[SlowX6M]

Anyone else having this issue? At night the top down camera image is very dark, with the shadow from the car I can't even see the curb. In my old 2017 X6M it was a lot brighter and clearer. Even my old 2012 X5 with top down view, I can make out the curb.

I tried playing with brightness and contrast, but this is the best it gets.

[marcosg]

Originally Posted by SlowX6M

Anyone else having this issue? At night the top down camera image is very dark, with the shadow from the car I can't even see the curb. In my old 2017 X6M it was a lot brighter and clearer. Even my old 2012 X5 with top down view, I can make out the curb.

I tried playing with brightness and contrast, but this is the best it gets.

I have the same issue as well.
Not as dark in my wife's X4.

[Sea Bandit]

Same issue as well....

[wolfverine]

Same issue as well! The rear view is especially challenging when the lighting is poor.

[SlowX6M]

Thanks for confirming im not the only one, i thought there was something wrong with my cameras!

[thereef510]

same here, I think the cameras themselves are great but their sensors are small and dont capture enough low light, especially at night. you probably couldn't put a bright light in the back to help the camera for safety reasons but maybe in the future they can use larger sensors/bigger apertures...

[SlowX6M]

They could have pt UV or IR lights into the cameras like they do with security systems.

[jad03060]

I wonder if it's the LED backup lights, at least for the rear, the color temperature may be slightly outside of the camera's high sensitivity range. I've noticed the same on mine...

[SlowX6M]

Originally Posted by jad03060

I wonder if it's the LED backup lights, at least for the rear, the color temperature may be slightly outside of the camera's high sensitivity range. I've noticed the same on mine...

Something isnt right with these cameras. On my old 2017 X6M it was a lot better.

[philooo]

i can't believe BMW A.G. still has not figured these things out.
the Mercedes infotainment system is so much better I think.

[SlowX6M]

Originally Posted by philooo

i can't believe BMW A.G. still has not figured these things out.
the Mercedes infotainment system is so much better I think.

I have no experience with Merc's system, but I had every iteration of iDrive starting with my 2005 745 with the original iDrive that was absolutely horrible. From 2nd generation to 6th generation, iDrive was great and getting better and better, until the 7th generation, which is a counter intuitive, bloated cluster pluck.

[bubbahead]

I just got my x5 back from oil service today and I mentioned the same issue. I had a x3 for a loaner and the vision at night is vastly superior to my x5. They kept the x5 overnight and I told them to compare it to another x5 when it was still dark in the morning. They said the other x5 had same brightness and is normal.

This wasn’t an issue when I first got my x5 back in May 2019. In November 2019, I went in for the below recall. That’s when the cameras vision changed for the worse.

Here was the recall issued back in Nov 2019
G0x G1x G2x Checking and if required, replacing dual storage
> G05 G07 Program control units (quality measures) F9x G0x G1x G2x G3x
> Programming control units (rearview camera)

[SlowX6M]

Originally Posted by bubbahead

I just got my x5 back from oil service today and I mentioned the same issue. I had a x3 for a loaner and the vision at night is vastly superior to my x5. They kept the x5 overnight and I told them to compare it to another x5 when it was still dark in the morning. They said the other x5 had same brightness and is normal.

This wasn’t an issue when I first got my x5 back in May 2019. In November 2019, I went in for the below recall. That’s when the cameras vision changed for the worse.

Here was the recall issued back in Nov 2019
G0x G1x G2x Checking and if required, replacing dual storage
> G05 G07 Program control units (quality measures) F9x G0x G1x G2x G3x
> Programming control units (rearview camera)

Interesting, seems like they cause a software issue then?

[bubbahead]

I haven't checked my records yet but this recall could be the one.

https://www.aboutautomobile.com/Safe...W/X5/19V684000

[LexxM3]

Originally Posted by bubbahead

I haven't checked my records yet but this recall could be the one.

https://www.aboutautomobile.com/Safe...W/X5/19V684000

I agree, my night visibility became worse after the recall reprogram as well.

[emaniat]

So I read another post on here (sorry don't remember where). They mentioned if you shine a light on the gas gauge on the left side of your gauge cluster then the center cluster above the hvac controls that shows your backup cameras brightens up almost immediately and is easy to see and use. Hope there is a tsb fix for this. Mine is doing it too.

Update-Also you can brighten the idrive screen with the scroll wheel that is in the light pod controls by you left knee.

[emaniat]

Originally Posted by emaniat

So I read another post on here (sorry don't remember where). They mentioned if you shine a light on the gas gauge on the left side of your gauge cluster then the center cluster above the hvac controls that shows your backup cameras brightens up almost immediately and is easy to see and use. Hope there is a tsb fix for this. Mine is doing it too.

Update-Also you can brighten the idrive screen with the scroll wheel that is in the light pod controls by you left knee.

Update 2.0 - I have the towing hitch package. I added a dedicated backup light. It helps some, but not too much especially in night time raining conditions. I really think it's the light sensors in the dash and software configuration. Also. The backup lights really are smaller than an X1 or 2 or a 7 or 3 series sedans that their backup cameras are brighter at night.

[mikekay]

Throwing in another worst part of the car hat. I have a 2019 loaded and I am back to turning my head when pulling into my fully light garage at night... I'll take a video to show everyone next time.

Had a 2014 X3 and was way better... What's wrong with with the X5's camera?

Placement: always snow and dirt on the cameras, and I wash my car religiously.

Overlap: crazy warping and weird ass overlap that makes people and walls and things looks flat and not 3D at all

Camera Sensor: when it's dark and you come into light the camera is blinded, the opposite is true. The sensor is too small and so they try to use digital brightness to help out but it produces the above similar to ramping ISO on a camera.

Parking Assist: this would be so much better if the software could 'see' wtf it was doing half the reason it's so bad or gives up is because it's confidence goes down. If we aren't even confident in it how could it be?

[e61it]

I've got the same issue. Quite frankly the night vision on my 45e is putrid. I too have a book light that I shine near the gas tank to make the vision improve somewhat. If it's raining and dark forget seeing much of anything. No washer for the rear camera either.

[RickObe]

Originally Posted by emaniat

Update 2.0 - I have the towing hitch package. I added a dedicated backup light. It helps some, but not too much especially in night time raining conditions. I really think it's the light sensors in the dash and software configuration. Also. The backup lights really are smaller than an X1 or 2 or a 7 or 3 series sedans that their backup cameras are brighter at night.

Which add-on backup light did you get?

[Sovereign42]

I agree with the original poster.

I had a GLE350 for a year before the X5 and its Cameras were much better. The rear camera was retractable so it was always clean and dry. The X5s can be next to useless when you need it the most.

All my settings are at full brightness.

[RickObe]

Originally Posted by Sovereign42

The rear camera was retractable so it was always clean and dry.

Speaking of clean camera, in case you missed, here is my fix for that:

https://g05.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1973393