GitUp F1: any good for dash cam use?

[TonyM]

Try to find a UHS 3 micro sd card.

enjoy,
Mtz

Thanks. I tried a UHS 1 but think I need a faster card. I do have one UHS 3 that I can swap with another camera.

 

[Lola]

Try to find a UHS 3 micro sd card.

enjoy,
Mtz

I've really been looking forward to these reviews, would really be a bummer to have a bad card sorta hamper things Good choice on card (UHS3) from what I've heard.

 

[lacibaci]

What is the bitrate for F1? A UHS1 card by spec must be able to support at least 10MB/sec (80 Mbps) That should be enough?

 

[TonyM]

What is the bitrate for F1? A UHS1 card by spec must be able to support at least 10MB/sec (80 Mbps) That should be enough?

The highest variable bitrate I've seen so far, in very limited testing today, is just under 70Mbps when recording 4K25. In dark driving scenes it dropped to 60Mbps. If you use loop recording, the camera will have to access the card to look ahead, delete the oldest file and make space for the next file. So an 80Mpbs card might struggle to keep up.

 

[jokiin]

If you use loop recording, the camera will have to access the card to look ahead, delete the oldest file and make space for the next file. So an 80Mpbs card might struggle to keep up.

this is something that is often overlooked, it's not just about the data rate of files that are being written, there's other things that need to happen at the same time

 

[TonyM]

I used this card today and it seems to work OK in the F1. It's rated at "Up to 90/40 MB/s read/write"

I've just ordered 3 of these, rated at "Up to 100 MB/s read and 60 MB/s write"

 

[jokiin]

any of the good brand name U3 cards should be suitable

 

[Harsh]

Got a Samsung U3 64GB for the A119 yesterday, the Sandisk Ultra (yes the red/gray one, which I put in just for kicks) started acting up. The camera would start beeping incessantly, restarting the camera would bring things back to normal but not for long.

Since losing the 128GB to a crevice around the front seat, been using the same U3 in my SG9665GC for a few months now. Good to know these will work fine if I get the F1 or a similar spec action cam.

 

[jokiin]

the Sandisk Ultra (yes the red/gray one, which I put in just for kicks) started acting up..

that's the one model I would avoid

 

[TonyM]

So, my initial impressions of the F1? I've really had very little time with it today, especially during daylight hours whilst I was at work 😗.

Daytime 4K recordings look crisp as expected. Night time 4K was noisy but usable - I think 1080p or 1440p will perform better at night.

WiFi connection is good for live view to set the camera alignment. The OSD is so much easier for changing settings than modifying the configuration file on a Mobius.

I want to spend a bit more time with the F1 before posting video samples. Weather permitting I hope to get some decent daytime videos tomorrow.

 

[Shep]

I would also be interested in night videos at 4K, 1440p, and 1080p. Would really help to visually show the "cost" of higher resolutions on nighttime quality, being one of the first 4K dash cams that has shown serious nighttime potential.

Would also make for an interesting visual for anyone who doesn't understand the limitations of insufficient lighting on recording quality. Of course, side-by-sides wouldn't work on resolution alone, but honestly I'd prefer separate videos anyhow. Only have the one set of eyes and a one-track mind!😉

 

[Nigel]

Some original quality frame grabs would be good, not all of us can see YouTube in 4K or have the ability to download raw 70mbps video...

 

[Shep]

Some original quality frame grabs would be good, not all of us can see YouTube in 4K or have the ability to download raw 70mbps video...

Good thinking. In addition to the YouTube videos, of course, so those of us with 4K devices can provide frame grabs also. (Even if my monitor has been set aside to fix a DPI scaling annoyance.)

 

[TonyM]

My plan is to run the F1 alongside my A119 to see how the new action camera fares against a dashcam with similar FOV but a faster lens. I'll do day and night in 4k30, 1440p30 and 1080p60. I'll also see if the new F1 does better than my old favourite Mobius 1, and the newer Mobius 2.

Original frames are easy to do. Uploading the video can take quite a while!

 

[TonyM]

Original frame comparison from my drive to work this morning. As you can see it was rather cloudy. There is a noticeable difference in FOV, with the F1 being wider than the A119. The silver transit van is stationary. The A119 GPS seems to have a lag too, as I was stationary rather than moving at 12mph.

F1 4K 30fps 66.0Mbps
A119 1440p 30fps 24.3Mbps

100% crop comparison
F1 : A119

 

[Nigel]

Original frame comparison from my drive to work this morning. As you can see it was rather cloudy. There is a noticeable difference in FOV, with the F1 being wider than the A119. The faster lens on the A119 is possibly why there is less motion blur in passing cars than on the F1. The silver transit van is stationary. The A119 GPS seems to have a lag too, as I was stationary rather than moving at 12mph.

F1 4K 30fps 66.0Mbps
A119 1440p 30fps 24.3Mbps

View attachment 34400
View attachment 34401

100% crop comparison
F1 : A119
View attachment 34403 View attachment 34402

View attachment 34404 View attachment 34405

For some reason I am seeing the first F1 image at 1440 resolution instead of 2160, and not very well resized.

Maybe the most interesting thing, especially in your 100% image is that even though the F1 image is brighter overall, it still separates the individual LEDs in the brake lights while the A119 has them overexposed and joined together. Are you using HDR on either camera?

 

[TonyM]

For some reason I am seeing the first F1 image at 1440 resolution instead of 2160, and not very well resized.

Maybe the most interesting thing, especially in your 100% image is that even though the F1 image is brighter overall, it still separates the individual LEDs in the brake lights while the A119 has them overexposed and joined together. Are you using HDR on either camera?

It's definitely a 3840x2160 full-frame image that I uploaded. Perhaps DCT resizes it on upload?
Here's links to the original files (I have edited my original post to show these images):
F1 :

A119 :

WDR is enabled on the A119. CPL removed for testing. I don't think WDR was enabled on the F1. Will check later - it's out in the car right now.

 

[Nigel]

It's definitely a 3840x2160 full-frame image that I uploaded. Perhaps DCT resizes it on upload?
Here's links to the original files (I have edited my original post to show these images):
...
WDR is enabled on the A119. CPL removed for testing. I don't think WDR was enabled on the F1. Will check later - it's out in the car right now.

Thanks, much better, I'm seeing it as 2160 resolution now, 8.3MP instead of 3.7MP, 2.24x the resolution, and 2.72x the detail based on bitrate 🙂

 

[TonyM]

I don't think WDR was enabled on the F1. Will check later - it's out in the car right now.

There is no WDR option on the F1.

 

[TonyM]

Here's a few low light frames from the F1 and A119.

F1 1440p 30fps 43.7Mbps
A119 1440p 30fps 24.3Mbps

The first set is on approach to the junction at approx 30mph. Note it's raining so the wet screen adds to the glare.
F1

A119

The next set is stationary at the junction
F1

A119

This is the same junction, recorded yesterday in the dry at 4k25

F1 4k 25fps 60.4Mbps
A119 1440p 30fps 24.3Mbps

Approach to junction at approx 40mph
F1

A119

Stationary at the junction
F1

A119

Short comparison video from yesterday's night scene.