Modern smart home security cameras like those made by Blink rely on infrared technology to deliver crystal clear black and white night vision footage when visible light is low. However, the combination of infrared and ambient light can sometimes become unbalanced, resulting in off-color purple, pink or magenta-tinted images.
If you have a Blink intelligent home security camera system and the picture appears pink or purple, there are a few potential causes and solutions to try.
The pink hue is typically caused by infrared light reflection or low lighting conditions. Here’s an overview of some of the main reasons a Blink camera image can look pink or purple and how to fix it.
Common Reasons Why your Blink Camera Shows a pink
Infrared light reflection
One of the most common reasons a Blink camera shows a pink or purplish tint is infrared light reflection.
Blink cameras have infrared LEDs that allow them to see in low-light conditions. The infrared light reflecting off surfaces like glass, metal, or smooth plastic can cause a pinkish hue in the camera image.
Here are some tips to prevent infrared light reflection:
- Position the camera at an angle to reflective surfaces like windows rather than straight on. The wider the angle, the less direct reflection you’ll get.
- If positioning the camera is difficult, try adding a piece of black electrical tape at the edge of the reflective surface nearest the camera. This can help absorb and prevent IR reflection.
- Add an infrared light filter sticker over the camera lens. These special filters allow visible light to pass through but block reflected infrared light waves.
- Switch to a matte surface mount like a wall instead of pointing at something smooth and reflective. The matte texture helps diffuse rather than directly reflect the IR light.
Low Light Conditions
Another common reason your Blink camera shows up pink is because of low lighting conditions. In dim lighting, the camera relies more heavily on infrared to see. But the visible light and IR light can become unbalanced, causing a pinkish cast in the image.
Fixes include:
- Adding more visible light pointed at the camera’s field of view. This could be an overhead light, lamp, or other light source added to the area.
- Adjusting the camera position to be closer to existing light sources in the area. This helps increase the amount of visible light hitting the camera sensor.
- If available, set your camera’s night vision settings to optimize for low light conditions like “Enhanced Night Vision” mode. This tweaks the balance between IR and visible light.
- Checking for any obstructions like tree branches or walls that might be partially blocking light from hitting the camera. Remove anything interfering with lighting.
White Balance Settings
A pink-tinted Blink camera image could also result from incorrect white balance settings. Cameras try to optimize color accuracy by adjusting for different lighting conditions. But if the white balance is off, it can skew colors including adding a pinkish tone.
Solutions for white balance issues include:
- Adjusting the camera’s white balance setting if available. Try modes like Auto, Sunny, Cloudy, etc, and see if one produces better colors.
- Manually set a custom white balance using a white card or sheet held in front of the camera under typical lighting conditions for that area.
- Update the camera firmware and app to ensure you’re running the latest versions, which may have improved white balance algorithms.
- Reset the camera to factory default settings in case incorrect custom configurations are causing the issue.
Camera Defect or Damage
In rare cases, a permanently pink image can result from a defective camera or physical damage to the lens/sensor. This is more likely if the issue is isolated to one camera or just started happening out of the blue.
To rule out a hardware defect, try the following:
- Checking if the problem persists in live view vs just recorded clips. Defects will show in both.
- Testing the camera in different lighting conditions and camera angles. Damage may cause the issue in all situations.
- Comparing image quality when viewing on the phone vs desktop app. If it appears on all devices, it may be the camera.
- Contact Blink support about a replacement, if you suspect hardware failure and other troubleshooting haven’t helped.
Conclusion
Pink or purple-tinted security camera footage can be frustrating but is usually fixable. The main causes are infrared reflection, low light imbalance, and improper camera settings. Solutions include repositioning cameras, adding lighting, adjusting white balance, and inspecting for defective hardware. With targeted troubleshooting, most pink camera issues can be corrected by preventing infrared bounce, improving scene lighting, and configuring the cameras properly. Take the necessary steps outlined here, and you’ll have a fully functional security system capturing crisp, color-accurate footage day and night.
