Security Camera Night Vision Is Blurry or Washed Out — San Francisco, California

When an outdoor security camera's infrared night vision appears washed out, foggy, or completely white, the problem is almost always IR light bouncing back into the lens. Spider webs strung across the lens housing are the most common culprit — they reflect the camera's own IR LEDs and create a bright haze that obscures the image. A dirty or moisture-fogged lens cover produces a similar milky effect. Nearby reflective surfaces like stucco walls, aluminum soffits, or even raindrops on the lens dome can also redirect IR light straight into the sensor. A smart-home installer can reposition the camera away from reflective surfaces, clean or replace the lens cover, apply anti-spider spray, and adjust the IR intensity or switch to external IR illuminators to restore a crisp night image.