WDR (Wide Dynamic Range) is designed for the BackLight situation which consists of high brightness and dark shadows on the same scene. Cameras with WDR technology have advanced sensors that can produce a wider range of lighting, allowing them to record in a higher light depth. This article explains what WDR means to a CCTV camera.
Technically, the IP camera will capture several shots of the scene at different exposure levels. This creates overexposed and underexposed identical images, which the camera will combine. This guide shows how to turn on the WDR feature on Hikvision IP and TVI cameras.
How to turn on the WDR on Hikvision cameras
Turning on the WDR may cause the picture to be whitewashed. If you are looking for a more colorful image, you should leave it off. At the same time, turning on the WDR will increase the image noise during the night time. In other words, WDR should be enabled only if the scene is too bright and under heavy shadow on certain spots.
How to turn on the WDR on a Hikvision IP camera
On the Hikvision IP cameras the WDR is turned off by default. To turn it on, access the camera via the IE web browser (by typing the IP address) and then navigate to Configuration > Image > Display Settings > Backlight Settings. From there you can select the ON option. Usually, the camera reboots and comes back to with new settings applied.
How to turn on the WDR on a Hikvision TVI camera
Use the built-in OSD switch on the camera’s pigtail. Navigate to Main Menu > Set up > AE > Exposure.
Then on the Exposure Mode switch to WDR mode and click Return to go back to the previous panel. Don’t forget to exit the menu by clicking SAVE&EXIT button. If not, the settings will not be saved and you’ll need to re-do the procedure again.
Once the settings are applied the image will go in and out a few times until it gets stabilized. It’s better to play with the settings a little bit until you get the right parameters for your environment. At the same time, you need to check the picture quality during the night time, an enabled WDR may add noise to the image (especially if the environment gets too dark).
