Is Your Aqara Camera's Night Vision Blurry or Unclear?
A security camera's performance at night is just as important as its performance during the day. If your Aqara camera produces a clear, sharp image in daylight but becomes a blurry, foggy, or washed-out mess after dark, its effectiveness is seriously compromised.
Fortunately, most night vision problems are not due to a faulty camera. They are usually caused by environmental factors that are easy to fix. This guide will help you identify the cause of your blurry night vision and restore a crystal-clear image.
Common Night Vision Problems and Their Causes
Let's identify the specific issue you're seeing on your video feed. The visual symptoms can tell you a lot about the underlying cause.
- Foggy or Hazy Image: The entire picture looks milky or as if it's in a soft-focus haze. This is often uniform across the whole screen.
- White Ring or 'Halo' Effect: A bright, washed-out area, often in a circular or semi-circular pattern, dominates the image, making everything else dark.
- White Spots or 'Orbs': You see bright spots that look like dust particles or floating orbs. These are often caused by dust or insects.
- Generally Grainy or Unfocused Picture: The image lacks sharpness and detail compared to the daytime video.
- Complete Blackout: The night vision doesn't seem to activate at all.
How to Fix Blurry Night Vision on Your Aqara Camera
Follow these simple steps to dramatically improve your camera's nighttime performance.
1. The Most Important Step: Clean the Lens
This is, without a doubt, the number one cause of poor night vision quality. The infrared (IR) LEDs that illuminate the scene for the camera are located around the lens. Any dust, smudges, or fingerprints on the lens glass will reflect this IR light directly back into the sensor.
- Use a Microfibre Cloth: Take a clean, dry microfibre cloth (the kind used for cleaning spectacles or phone screens).
- Wipe Gently: Carefully wipe the camera lens in a circular motion to remove all smudges and dirt.
- Check for a Protective Film: If the camera is brand new, double-check that you have removed the thin, clear plastic film that protects the lens during shipping.
2. Eliminate IR Glare (Bounce-Back)
IR glare happens when the camera's own infrared light bounces off a nearby object and overwhelms the sensor.
- Check for Obstructions: Look for any surfaces that are very close to the front of the camera. Common culprits include a window ledge, the eaves of a roof, a nearby wall, or even a thick camera skin or cover.
- Reposition the Camera: Try to move the camera slightly further away from the reflective surface. Even pulling it back a few centimetres can make a huge difference. Angle the camera so it's not pointing directly alongside a wall.
- Remove the Window Pane: If you are trying to point the camera outside through a window, the IR LEDs will simply reflect off the glass. This will never work. You must either place the camera outside or disable its built-in IR LEDs and use a separate, external IR illuminator placed outdoors.
3. Clear Away Spiderwebs and Insects
Spiders are notoriously attracted to the warmth and light of the IR LEDs on security cameras. They often build their webs directly in front of the lens.
- Regularly Inspect: Make it a habit to check the front of your outdoor cameras for webs.
- Clean and Clear: Use a soft brush or cloth to clear away any webs. A single strand of silk can catch the IR light and create a blurry mess, as well as trigger constant motion alerts.
4. Check Camera Settings
- Night Vision Mode: Dive into your Aqara app and go to the camera's settings. Ensure that the "Night Vision Mode" is set to "Auto." This allows the camera's ambient light sensor to automatically turn the IR illuminators on and off when needed.
- Image Rotation: If your image is sharp but simply upside down, look for an "Image Rotation" or "Flip Image" setting to correct the orientation.
By systematically cleaning the lens and checking the camera's position for sources of IR reflection, you can solve almost all common night vision problems and ensure your Aqara camera keeps a watchful eye, day and night.