2010 Prius Backup Camera Night Performance better than expected

[HTMLSpinnr]

Using the backup camera in the 2010 at night - I was pleasantly surprised at how the camera handled relatively low light situations.

See attached pic that I took w/ my cell phone after I had backed out of a parking space. Even after the reverse lights had turned off (the camera takes about 1 second to turn off after, but not captured in the photo), the view was completely usable in an area poorly lit by adjacent street lights.



For those w/ the backup camera in the 2006-2009 Prius, did it work this well @ night?

[carz89]

It looks about equal to my 2006 backup camera display, but it's hard to judge. To be fair, you would have to judge side-by-side under same conditions.

My display is usually grainy in low light. Looks like yours is too, or maybe that's just your cellphone camera? (cellphone cameras are notorious for grainy low-light pictures).

The important part is that you're happy with it and that it is a useful safety feature.

[Paradox]

Yeah, looks similar to my 2006, maybe a tad brighter but hard to tell. I do remember being shocked when I first got it how good the low light images were as well.

[Husker4theSpurs]

Agree with being surprised at how well I'm able to see with my backup camera at night in my 2008.

[Boo]

Yes, I think the Gen II's backup camera is good in low light too.

Besides enabling one to see things that would otherwise be within the car's rear view blindspot, I've always thought the camera's night vision was another big plus of the camera.

The move of the back up camera from a low # option package in the Gen II to a high priced option package in the Gen III, is my biggest complaint about the Gen III Prius. I hated seeing a safety feature being made less affordable.

[Tideland Prius]

Question. Doesn't the camera lens get dirty quite often?

[Husker4theSpurs]

Yeah ... if you don't wash your car very often, it requires a quick clean.

[Boo]

I guess it gets dirty. But I never clean it except when I wash my car, which isn't very often. I haven't ever noticed a significant impairment of the view. But I've only driven the car on paved roads.

[HTMLSpinnr]

Originally Posted by Tideland Prius

Question. Doesn't the camera lens get dirty quite often?

Mine "arrived" w/ a dirt spot on it, had to go wipe it off.

The image was grainy, but that's expected when using high gain w/ a CCD camera.

[Gadgetdad]

My '07 backup camera was amazing as well. I almost did the mod to be able to switch it on at any time! Rain was a problem and would seriously distort the image. My '10 camera seems to be the same as the '07.

Lee