Webcam Exposure Software

[Glenben92]

Right, I have two webcams, one of which is old, the other is VERY old. The VERY old one is lesser in image quality than the other. Using Vista, the newer one was HOPELESSLY dark unless I ticked "Low Light Compensation" or something like that in the 2nd tab of the cam settings menu. But since switching back to XP (which doesn't allow me to tick said box) that webcam is unusable in anything but good daylight. It's obviously a software issue as that very cam HAS been well bright enough in the past. Anybody got any ideas on how/where to find a solution?

The newer cam (i.e the one that matters) is a "Trust"
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57 Huoniao HN125-8 - , 97 Kawasaki GPZ500S -
99 Yamaha FZS 600 -
Mod 2 Passed - 01/10/2010

[Frost]

Webcams usually use some form of automatic white balance to try to get as much information out of the image as possible. This can work against them as if your background is really bright and you're quite dark, it will darken the whole shot more.

Most software should allow you to adjust the brightness automatically. Most decent cams work in low levels of light just fine as they use infra red light aswel. My logitec c250 works perfectly fine in the dark using just the light from my monitor.

Keep in mind that the more you screw the focus OUT the darker the image will get as the lense moves further from the imaging sensor.

[Glenben92]

why the fuck i had logitec in my mind i dont know, it's a trust webcam. and i know about having the light behind the camera and everything, i've tried my best to get it brighter using all of the coloration / gamma / brightness / contrast settings etc. but nothing. It's all to do with this low light compensation mode that vista had (it was vista basic as well!) i'll go correct the OP
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57 Huoniao HN125-8 - , 97 Kawasaki GPZ500S -
99 Yamaha FZS 600 -
Mod 2 Passed - 01/10/2010

[Frost]

Trust = bollocks. Total and utter.
I had one that claimed to do video at 30fps. It took about 1/4 of a second for the streaks to go away when you moved so i'd say it was more like 4fps
I've analysed every aspect of most webcams sold and generally the only ones worth using are phillips or logitech.

I think this one is about the nicest cheap one i have

[Hetzer]

Probably the sensor is knackered. I had one that started off ok but gradually declined until everything, day or night, looked like it was being viewed through a night-vision scope.
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"There's the horizon! Ride hard, ride fast and cut down all who stand in your way!"

[Glenben92]

That's the thing though Frosty, this cam has ALWAYS been dark without the low light compensation mode. With it, it was excellent. So it's not just the fact that its a shite cam, it's capable of being good enough for me to deal with. but it's just the software side of it, XP doesn't have the ability to add the low light compen into the equation.

And hetzer, as i say, it's always been dark as standard, it wasn't a gradual thing, it was just... plug it into the same computer but running XP instead of Vista and it's shite
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57 Huoniao HN125-8 - , 97 Kawasaki GPZ500S -
99 Yamaha FZS 600 -
Mod 2 Passed - 01/10/2010

[tahrey]

I know it's a crap answer, but:
https://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=webcam&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=ktO&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&prmd=ivns&biw=1024&bih=1147&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=11250831024268562290&sa=X&ei=14eHTaqHNca3hAeDrYHPCg&ved=0CKABEPMCMAY#

£10

And though it's probably not stunning as far as modern webcams go, you'd be hard pressed to find any now that are as shocking as the cheap old ones used to be (like the ... Logitech? Trust? I can't remember... that I had at uni, where EVERYTHING was rendered in shades of brown, white, yellow, dank red and muddy navy blue, something like a 6 bit colour depth, and required nuclear-explosion levels of illumination to work properly).

Perhaps it's just time to accept that it's reached its natural retirement date, if you've had enough years out of it?

We're having to look at retiring USB-connected full-fat VIDEO CAMERAS because of lack of driver support in more recent Windows versions now. The manufacturers just can't be arsed updating them any more.

[Glenben92]

Yeah I completely gave in. I ordered one of these and now use that as both webcam and bike cam. It's excellent. The video quality direct from the unit is better than when it's being used as a webcam, but I have to use a line-in for my audio so it has to be used in webcam mode with the compooper.


https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mini-DV-DVR-Sports-Digital-Spy-Video-Camera-Recorder-/320672236440?pt=UK_Gadgets&hash=item4aa98e0398

results with new camera, light BEHIND me, brightness levels with much more to give: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25WmX1llcAM

Results with old camera, light to the right of the camera (i.e. not shining towards the lens at all) and a white wall behind camera reflecting light onto me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbllozD-0ag

Results with old camera but light behind it (MUST be daylight, it's a big window) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rLdzW3c3C4

Results with old camera in bedroom lighting (same as new cam vid) but when it was behaving itself with low light compensation feature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4974yvC--k
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57 Huoniao HN125-8 - , 97 Kawasaki GPZ500S -
99 Yamaha FZS 600 -
Mod 2 Passed - 01/10/2010

[tahrey]

[Glenben92]