Has Your Ezviz Camera Lens Been Scratched?
The lens is the most critical component of your Ezviz security camera. Even a small scratch can have a big impact on image quality, leading to blurry spots, strange light flares, or a general lack of sharpness. This can compromise your security by obscuring important details in your recordings.
Before you rush to replace the entire camera, it's important to correctly identify the problem and understand your options. This guide will help you determine if your lens is truly scratched and what, if anything, you can do about it.
How to Tell if the Lens is Scratched
Sometimes, what looks like a scratch is actually just a stubborn piece of dirt, a smudge, or residue. Follow these steps to confirm the issue.
- Thoroughly Clean the Lens: Use a high-quality microfibre cloth (the kind used for cleaning eyeglasses) to gently wipe the lens. If you see a smudge, breathe on the lens to create a little condensation and wipe again.
- Inspect Under a Light: Hold a torch at an angle to the lens. This will help to highlight any physical imperfections on the surface. A scratch will look like a fine, engraved line or a scuffed patch.
- Review Your Footage: Look at both daytime and nighttime recordings. A scratch will cause a permanent, stationary blur or distortion in the exact same spot in every video. At night, a scratch can be particularly problematic, often causing a large flare or glare from the camera's own infrared lights.
Common Symptoms of a Scratched Lens
- A permanent blurry or soft spot in your video that never goes away.
- Visible lines or marks that appear in the footage.
- Distorted or flared light sources, especially at night.
- A general reduction in image clarity and sharpness.
- The camera's autofocus struggling to achieve a clear picture.
Can a Scratched Lens Be Fixed?
This is the crucial question, and the answer is usually no. Unlike a car's paintwork, a camera lens has precision optical coatings that are easily damaged.
For Deep Scratches
If you can feel the scratch with your fingernail, it is considered deep and cannot be repaired. Any attempt to buff or polish it out will almost certainly damage the optical coatings and the curvature of the lens, making the image quality significantly worse.
For Very Minor Scuffs (High Risk)
If you have a very light, superficial scuff that isn't deep, some users have attempted a repair using a fine plastic polishing compound (like PolyWatch or Displex). However, this is extremely risky for the following reasons:
- High chance of making it worse: It is very easy to apply too much pressure and create a permanent haze on the lens.
- Removal of coatings: Polishing will remove the anti-reflective and protective coatings on the lens, which can lead to more glare and less protection.
- Voids your warranty: Any attempt at a physical repair will instantly void your manufacturer's warranty.
We do not recommend attempting to polish your Ezviz lens. The risk of permanent damage is too high.
What Are Your Options?
If you have a confirmed scratch on your lens, your practical options are limited.
- Live With It: If the scratch is minor and located at the edge of the frame, not obscuring the main area of interest, you might choose to simply ignore it.
- Check Your Warranty: If your camera is still under warranty and the scratch was not caused by accidental damage (which can be hard to prove), contact Ezviz support. It is unlikely to be covered, but it is worth checking.
- Replace the Camera: Unfortunately, for a scratched lens, the most reliable solution is to replace the camera unit. The cost of a professional lens replacement would almost always exceed the cost of a new camera.
Prevention is the Best Cure
To protect your new or existing cameras, follow these tips:
- Strategic Placement: Install your camera in a location where it is sheltered from the elements and less likely to be hit by blowing debris or tree branches. Under an eave is an ideal location.
- Careful Cleaning: Only ever clean the lens with a soft microfibre cloth. If you need to remove dirt, use an air blower first to get rid of any abrasive particles before wiping.