Did you check on your Blink camera and notice that the live feed displays in black and white? This issue happens with many people and can be very irritating- mainly if your camera worked fine before.
If your Blink camera shows you images in black and white, you likely have the infrared feature turned on under the night mode settings. Infrared, or IR, captures images using heat, which displays using monochrome.
There are a few different ways that you can fix your camera. Troubleshooting for this problem is easy and should take five minutes at most- let’s begin!
Why Your Camera is Recording in Black and White
The Blink security system comes with an IR feature. When you have this setting turned on, the camera will capture footage using the IR mode, leading to a black and white display.
This setting is practical when there’s not enough light for the camera to capture in color since your Blink camera won’t work correctly in the dark. Some people refer to it as “night vision,” although IR works differently than real night vision.
What is Infrared?
Infrared detects heat, which displays in black and white. The feature allows your Blink system to run like normal in the dark- it will continue capturing footage when it detects motion.
Infrared is heat energy that travels in wavelengths. The camera has a unique infrared sensor that allows it to detect these waves. It’s worth noting that the waves aren’t harmful to people, despite being a type of electromagnetic radiation.
Troubleshooting Your Blink Camera
While IR is a great feature to have, it’s frustrating when your camera is recording in black and white when it shouldn’t be. Luckily, troubleshooting this problem only requires a few quick adjustments.
Start by evaluating the lighting condition around your camera. If it’s in the shade or an area with low lighting, the IR mode will likely turn on automatically. All you have to do is bring the camera to a brighter location.
If that doesn’t work, you’ll need to go into your Blink camera app settings. Go to the “NIGHT VISION” section next; if you notice the “Control” set to “On,” your camera will only display in IR mode. You can set it to “Off” or “Automatic.”
If you turn off this feature, the camera will never enter into IR mode. That’s fine, as long as you have your camera set up in a consistently sunny or bright area. However, you should know that it won’t capture footage well at all in the dark.
The Automatic IR Setting
We recommend that you use the “Automatic” IR setting instead of turning it off completely. This option provides you with several valuable benefits.
This mode allows your Blink to capture in color when it has a good source of light. However, if it’s in a dimly lit area, it will switch to IR mode without requiring input from you. That way, you never miss anything important- even on the darkest nights.
You will need to use the “Automatic” IR setting if you have the camera set up outside. Otherwise, it won’t run at its highest efficiency.
Can You Turn Off Red Light on Blink Camera?
Many people also wonder if they can turn off the red light on their Blink security camera. This red light is the IR illuminator, and the system needs it to run in IR mode. If you want to turn off the red light, you’ll need to disable IR in the Blink App’s settings.
However, if you do this, your camera will no longer use IR mode at night. Some people cover the red light with electrical tape, but that would also lead to issues with the IR function. It’s best to leave it alone.
On some models, the red light only turns on when it captures movement, so you shouldn’t have to worry about it.
Try a Reset
If you already changed all the “NIGHT MODE” settings and nothing seems to work, you can try resetting your Blink camera. To do this, take out the batteries, wait a few minutes, then allow the camera to reboot. Sometimes, this fixes the issue if it was due to a connection error.
You can also factory reset the camera. Doing so will change all your settings back to the original ones. You will need to reconnect your camera and Sync Module, but it works as a last resort effort.
Final Thoughts
The IR function that Blink cameras use makes it easier to capture footage at night or in dimly lit areas. However, it’s frustrating for many users when their camera seems to get stuck recording in black and white. You’ll want to adjust the “NIGHT MODE” settings in your app or reset the camera to fix this.
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