E70 rear camera at night

[patjab]

I have 2012 E70. When I backup at night the license light on the left hand side is so bright you can't see on the left hand side of the screen. Is this common?

[Hammer]

I'm not experiencing this though I have a 2009 E70. Not sure if they've changed the camera on the LC1.

[Price]

Did you try adjusting the camera brightness/contrast?

I've installed those super-bright LED plate lights in my 2010 and initially they partially blinded the camera. However, with slight brigthness adjustment it's now fine, and LED really illuminate the road around the bumper. I'm surprised the stock LEDs cause the same effect.

[Price]

Originally Posted by Hammer

Not sure if they've changed the camera on the LC1.

AFAIK they've changed it in 2010 with introduction of CIC.

[ukwildcat]

I have a 2011 so my situation is a bit different, but..

At night, the backup camera has a very distinct "black and white" effect.
ANY bright light can be nearly blinding.

I say this because it makes me wonder if it's really your license plate light or another light source. Street lights nearly drown everything out at night (from the backup camera's point of view).

I'll try to take a picture next time (as I do have a street light in my rear view backing out of the driveway at night).

[Penguin]

Pardon me if this is too obvious, but make sure the camera lense is clean -- a dirty lens will typically have worse glare problems from light sources at night.

[ukwildcat]

That is true - but when it's dirty, it looks like thick fog.

You can still see things, etc.

But it's a very good point - the lenses for the rearview camera AND the overhead parking camera (underneath the rearview mirrors) get dirty very easily. Clean them.

You can even wipe your finger across and you will get a better image.

(but I use a microfiber cloth for that)

[DSB'12X5]

I noticed this also, I just adjusted the brightness and contrast and I made sure both the plate light and the lens were clean, it does not bother me anymore. I keep both contrast and brightness around 30 or 40, i would have to check.