Adjusting Image Settings

Let's make sure the image looks great. This page covers the essential image settings you'll use in almost every setup: exposure, white balance, and focus. We'll start with the defaults and work from there.

tip

Before adjusting image settings, make sure the lighting in your space is set up the way you want it. The easiest lighting to work with is flat lighting, evenly dispersed light throughout the scene. Adjusting image settings before your lighting is finalized will likely require re-adjusting later.

Starting from Defaults

We recommend resetting all image settings to their factory defaults before making adjustments. This gives you a clean baseline to work from.

Using the On-Screen Display (OSD)

1. Press [Menu] on the IR remote to open the OSD.
2. Navigate to Restore Defaults using the arrow keys.
3. Press [Enter] to confirm.

Using the Web Interface

1. Log in to the Web Interface.
2. Navigate to Camera Settings > Advanced tab.
3. Click the Default button to revert all advanced settings to factory defaults.

You can also reset individual setting groups (Exposure, Color, Focus) from their respective tabs by clicking the Default button on each tab.

Optional: Establish Preset 0: (For Advanced Users to Meet Support Requests)

Preset 0 serves as a reference point for the camera and can provide a baseline for creating additional camera shots. A wide, centered view is recommended because it gives you a predictable starting point and makes it easier to locate subjects before moving to a tighter shot.

Using the Web Interface (Recommended)

1. Open the Web Interface and locate the live preview and PTZ controls.
2. Zoom out to a wide view of the room.
3. Pan and tilt the camera toward the center of the primary shooting area.
4. Adjust the exposure, white balance, focus, and other image settings until you are satisfied with the image.
5. Locate the Preset Control section and select Set.
6. Type 0 as the preset number and press Enter on your keyboard to confirm the selection.
7. Select Call, enter 0, and confirm that the camera returns to the expected position and image settings.

Using the IR Remote

If you do not have access to the Web Interface, you can establish Preset 0 with the IR remote:

1. Use the arrow and zoom buttons to create a wide, centered view of the primary shooting area.
2. Adjust the camera's image settings through the on-screen display as needed.
3. Press [PRESET], followed by [0], to save the position and image settings.
4. Press [HOME] to recall Preset 0 and confirm that the camera returns to the expected position and image settings.

Auto Focus vs Manual Focus

Auto Focus (Default)

Auto Focus is enabled by default and works well in most situations. The camera continuously adjusts focus to keep the subject sharp as you pan, tilt, and zoom.

• AF Zone: Determines where the camera looks for focus. Options include Center (default), Top, Bottom, and Front.
• AF Sensitivity: Controls how quickly autofocus responds. Options are Low, Normal (default), and High.

tip

For most setups, the Center zone and Normal sensitivity work well. If the camera is hunting for focus in a low-contrast scene, try switching to Manual focus.

Manual Focus

Switch to Manual focus when you want to lock in a specific focus point and prevent the camera from adjusting automatically.

1. In the web interface, go to Camera Settings > Focus tab.
2. Change Focus Mode from Auto to Manual.
3. Use the Focus slider to adjust focus until the image is sharp.

The SNAP Button

The SNAP button performs a one-shot autofocus. The camera runs autofocus to find the sharpest focus point, then returns to manual mode. This is useful when you want to quickly lock focus without staying in full Auto Focus mode.

Focus Limit

If the camera keeps trying to focus on objects very close to the lens (like a table edge or podium), you can set a Focus Limit to prevent it from focusing closer than a certain distance.

1. Go to Camera Settings > Focus tab.
2. Enable the Focus Limit checkbox.
3. Set the Nearest Pos to the minimum distance you want the camera to focus on (e.g., 2 meters).

Exposure Basics

Exposure controls how bright or dark the image appears. The Move SE offers several exposure modes, but for most setups, you'll want to start with Auto.

