The G4 Dome camera is equipped with infrared LEDs to give it night vision. However, some factors may cause these LEDs to produce glares on the camera’s feed. The most common causes of glaring and poor resolution are:
- Reflections from nearby objects
- Residue on the bubble cover or lens
- Bubble cover not properly locked in place
- The rubber seal surrounding the lens is damaged
Reflections from nearby objects
Per its installation guide, the G4 Dome should be installed at least 60 centimeters (cm), or 24 inches, away from neighboring walls and the ceiling. If nearby objects or fixtures, such as a wall corner or overhang, are closer than that, they may reflect infrared light into the camera and create a glare.
Ceiling-mounting near a wall corner
Below, you can see how mounting the G4 Dome to the ceiling with objects in the foreground can result in poor image quality.
Ceiling-mounting near overhangs
The camera below is too close to the pillar so it appears in the camera’s field of view (FoV).
Wall-mounting too close to the ceiling
The camera below doesn’t have at least 60 cm of separation from the ceiling and its image quality is diminished as a result.
Residue on the bubble cover or lens
While installing the G4 Dome, its lens and bubble cover may collect dust, oil stains, and fingerprints. This can also occur if you wipe the lens or bubble cover incorrectly.
If there is residue on the G4 Dome’s lens or bubble cover, clean them with either lens wipes, a lens cloth with a lens cleaning solution, or a soft cleaning cloth and rubbing alcohol. Continue to do this periodically to prevent distorted image quality due to dirty lens and cover surfaces.
Oil stains or fingerprints on the bubble cover or lens
When oil stains stick to the bubble cover or lens, the infrared lights become diffused by the foggy surface.
The image below shows the camera’s bubble cover marked with fingerprints.
The image below shows a lens with oil stains.
Below, you can see how image quality with a clean bubble cover is markedly better than that of an oil-stained equivalent.
Moisture droplets on the bubble cover
When moisture droplets stick to the bubble cover, the camera’s infrared lights become scattered by the trapped moisture, like in the example directly below.
To avoid reduced image quality due to moisture droplets, wipe the bubble cover’s exterior with a lens cloth.
Bubble cover not properly locked in place
The G4 Dome’s removable bubble cover has a locking mechanism to ensure an airtight seal. When the bubble cover is not attached properly, the camera’s infrared lights can be reflected back into its lens.
To mount the bubble cover correctly:
- Align the small indentations on the cover and camera.
- Rotate the cover clockwise to securely fasten its rubber lining. The sealing strips should not be visible.
The example images below show the G4 Dome when its bubble cover is properly attached (left), and when it’s not (right).
Here, you can see the G4 Dome’s image quality when its bubble cover is properly attached.
Here, you can see how its image quality is greatly reduced by an incorrectly attached cover.
The rubber seal surrounding the lens is damaged
When the rubber seal surrounding the lens is damaged, infrared light can leak in and distort the camera feed.
The images below show a normal seal (left) and a damaged one (right).
Source :
https://help.ui.com/hc/en-us/articles/1500008633161-UniFi-Protect-Optimizing-G4-Dome-s-Night-Mode