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michaelfernandes

292 Messages

Thursday, May 23rd, 2019 2:38 AM

Indoor camera clicking

Have had my SS indoor cameras for about 1 year now.  Overall satisfied with then.
This past week, while in bed watch some tv, I kept hearing a clicking noise.  After awhile, I discovered it was from the camera.  I also noticed the small red light at the top of lens turning on and off.
I have my cameras set to -
-no motion
-shutter set to open on all modes
-night vision set to auto

Have had these settings since install.  Never noticed any clicking sound until this past week.
I have two other cameras, all with same settings.  I tested them today by turning the room lights on/off.  They are making a clicking sound too when the small red light comes on.  

Am I just noticing the noise now and its always been there, or did some update push out and it is now exhibiting this behavior?
I changed the settings on the bedroom one and saved, then back and saved.  No change.
Called SS yesterday and the tech supposedly did the same thing from SS side.  No change.

Thoughts?

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3 years ago

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michaelfernandes

292 Messages

6 years ago

Just got off the phone with SS. S/w Clay.
His explanation for the noise is that when the night vision light comes on, the lens is changing from color to black/white, and that the internal mechanism has loosened up and is moving faster, thus making the noise.  He said there is probably a screw inside that needs to be tightened.  I asked to have the camera replaced. He said likely in 6-12 months it will exhibit the same behavior.   He was basically implying that there are two lenses, one for color, one for b/w.  
Remember, I keep the shutter open at all times.  

I call bs on the explanation.

But anyway, I will replace the one in the bedroom since it bothers me while watching tv. The other two I am not too concerned about at this time.

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whoaru99

1.3K Messages

6 years ago

Probably not a lens for B&W and for color, per se. I'd say more likely an IR filter being moved when the camera switches to night mode. IR filter in front of lens/image sensor for daylight mode, moved out of the way for IR/night mode.

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sevensiamesecats

2.2K Messages

6 years ago

Yes, the night mode is not black and white because it is reconfigured for that; it is actually infrared and lack of infrared (or "heat" and "cool").  The filter theory sounds much more reasonable than separate lenses.

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sfcmdr

4 Messages

5 years ago

Sorry but that explanation doesn't work for me, as the shutter is currently closed but i still hear the noise.

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whoaru99

1.3K Messages

Then you didn't understand the answer. The IR filter physically moves, thus makes a click, when the camera switches between day and night mode. The day/night mode switch happens regardless that the shutter is closed.

Below is a link to a short video I made. There are several clicks. The louder more "klunk" ones are from the room light switch. The clicks of significance are the softer ones just after the room light is turned off and back on again.

The shutter is closed the entire time. You will note the camera clicks twice in response as it changes from day to night mode (one click) then another click when it changes from night to day mode. Those clicks are much more audible in person than in the video. You also see the IR LED come on and go off in conjunction with the clicks.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/13iy0Eg2GqzrWib6p51nDSAE8fUTj4ZYp/view?usp=drivesdk

5 years ago

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mikemcneil68

4 Messages

5 years ago

Not sure if will help your scenario or not but it did mine. My house is borderline dark all the time even in the middle of the day, yes I am a cave dweller. My camera in the LR was constantly clicking so I went into the camera settings and switched the "Night Vision" setting into "On" and this has eliminated the clicking on this camera. Hope it helps, I fully understand how irritating that constant clicking can be.

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daveandvickie

1 Message

3 years ago

If you go to the night vision setting for your camera, and switch it on, then off, you'll hear the camera make the same clicking noise.

I too believe it is switching an IR (Infrared) filter in from of the lens and electronically interpreting the color camera output as black and white, to get a better picture.

So even though your shutter never opens, the camera is changing mode (when on auto) depending on the light level in the room.

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davey_d

Community Admin

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5.7K Messages

@daveandvickie​ this is correct. There is a quiet click when the camera switches to Night Vision mode, and it does this whenever there's enough of a change in light level. So it can be ready for when a recording or stream comes on.

3 years ago

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