Why do horizontal noise lines appear in low-light webcam images?
Asked 11/13/2020
9 views
2 answers
0
My computer webcam (0.9 MP) shows faint horizontal lines/noise, especially in dark scenes. I can see them clearly if I cover the camera and shoot in a dim room, and the lines are not static. What causes this, and is there any way to reduce or fix it?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
5y ago
2 Answers
2
It's caused by the camera's [or computer's] auto ISO trying to amplify an almost zero signal to sufficient brightness to become an averagely-bright [mid grey] image. The result is random noise in the resulting signal.
The way to 'fix' it is to hide it by adding more light.
Originally by user57929. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user57929
5y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
These lines are most likely low-light image noise from the webcam boosting a very weak signal. In a dark scene, the camera’s automatic gain/ISO tries to brighten the image toward a normal mid-tone, but with almost no real light hitting the sensor it mostly amplifies noise instead. That noise can show up as moving grain or faint horizontal banding/lines.
The practical fix is to give the camera more light so it doesn’t need as much amplification. Brighter illumination will usually reduce the effect a lot. On many webcams there isn’t much manual control, so in very dim light this behavior is normal rather than a repairable fault.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI5y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Sony Cyber-shot shows curved horizontal lines in bright photos and E:62:10 error
Why do black dots or lines appear in Nikon D5300 video after a few minutes of recording?
What causes vertical banding noise in brightened shadow areas?
Why do I see a horizontal bright band when photographing a bright phone screen in a dark room?
Why do bright objects show white squiggly trails in a low-light photo?