Subscriber Discussion

Analog Camera Woes

RH
Robert Henriksen
•Sep 15, 2016

I'm a long time IT guy who's picked up IP cameras over the last couple of years; analog cameras are foreign to me. We opened an outdoor housing to clean the front glass, and reposition the camera (housing) a bit; the video feed changed to a 60/40 black/white split. As in, the left ~60% of the image is black, the right ~40% is white, and there's a bit of grey at the transition point. Fiddling with the zoom & focus controls have no impact. The coax connection doesn't appear loose. 

Any ideas on what's going on? We're belt tightening like crazy, so I'm trying to not just throw up my hands and replace it w. an IP camera if we can help it. 

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Brian Rhodes
•Sep 15, 2016
IPVMU Certified

I'm guessing the IR cutfilter is stuck. Not sure you can repair it for less than a new IP camera.

(1)
U
Undisclosed #1
•Sep 15, 2016
IPVMU Certified
In reply to Brian Rhodes

I'd definitely give it a few slaps of increasing violence first on its way to the bin. It doesn't take too much time, and can help relieve associated frustrations.

Maybe some cleaning fluid got on the filter and once it gets unstuck it'l be ok.

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Brian Karas
•Sep 15, 2016
IPVM

Does it have adjustable back focus (where you can move the sensor assembly forward/back a bit)? I've seen cases where service adjustments like you describe move the back focus, causing the sensor assembly to hit the back of the lens, and cause the IR cut filter to bind, resulting in something similar to what you posted (though usually one half of the image has a purple or green tinge, unless the camera in in B/W mode).

RH
Robert Henriksen
•Sep 15, 2016

Ah, that certainly sounds plausible, thanks.

So... hit it with a hammer! (To jog the filter loose - can't make it worse, right? ;-) )

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Brian Rhodes
•Sep 15, 2016
IPVMU Certified

One thing to try: force the camera into 'Day Only' mode to see if you can move the filter. Maybe confirm the power supply on your bench/lab is rated to match the camera too.

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Ari Erenthal
•Sep 15, 2016
Chesapeake & Midlantic

It's a stuck IR cut filter, as others have mentioned. Try these steps:

1) power down the camera, wait a minute, and power back up.

2) smack it on the side to try to get the cut filter to slide.

3) turn off all the lights, wait about two minutes, then turn them all back on.

4) turn off all the lights, cover the camera with a blanket or a t shirt or something, wait about two minutes, and then remove the cover while shining a powerful flashlight at the camera.

5) toss it and get another camera.

RH
Robert Henriksen
•Sep 15, 2016

Fantastic, thanks very much everyone!

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