Pro 4 videos blinks (flashes) between video and black at night

[Sachelis]

When one of my Pro 4's senses motion at night (that's a different issue I'll need to deal with), the recorded video flashes between black and the actual image. The blinking occurs at one-second, rhythmic, intervals. 

[StephenB]

---

@Sachelis wrote:

When one of my Pro 4's senses motion at night (that's a different issue I'll need to deal with), the recorded video flashes between black and the actual image. The blinking occurs at one-second, rhythmic, intervals. 

---

It's not completely black, there's a hint of the the scene in a couple of spots.

It looks like the camera can't decide whether it wants to use low-light color or nightvision (and keeps switching back and forth).  My guess is that the leaves close to the camera are tricking it.

You could try shifting the camera to a different spot, or just turn off low-light color (so the camera will only use nightvision after dark).

[Sachelis]

Thanks, @StephenB. Where do I "turn off low-light color"? In Low Light Settings (on iPhone), the only options are Spotlight (On/Off) and Night Vision (On/Off). In Video Mode Settings there are options for FOV.

Thanks.

[StephenB]

---

@Sachelis wrote:

Thanks, @StephenB. Where do I "turn off low-light color"?

---

I see this in "low light settings" in the web ui (and similar settings in the iOS app):

I don't know why it would matter, but my Pro-4 is paired with a smarthub.

Turning off the spotlight should also drive the camera to use NightVision when it is dark enough (and it is definitely dark enough in your video sample).  

[Sachelis]

I found "low-light color" (Settings > My Devices > (my camera) > Video Settings > Spotlight > Color), however this option is only available if you have the spotlight enabled (I don't). And in case others stumble upon this thread later, it takes ~5 seconds for the Color option to appear after you enable the Spotlight (which is why I wasn't finding it).

Bottom line, the video blinks every ~1 second when only night vision is enabled, so it doesn't seem to be an issue of the camera flipping between low-light color and night vision.

I plan to do some pruning today to limit the motion sensing, although I suspect the problem will still exist when it does sense motion.

[StephenB]

---

@Sachelis wrote:

I plan to do some pruning today to limit the motion sensing, although I suspect the problem will still exist when it does sense motion.

---

Is it practical to try a different camera location?

[Sachelis]

It isn't practical to change the location (it is high in a lone tree, has a solar panel for charging, has camouflage on the camera, etc).