What good is a security camera if you can’t see what it records? A lot of Blink customers have reported problems with their Blink camera recording blurry or cloudy images. Some only have a problem at night, while others constantly have the problem. Are you wondering what could be causing this distorted image?
The most common reasons an image from the Blink camera may be blurry or cloudy is due to condensation, IR reflection, nearby lights, an out-of-focus or dirty lens, bad Wi-Fi or Sync Module signal, or not removing the plastic cover over the lens. It is possible, but less common, for the Blink camera to be defective.
Hopefully, that answer gave you a few ideas of things you can check real quick. Before you take off to go try fixing the issue, I’m going to cover each of these issues in more detail. I’ll cover in detail what causes the issue, what to look for, and how to fix the problem.
Reasons Why Your Blink Camera Blurry, Cloudy, Distorted or Fuzzy
There are a handful of reasons why your Blink camera may not be providing the image you expect, or that you previously had. I mentioned a lot of reasons previously. Here they are listed out before I cover them one by one:
- Condensation (Moisture),
- IR reflection,
- Near-by lights,
- Out of focus lens,
- Dirty lens,
- Weak Wi-Fi signal,
- Weak Sync Module signal,
- Failure to removing the plastic cover over the lens,
- Defective Blink camera
That first problem, condensation, should relate only to Blink’s outdoor door cameras; Blink Outdoor, XT, and XT2. If you have an image problem with your Blink Indoor or Blink Mini, skip the condensation section. That’s assuming you are using them indoors.
Condensation (Moisture) Covering Your Blink Camera Lens
If you have Blink Outdoor, you may get condensation over your camera lens on certain mornings, and more prevalent during certain seasons of the year. If the lens clears up within the early morning hours, condensation from temperature changes is likely the culprit.
If the lens takes longer to clear up, or doesn’t clear up at all, this is a sign of a bigger problem. Try wiping the lens off with a soft cloth. If the moisture is getting inside the lens, then wiping it will have no impact. This is bad.
If moisture is getting inside the lens, check and double-check the camera’s back battery cover is properly and completely fastened to the main body of the camera.
It can take a bit of pressure to engage the latch and ensure the seal all the way around is tight.
The Blink XT and XT2 can take a good amount of pressure to ensure that the latch is engaged, and the backplate is completely on making a waterproof seal.
The newer Blink Outdoor uses a screw, which should be fully tightened. The screw should turn fairly easily using the included tool, and then become hard to turn once it is completely screwed in.
If moisture is only on the outside of the camera lens, your best option is to try moving the camera. The area above grass and soil tends to have more condensation than that above concrete or asphalt. The other option is to keep the camera close to the house.
The last option I’ve heard about is to use Rain-X over the lens. That said, make sure not to apply the Rain-X when it’s hot outside, or else it might create a hard-to-remove haze from drying too fast. I learned about this trick from reading the Blink Community page located here.
IR Reflection – IR Light Reflecting Into The Blink Camera
In night mode, the Blink camera will turn on an IR emitter. You will know if the IR is turned on by if the camera image is black and white. Blink cameras are very sensitive to this IR light, and any reflection from nearby surfaces will likely create a glare and a halo effect.
A good example of blurry and not blurry images from IR distortion can be found in the Blink Community page located here.
This glare from IR light being reflected is commonly caused by Blink being placed on some sort of reflective surface, such as a table. Even surfaces with a flat, non-glossy finish, may reflect IR light.
If you have your Blink camera sitting on a surface instead of being mounted, try moving it. Either to the edge, if possible, or mount the camera so there are no nearby surfaces for the IR light to blind the camera.
Near-By Lights Blinding The Blink Camera
This is a problem for all cameras. If there is a bright light shining directly into the lens, the camera is going to have problems.
This light may come from lamps in the room, or street lights outside, or a number of different sources. We need light to see! However, cameras adjust to different lighting, and if there is one bright spot shining into the camera, it will distort the whole image.
If you’re not sure if this is the problem, take a look at the image. If you see a bright white spot originating from a certain point then a light shining into the lens is your problem. Either move the light behind the camera or move the camera.
