CMOS comparison AR0521, OV4689, IMX291

Mtz

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The Aptina AR0521 will be launched in 2018 to be used in some dashcams. It is a 5MP CMOS and I think Aptina created it to challenge the little old but good and well sold of Omnivision OV4689 which is 4MP. Being 4MP and 5MP, both of them can record at 2K resolution.

Back a little in history, I am thinking to this: when Aptina AR0330 was used in so many cheap but OK dashcams, the OV4689 was the other chipset generally used, but latest time the OV4689 was used in more and more and better and better dashcams also because the resolution was increased so the AR0330 was left behind more and more. Then some manufacturers wanted more video quality from their dashcams and started using the Sony IMX322 and IMX323. Now the 2MP IMX from Sony is sold very well in a lot of chinese dashcams even almost no name. The chinese guys learned that just the Sony name can sell their camera.
So Aptina needs to make a move to not stay too much behind and created the 5MP sensor because the 2MP market (AR0330) is almost lost because of Sony IMX323.
Will be this a good idea for them? Will the manufacturers start using this chipset if is cheaper than a 5MP Sony IMX, even they know that the Aptina name can not sell so good as the Sony name?

I know is not correct to compare a 5MP CMOS with a 2MP CMOS which is normally better in low light, but in my comparison I will use the king of darkness situations, the Sony Starvis IMX291 and in this way to see how much is behind a 5MP CMOS which is advertising a good video in low light conditions.

I will offer here few YouTube links and in the video descriptions are included the download links for original videos which are all in this folder.

Compared to other 4-5MP CMOS Aptina claims better day image, better low light image. In these two videos you clearly see that the AR0521 managed the best the white balance situation at least for the dusk time situation:


Video comparisons during day:

Anybody can take snapshots on that videos and present their observations, their videos, I am trying to not conclude anything right now. Best is to compare the 4MP and 5MP CMOS to be fair.

Here are two very short videos with just the AR0521 during night:

Please consider that every camera has different lens, different firmwares (OV4689 was on SDK 4, IMX291 on SDK 3 and AR0521 is a beta firmware).

This post will be updated...

enjoy,
Mtz
 
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OK, if not working the folder link or downloading from the folder, individual links are on YouTube description. I don't want to offer in this thread links one by one because the first post will become too complicated. :(

enjoy,
Mtz
 
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I have been eying the new Aptina sensor, look like it will find use in some dashcams it seem to have what is needed for the job.
I think i commented or mentioned it here not long ago.
 
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Mtz
What version of firmware on the 119S ? why blue tide.
 
A119S is on latest firmware. v2.2. That blue tint is in only special situation of dust time.
I updated the first post with two new comparisons during day and there you will see the same A119S with same firmware without the blue tint.

enjoy,
Mtz
 
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Need to have clear explanation here, so those above footage, are using Viofo A119 body? Just both just different CMOS? On top is Aptina AR0521 and below is OmniVision OV4689?
 
I wrote this in bold, trying to be very precise:
Please consider that every camera has different lens, different firmwares (OV4689 was on SDK 4, IMX291 on SDK 3 and AR0521 is a beta firmware).
On youtube description is written in every video description that Aptina video is at top.

This thread is not about a specialized comparison made by some engineers. It is more to offer first the information for the people which want to see at least little information about a new sensor. In the world of technology it is important to be first. So people can come here to look and ask before they will buy a new camera with AR0521 because just reading specs and nice description is not enough for many people, they want more details.

Also my comparisons are always real, nothing fake, I am working directly in Avisynth, encoding with H264 at CRF 18 trying to make transparent encodes, comparisons are exactly at the same frame. Just to show the reality offered by the technology I am testing.

enjoy,
Mtz
 
Okay but I still wondering is that only the CMOS and the body using A119?
 
Yes, the same body as A119 is my sample.

enjoy,
Mtz
 
I have just noticed the Aukey DR02-J which is using the new aptina sensor, marketed as a 4K dashcam, sold on Amazon DE for 90 EUR. Same body as DR02.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
 
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Then we should start a thread about fake 4K dashcams like the one about action cameras.

enjoy,
Mtz
 
So I was right!
So the DR02 J's 2160p mode is really 5 megapixel that's interpolated (resized) to 8 megapixels. So it is not true 4K/2160p. The interpolation will introduce some blurring and softness to the image. The final insult to injury is that 2160p is only available at 24 frames per second, which in my view is too low for dash cam applications. During my testing, the 2160p 24fps video is noticeably jerkier than the 1440p 30fps video. So this is more "Faux-K" than "4K
..........
Right off the bat, I would not personally use the 4K/2160p resolution. It is not true 4K (really only 60% of 4K), but rather a smaller image that is resized up to 4K resolutions, which introduces blurring and softness.
...........
its "4K" capabilities are overinflated. In my view, this is not so much a 4K dash cam as a 1440p dash cam.
If dashcam manufactures will start using this CMOS just to sale fake 4K cameras then is time to fight against them.

enjoy,
Mtz
 
1 Verified purchase review on Amazon USA - https://www.amazon.com/gp/B0771DYFTZ
Not great.

Aukey has, in the past, sent out their products for review and refunded by Paypal in order to get "Verified Purchase" tags on Amazon reviews. Not sure if they're still doing it, but I would take reviews on their products with a grain of salt.
 
sent out their products for review and refunded by Paypal in order to get "Verified Purchase" tags on Amazon reviews

Even though Amazon has cracked down a lot on fake paid reviews, you still have to wonder what's going on. Some of these dashcam listings on Amazon have 1000's of reviews yet they are never even mentioned or talked about on dashcamtalk. (and the reviews sound a bit forced/fluffed)
 
Guys is it me or does this new Aptina AR0521 look better in every situation to me. Any good dash cams using it. I am tired of these 1080p Sony sensors.
 
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