Exposure Modes

Mode	When to Use
Auto	Default. The camera automatically adjusts Iris, Shutter, and Gain. Best for most setups.
Manual	Full control over Iris, Shutter, and Gain. Use when you need precise, consistent exposure.
SAE (Shutter-Priority Auto Exposure)	You set the shutter, and the camera adjusts the iris. Useful when you need to control motion blur.
AAE (Aperture-Priority Auto Exposure)	You set the iris, and the camera adjusts the shutter. Useful when you need to control the depth of field.
Bright	Optimized for low-light conditions. The camera prioritizes brightness.
OnePush	Press a button to let the camera set exposure based on the current scene, then lock it.

Quick Exposure Adjustments

If Auto exposure is close but not quite right, try these adjustments without switching to Manual mode:

• Exp-Comp (Exposure Compensation): Adjusts the overall brightness up or down. Range: -7 to +7. Default is -3. Turn it up if the image is too dark, down if it's too bright.
• Backlight: Enables backlight compensation for scenes with a bright background (like a window behind the subject). Toggle On to brighten the foreground.
• Gain Limit: Sets the maximum gain the camera will apply in low light. Range: 0-15. Default is 5. Lower values reduce noise but may result in a darker image.
• Anti-Flicker: Reduces flicker caused by artificial lighting. Set to 50Hz or 60Hz to match your local power frequency. If you see banding or flickering in the image, try changing this setting. We recommend turning this feature off if shooting in sunlight.

Meter Region

The Meter Region determines which area of the frame the camera uses to calculate exposure:

• Average (default): Evaluates the entire image. Good for evenly lit scenes.
• Center: Prioritizes the center of the frame. Good when your subject is centered.
• Top: Prioritizes the top of the frame. Useful when the subject is in the upper portion.
• Smart: Analyzes the entire image and finds the best location for exposure calculation. We recommend turning this feature off if shooting in sunlight.

White Balance Basics

White balance ensures colors look natural under different lighting conditions. The wrong white balance can make your image look too warm (Red) or too cool (Blue).

White Balance Modes

Mode	When to Use
Auto	Default. The camera adjusts white balance automatically. Best for most setups.
Indoor	Optimized for indoor lighting (~3200K). Use under tungsten or warm LED lights.
Outdoor	Optimized for outdoor lighting (~5600K). Use in daylight or mixed outdoor/indoor scenes.
OnePush	Point the camera at a white surface, then press the OnePush button. The camera locks white balance based on what it sees.
Manual	Full control over Red Gain and Blue Gain. Use when you need precise color matching between cameras.
VAR	Set a specific color temperature (2500K-8000K) along with Red/Blue gain adjustments.

Quick White Balance Tips

• If the image looks too red/warm, try switching from Auto to Outdoor, or lower the Red Gain in Manual mode.
• If the image looks too blue/cool, try switching from Auto to Indoor, or lower the Blue Gain in Manual mode.
• For the most accurate white balance, use OnePush: point the camera at a white card or white wall that's lit the same way as your subject, then trigger OnePush.

Fine-Tuning the Image

Once exposure and white balance are dialed in, you can fine-tune the image with these settings:

Image Tab Settings

Setting	Range	Default	What It Does
Luminance	0-14	8	Overall brightness of the image.
Saturation	20%-200%	90%	Color intensity. Increase for more vivid colors, decrease for a more muted look.
Contrast	0-14	9	Difference between light and dark areas. Higher contrast makes shadows deeper and highlights brighter.
Sharpness	Auto, 0-11	9	Edge definition. Too high can introduce artifacts; too low can look soft.
Hue	0-14	8	Shifts the overall color hue. Usually best left at default.

Noise Reduction

In low-light situations, you may notice grain or noise in the image. 3D Noise Reduction helps smooth this out:

• Range: Off, 1-8, Auto
• Default: 7
• Higher values apply stronger noise reduction but can make the image look softer or introduce motion artifacts.
• Auto lets the camera adjust dynamically based on lighting conditions.