Rear view camera at night
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 13,455
Likes: 76
From: Atlanta GA
Rear view camera at night
The rear view camera doesn't seem to work well at night if there aren't much/any other lights around. Is there a trick to get it to work better? I had this issue before with an SUV I used to own, so I had a 4x4 shop install an LED kit (2 small LED lights) in the back that I could turn on when needed to see MUCH better when backing up. I don't want to have to do that with my C7, but the rear vision is not clear at all at times.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 13,455
Likes: 76
From: Atlanta GA
Yes, they are working. The issue is the quality of the video with no ambient lighting is so bad and grainy, it is hard to make out anything with clarity. I can back up out of my driveway OK, but I have street lights. I was at someone's house in the country the other night, and had issues backing up safely. It was hard to make out the edge of their driveway, etc. I have tinted windows so looking out the back window was an issue also.
Last edited by Casper001; Nov 15, 2021 at 03:40 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 3,815
Likes: 1,250
From: Northeast
Yes, they are working. The issue is the quality of the video with no ambient lighting is so bad and grainy, it is hard to make out anything with clarity. I can back up out of my driveway OK, but I have street lights. I was at someone's house in the country the other night, and had issues backing up safely. It was hard to make out the edge of their driveway, etc. I have tinted windows so looking out the back window was an issue also.
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Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 13,455
Likes: 76
From: Atlanta GA
Pro
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 676
Likes: 196
From: Chester SC
St. Jude Donor '15-'16, '21,'24
. And easy, too. Might as well upgrade your rear hatch area to LEDs while you're at it.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 3,815
Likes: 1,250
From: Northeast
Me too. I also have upgraded the license plate bulbs to led's. Made no difference. This is far from the first thread thru the years on this subject with the general consensus agreeing it's a poor quality camera system. The thing that gets gets me thou is how some people in all the threads say theirs looks fine. Really don't understand how you come to this conclusion.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 1,733
Likes: 403
From: Atlanta, GA
I have a 15. Daytime it’s awesome of course. Nighttime…well, most of the cars I’ve owned with backup cameras had similar ‘quality issues’.
My opinion…these aren’t built to be night vision units. Even tho it is a bit grainy at night, still plenty of view to make sure you’re not gonna back into something.
One thing that I do that helps is, even when the car is clean, I’ll occasionally swipe a finger across the camera lense, wiping away the road grime.
My opinion…these aren’t built to be night vision units. Even tho it is a bit grainy at night, still plenty of view to make sure you’re not gonna back into something.
One thing that I do that helps is, even when the car is clean, I’ll occasionally swipe a finger across the camera lense, wiping away the road grime.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,003
Likes: 2,704
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
In normal daylight, the backup camera in our 2017 is a little grainy but works well.
At night with typical ambient lighting in a city or suburban setting to help a little, it's, uh, ok.
At night in an area with just a few dim lights to clutter the background but not provide any real help, it's almost worthless.
At night with typical ambient lighting in a city or suburban setting to help a little, it's, uh, ok.
At night in an area with just a few dim lights to clutter the background but not provide any real help, it's almost worthless.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 13,455
Likes: 76
From: Atlanta GA
I have a 15. Daytime it’s awesome of course. Nighttime…well, most of the cars I’ve owned with backup cameras had similar ‘quality issues’.
My opinion…these aren’t built to be night vision units. Even tho it is a bit grainy at night, still plenty of view to make sure you’re not gonna back into something.
One thing that I do that helps is, even when the car is clean, I’ll occasionally swipe a finger across the camera lense, wiping away the road grime.
My opinion…these aren’t built to be night vision units. Even tho it is a bit grainy at night, still plenty of view to make sure you’re not gonna back into something.
One thing that I do that helps is, even when the car is clean, I’ll occasionally swipe a finger across the camera lense, wiping away the road grime.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 218
Likes: 164
From: Conifer, Colorado
Just today I backed up down my driveway in the dark for the first time in my 17 Grand Sport LT2. The rear view camera vision was very poor. I could not see the edges of the driveway or the trees that line my driveway. My driveway has curves in it, so backing up without hitting a tree is important.
Rear view cameras are required for safety so you don't run over your kid. It's unfortunate the Corvette engineers didn't select a good camera. But the bean counters were probably happy.
David
Rear view cameras are required for safety so you don't run over your kid. It's unfortunate the Corvette engineers didn't select a good camera. But the bean counters were probably happy.
David
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,979
Likes: 4,142
From: Kansas City, MO
It wasn't up to the Corvette engineers. It's a corporate part. Every other GM vehicle from the same time period used that camera. From econoboxes like the Sonic all the way up to Cadillacs.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,426
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From: Hartford WI