Ultraviolet imaging is a new corona discharge detection method. In this paper, by means of UV imager, in laboratory, the discharge phenomenon is studied, it shows that hardware discharge, and water drop corona, pollution corona are the main discharge forms on the polymeric insulator surface. Further, suing the finite element method, the field distribution is calculated. The leakage current is measure and analysis. Research shows different discharge form, the UV imaging has its character; finally, this paper gives some advice to evaluate the insulation condition.