMPIRETECANDY provided a replacement he sent out a new one and it came in 5 days via UPS.

Occasional faults happen and Andy quickly responded to getting it fixed. Excellent service from him.

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

Expensive camera better fix up it.

 

[Alaska Country]

Appreciate the response.

It is nice to know that Dahua will replace the camera.

Shipping here is interesting. The camera arrives at the airport from Hong Kong in 2 days. Then it is shipped another 3,100 miles to Memphis, TN and back again (6,200 miles round trip - total trip miles at 11,280). Delivery in about 5 days. Overall, this is significantly much better than Amazon at 10 days plus!

 

[Alaska Country]

Took the camera apart (HFW-5242HN-Z6E ). Not very difficult at all.

The question is where is the IR filter located? The filter is generally located at the end of the lens just prior to sensor.

Would rather ask for advise then to start taking screws out!!

 

[Mark_M]

Took the camera apart (HFW-5242HN-Z6E ). Not very difficult at all.

The question is where is the IR filter located? The filter is generally located at the end of the lens just prior to sensor.

Would rather ask for advise then to start taking screws out!!

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Just get a replacement camera.

Once you open it up, the factory seal is broken.
Then any little bit of dust inside the lens assembly will cause issues.

I tried the same on some older cameras, and parts of the image are out of focus. It's hard to keep dust out no matter how much you try (cleaning before assembling doesn't keep it out either).

 

[Alaska Country]

Just get a replacement camera.

Point well taken.

Perhaps it would be better if Dahua were to replace the entire lens assembly in place of just the IR filter. The lens assemble would appear to be a plug and unplug scenario as best I can tell. Or as you have suggested, a full replacement.

 

[wittaj]

Now that you have that part out, knock it around a little and see if that frees it. Banging on the whole camera may not have got enough vibration to this part, but being all by itself, you might get it loose.

 

[Alaska Country]

Good suggestion.

However no go on the tapping. Tried a magnet with the same no go results.

From B/W to color a click happens.
From color to B/W no click.

Rose is a nice color, but not my cup of tea...

Looks like a replacement is in order.

Image set for night - B/W



Image set for daytime - Color

 

[tibimakai]

It is a motorized lens movement? Maybe a connector is not plugged in properly? Maybe you could unplug that big connector, with all the bronze ribbon cable and plug it back in. I would inspect the solder joints(on the bronze looking ribbon), see if there is no visible circle on it(that would be a crack).

 

[Alaska Country]

It does have a motor for zoom and focus.

The filter makes a click when changing from B/W to color. The camera works great in B/W.

Waiting to see what Dahua recommendations are for replacement, return or repair and if there are additional cost for shipping. i.e. does Dahua pay for shipping both ways, one way, or is the shipping cost is the total responsibility of the customer, etc.

 

[Alaska Country]

The camera with the defective IR filter has been repaired. Andy sent a replacement lens assembly for the HFW-5242-HN-Z6E-MF bullet.

The new lens assembly was installed and tested with the IR filter now functioning normally.

Issue closed....