Backup Cam doesn't adjust exposure for night?

[mlkmade]

You dont need to put your car in reverse, that defeats the whole purpose as it triggers the backup lights.

You know you can pull up your backup camera whenever you want right? Reverse is not necessary.

 

[Spikey]

Ron here is what I would do in your situation, since you have two Model 3’s:

Take both your Model 3’s to a dark area. Park one of them so the rear view camera is viewing a dark scene. Put the car in Reverse. Capture the camera image.

Now move that car away and put the other car in the same spot and oriented the same way, put it in Reverse and capture the camera image.

Compare images.

In this way you are doing a controlled experiment (it would be even better to find a friend with a Model 3 and have that car to use as well).

Let us know what you find.

I have the same issue with my HW3 Model S. A friend helped me do the compare with his 2018 Model S. Here's the image comparing the two. On the left we have the 2018 Model S in car view and external view, on the right is the 2019 Model S :

RearCameraCompare

• Spikey
• Dec 27, 2019

We suspect it is a processing issue as the Mobile Ranger confirmed that we have the same backup camera model numbers. (well, I suppose it is possible the camera vendor changed the part and Tesla didn't notice).
Ranger also told me that they're not allowed to look at these forums - which I found interesting.

 

[bugZPDX]

We have the same issue with our 2020 X. The backup camera in our 2016 X was fantastic. Now we can barely see anything at night.

 

[RonFTW]

I have the same issue with my HW3 Model S. A friend helped me do the compare with his 2018 Model S. Here's the image comparing the two. On the left we have the 2018 Model S in car view and external view, on the right is the 2019 Model S :

RearCameraCompare

• Spikey
• Dec 27, 2019

We suspect it is a processing issue as the Mobile Ranger confirmed that we have the same backup camera model numbers. (well, I suppose it is possible the camera vendor changed the part and Tesla didn't notice).
Ranger also told me that they're not allowed to look at these forums - which I found interesting.

We have the same issue with our 2020 X. The backup camera in our 2016 X was fantastic. Now we can barely see anything at night.

these 2 quotes confirm the image processing on Hw 3 do cause darker images/less quality images, and it isn’t a hardware issue in terms of the backup camera itself.

thank you guys.

 

[bugZPDX]

I turned on the rear fog lights and it helped a bit but it's still pretty terrible. I'm filing a bug report each time I have to deal with backing up at night because I'm so annoyed.

 

[Kevy Baby]

I turned on the rear fog lights and it helped a bit but it's still pretty terrible. I'm filing a bug report each time I have to deal with backing up at night because I'm so annoyed.

That might work for one of your Model Xs, but this is the lowly Model 3 Forum. We don't get those neat things.

 

[mlkmade]

You can file a bug report in your Model 3. It just goes nowhere until your next service.

 

[RonFTW]

Bump. Model 3 performance hw3 camera still sucks compared to hw 2.5 model 3 back up camera in same house.

 

[bugZPDX]

I complained to our service tech during our last visit and he said the camera hardware is different on HW 3. I thought it was the same 2.5

 

[RonFTW]

I complained to our service tech during our last visit and he said the camera hardware is different on HW 3. I thought it was the same 2.5

That would make sense. The difference in quality was so bad, the probability it was a software issue in which the better cpu had significantly worse quality camera output made little sense.

If this is true what is the effect on autopilot? Hmmmm

 

[RonFTW]

Does anyone actually have a model 3 hw3 with good back up camera quality?

 

[Kevy Baby]

Does anyone actually have a model 3 hw3 with good back up camera quality?

Depends on what you define as "good quality." Compared to a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV DSLR it certainly sucks. But on my HW3 M3 it works great as far as I am concerned.

 

[EfficientWatts]

Now that I have HW3, I have the same issue (did not with HW 2.5).

I wonder if this somewhat related to the right/left camera blocked issue on the side pillars. I've seen the issue in bright sunlight but oddly enough when it suddenly gets pretty dark (like passing a bright area then going to an area with no light; I can do so in a certain area consistently). I did see this issue with HW 2.5 though so it may not be the same, but if the cameras have issue with exposure it could be related. Only way to know is to see video output of those cameras.

 

[mlkmade]

I've had HW3 since day one and my camera was fine until a service visit. Have had 3 visits since, including a camera replacement and still no fix. Trying for a 4th time this week.

 

[WilliamG]

Does anyone actually have a model 3 hw3 with good back up camera quality?

Frame-rate sucks on HW3 compared to HW2.5, but in terms of backup camera quality at night mine is just fine. It cranks the ISO which introduces vertical lines and other artifacts of a small sensor running at high ISO, but in terms of visibility at night mine works great, even without street lights etc.

 

[RonFTW]

Frame-rate sucks on HW3 compared to HW2.5, but in terms of backup camera quality at night mine is just fine. It cranks the ISO which introduces vertical lines and other artifacts of a small sensor running at high ISO, but in terms of visibility at night mine works great, even without street lights etc.

This only holds weight if you tested it with a hw2.5 car.

 

[SDRick]

For what it is worth my rear camera night vision is also inadequate compared to my 2016 S.

 

[WilliamG]

This only holds weight if you tested it with a hw2.5 car.

Which I did.

 

[RonFTW]

Which I did.

And you’re saying quality is the same or better?

 

[WilliamG]

And you’re saying quality is the same or better?

Same as HW2.5, except frame rate is inferior (on HW3).