Out Of Focus Lens Causing Permanent Distorted Image On Blink Camera
Having an out-of-focus lens is more common on the older models of Blink camera (XT, XT2) than it is on the current generation.
I’ve heard of some Blink Mini’s having blurry images due to this problem right out of the box. If you have a Blink Mini and suspect this is the problem, I would exchange it for a new one. If you’re not sure and want to spend the time talking to Blink Support, they will usually send out a replacement free of charge.
The older generation has the lens held to the casing by a small bead of glue. The glue would either become brittle or have enough give, such that the lens could rotate. Causing it to move either closer to or further from the camera, which in turn creates a blurry image.
If you have a blurry image after the camera has fallen, this should be something to check for.
The solution for this older generation was to manually turn the lens back into place. Take a close look and you will notice that the front lens can rotate. Use a pair of needle-nose pliers to twist the outer black circular plastic until the camera is back in focus.
I can’t tell you if you need to rotate clockwise or counter-clockwise, so try one direction and see if the image gets any clearer or more blurry. If it gets more blurry, go the other direction.
Dirty Lens On Your Blink Camera
This is mostly a problem with the outdoor Blink cameras, as they are exposed to the elements. However, dust can accumulate on indoor cameras as well.
If you notice that your image has become fuzzy and distorted slowly over time, this is likely the cause. It can be hard to notice, but you may be thinking to yourself that the image just keeps getting worse and worse.
Luckily, the fix is simple. Take a damp cloth and go wipe off the lens. If you have the camera in an area where there is lots of dirt and dust in the air, this might become routine maintenance for you.
Weak Wi-Fi Signal or Weak Sync Module Signal to Your Blink Camera
Have you ever been watching a video and then it suddenly gets more distorted? This is because the video changed from a high-resolution to a low-resolution. This often occurs when the device can’t load the high-quality video fast enough, so it loads a lower quality so you can keep watching.
The same thing happens with Blink cameras. If you are viewing the live feed, and the camera can’t stream the 1080p version, you will get a lower resolution feed.
You can check if this is the problem by opening the Blink app. The signal strength can be checked in the BLink app for each camera.
If a weak connection is the problem, the solution is to move the camera closer to the router or sync module, or vice versa. Move the router or sync module closer to the camera.
Protective Plastic Cover Over The Lens Of Your Blink Camera
Blink cameras come with a protective plastic cover of the lens in order to prevent scratches. It’s easy to get excited about setting up your new camera and forget to remove that protective cover once your camera is set up.
If you forget to remove it, your image may seem fine to begin with. Over time though, the cover will start to bubble up resulting in a distorted image.
You probably already know the fix; remove the plastic film. If the Blink camera is mounted in a hard-to-reach location, you should be able to visually inspect the camera and see if the film is still over the camera lens. If needed, you can then dismount the camera.
Defective Blink camera
Blink offers its customers great support. If support cannot resolve your problem, and your camera is still under warranty, they will send you a replacement camera.
Related Questions
I see these questions get asked pretty often, that are related to a blurry image.
Why Is My Blink Camera Dark At Night?
The Blink camera’s image may be dark at night if the IR illuminator is not enabled in the settings, or the IR emitter is not working properly or is covered. Ensure that the IR illuminator is not covered and, from within the Blink App, that the mode is set to “Auto” or “On”.
In general, it’s best to set the IR illuminator setting to “Auto,” and let Blink control when the IR turns on or off. You can tell if the IR is turned on by if the image is in black & white.
You can also change the intensity of the IR emitter from the same settings page within the app. Blink has a support article with instructions on how to change this setting, located here.
What Is Dark Mode On Blink?
At first glance, you may think that the dark mode setting has something to do with the image received from the Blink camera. However, it has nothing to do with the camera at all. So, what is dark mode in the Blink app?
The dark mode setting in the Blink app is a display setting for the app’s colors. ”Light” mode has dark text showing up against a light screen, and “Dark” mode has a light color text (white or grey) against a dark or black screen. “System” mode reflects the setting on your phone or tablet.
