Is your security camera’s image pinkish? Is the live view of your camera colored pink? Or is green/greenish? It’s a common issue for CCTV security cameras to have the pink image issue.
The camera’s picture may be fine but suddenly it gets a pink hue (in a few cases can be green) and the overall picture quality degrades.
Many factors contribute to this error such as bad firmware, bad software, settings done wrong, an extremely cold environment, etc. However, most of the time the pink image in security cameras is caused by the IR Cut Filter malfunctioning or getting stuck.
The Infrared Cut Removal or IR Cut Filter is a color filter blocking the infrared light. To avoid unwanted side effects caused by infrared light (as part of the natural ambient light) during image capturing in daylight mode, an IR Cut Filter is installed in front of the sensor. The filter is meant to prevent the incidence of infrared light onto the image sensor.
So, the IR Cut Filter is a physical piece that automatically switches on/off to filter out the invisible light.
Sometimes, this physical part gets partially stuck in the night mode, or doesn’t close properly, or gets damaged which causes the CCTV camera’s image to have a pink or green color.
If the camera was exposed to low temperatures such as -5F (-20C) it can cause the IR Cut Filter to freeze hence getting stuck.
How to fix the pink image issue in CCTV security cameras
There are various ways to fix the pink image issue on security camera systems (DVR or NVR). Let’s go over the most common ones.
1. Power cycle the camera
Power cycle the camera off and on by disconnecting the power connection (wait at least 20 seconds in between). If you’re using rechargeable wireless security cameras, pull the batteries out and re-sync the camera to the app (or re-initialize).
Sometimes the power cycle serves as a “camera reset” procedure. Basically, the software will jump-start from the start and automatically fix any software (or even hardware) issues that camera the camera to show a pink color.
2. Turn off and on the IR LED board
Manually turn off the IR LED lights on the security camera.
This usually can be done either through the camera’s settings or physically by opening the camera and disconnecting the cable going from the IR block to the motherboard. After waiting a few seconds, turn the IR LEDs back on.
You may need to consult the camera’s manual on how to turn off the IR light. A few manufacturers don’t have this “turn off” option in the settings but you can do it by unplugging the cable physically (the cables seen in the picture above).
Either way, you need to turn the IR LED lights off and on a few times to make the IR Cut Filter go back to its initial position which will solve the pink image issue.
3. Use a magnet
Use a strong magnet and make a sweeping motion over the lens of the camera. This is done in the event the IR Cut Filter is locked up temporarily inside of the camera.
Unsticking the IT filet will make the picture get back to normal. A stuck IR filter makes the picture go pinkish, green, and in some cases, the picture shows black and white.
4. Clean up the insides of the camera
Cover the camera with your hand to force the IR LED lights to turn on. Normally, you should hear a pitch sound coming from the IR filter motor.
There are some cases where the motor works well, but can not move the filter glass. The reason is condensation and it stuck in place.
Additionally, don’t forget to close off the cover correctly and keep the dirt away from entering the internal parts of the camera.
Also, you can use silicon bags to collect any humidity inside the camera. To conclude, the best solution is to open it (disassemble) and carefully clean it.
5. Check the temperature
Since the camera has a lot of movable parts, it is possible for them to get stuck especially if the camera is exposed to freezing temperatures. If it gets too cold, certain parts of the camera may get stuck (such as the image filter).
Check if your camera is supposed to be installed outdoors and how much heat and cold it can withstand.
Each camera is different, if you live in a cold region you may need to purchase a special camera. Either way, check the spect sheet and ensure your camera works within your local temperature range.
6. Check the camera’s image settings
Check the image settings of the camera, maybe someone modified the color settings of the camera and applied a pink overlay on the picture. Inspect the image settings and see if there are any abnormal settings over there.
Usually, each camera’s Image Settings section has a default button, click it to bring the image settings to the factory default and then check the camera’s live picture to see if the pink screen is gone.
7. Factory reset the camera
There’s an actual difference between resetting the camera and performing a factory reset on it. A regular reset will keep the settings, while a factory reset will bring these settings to their factory default.
When doing a factory reset on a security camera, all the settings will be erased. Let’s say the image settings are set incorrectly. By setting the camera to default, these settings will come back to their factory values.
In some cases, the factory reset will force the IR Cut Filter to go to its initial settings/position thus fixing the pink image issue, or even erasing any color overlay settings.
To reset your camera, check these articles of ours. Also, you should update the firmware on your camera, in rare cases, the pink image can be software-related.
8. Replace the IR Cut Filter
If the IR Cut Filter is permanently damaged or stuck you can replace the whole IR board with a new one. To find the right one, you need to research online the part number for your camera’s model and order one.
Usually, the IR Cut Filter is cheaper (5-10 dollars range) and it’s pretty easy to replace it by yourself. For example, below is the IR Cut Filter for a Hikvision IP camera.
9. Get a new camera from the manufacturer
If you did all of these and your CCTV security camera still has a pink screen, then you should contact the camera’s seller or manufacturer to warranty the product and get a new replacement.
If your camera is a well-known brand, their technical team will try to help you remotely and fix the issue. They care about reputation and don’t want the word to come out that the cameras show pink.
Contact the seller (or manufacturer) via their website contact forms, or send out an email, or use the chat line or just give them a phone call. Make sure you have the proof of purchase and the serial number of the device.
Most of the time, they’ll fix the problem. If there’s a physical problem with the camera, they may give you a refund, a replacement, or a discount on a new camera. It’s not a bad deal after all.
To conclude, we don’t recommend getting an IR Cut Filter replacement if the camera is still under the warranty. Simply take advantage of the policy and ask for a new camera.
Conclusion
In this guide, we showed how to fix a security camera that shows the pink image. By doing these simple tasks, you should be able to fix the issue without the need to purchase a new camera.
However, if the camera is damaged or broken beyond repair, then it’s time to buy a new one or contact the seller and get a replacement (if the camera is under the warranty). Always buy from a reputable brand that supports their products.
If you have any questions or suggestions, let us know down below in the comment box. We want to know if you managed to fix your pink security camera!
