blurred video ??

[basshead]

Just an update... I received the replacement dashcam and have tried it for about a week or so. Off-topic but I posted in another (relevant) thread I was having issues with delay of the GPS starting up.

Now I've had a chance to review the footage with the replacement dashcam, it appears to have the same lens fault as the first one. Here's a couple of screenshots where you can clearly (pun intended ) see the blurred image on the right side. Both images are still shots (vehicle not moving, so it's not blurred from pixilation/movement). Notice the blurred tree and text of sign on truck & building on RHS, but crisp text on taxi and sign on building on LHS.

 

[BlackVue Australia]

Just an update... I received the replacement dashcam and have tried it for about a week or so. Off-topic but I posted in another (relevant) thread I was having issues with delay of the GPS starting up.

Now I've had a chance to review the footage with the replacement dashcam, it appears to have the same lens fault as the first one. Here's a couple of screenshots where you can clearly (pun intended ) see the blurred image on the right side. Both images are still shots (vehicle not moving, so it's not blurred from pixilation/movement). Notice the blurred tree and text of sign on truck & building on RHS, but crisp text on taxi and sign on building on LHS.

Hi Richard,

Thanks for your feedback on the replacement camera, hope we can work with you to resolve this. As mentioned we replaced your camera in good faith as it was purchased through an un-authorised seller.

From our records here, it appears your replacement camera was tested before it was returned to you, and our run with a test vehicle did not show any focusing issues (on the replacement).

There does seem to be a lot of reflection coming up from the dash, and we have found a polariser lens can help to fix this problem. If you were to purchase a polariser lens from us and it still doesn't work we can refund the polariser lens.

I will also note that from the screenshots it appears to be quite a muggy day, with clouds above and not much natural lighting from the sun. These factors can play a big impact on the cameras performance.

We are willing to look at your camera again for you and are not sure how this has happened, please understand we are doing all we can to resolve your issue.

Thank you,

 

[jokiin]

make sure the lens is clean too, you'd be surprised what a fingerprint can do to wreck an otherwise good result

 

[basshead]

make sure the lens is clean too, you'd be surprised what a fingerprint can do to wreck an otherwise good result

That was the first thing I tried with the first one. I'll clean the lens on this one too.

 

[basshead]

Thanks for your feedback on the replacement camera, hope we can work with you to resolve this. As mentioned we replaced your camera in good faith as it was purchased through an un-authorised seller.

I was not aware of an authorised seller network when I purchased the new one. Since your first contact some months ago, I have found the seller I purchased from no longer sells Blackvue dashcams, so it might've been a one-off they obtained...

From our records here, it appears your replacement camera was tested before it was returned to you, and our run with a test vehicle did not show any focusing issues (on the replacement).

I'll take Jokiin's advice and clean the lens.

There does seem to be a lot of reflection coming up from the dash, and we have found a polariser lens can help to fix this problem. If you were to purchase a polariser lens from us and it still doesn't work we can refund the polariser lens.

I'll take you up on that offer. I was considering a polarising filter anyway as I was very happy with the result from using one on my Lukas dashcam.

I will also note that from the screenshots it appears to be quite a muggy day, with clouds above and not much natural lighting from the sun. These factors can play a big impact on the cameras performance.

I'll check through other footage (eg: today was >42 degrees and clear skies before the storm hit) and see if there's any difference.

We are willing to look at your camera again for you and are not sure how this has happened, please understand we are doing all we can to resolve your issue.

Your customer service thus far has been exemplary.

 

[basshead]

Cleaning the lens made no difference, and neither did virtually clear-sky days (as opposed to overcast days which was mentioned could be a cause), but the polarising filter appears to have made a difference to the "focus" issue (but no change to reflections of the dashboard from the windscreen - which is what I expected it would've done). I realise the filter only goes on one way, so no point in trying to rotate it. Will have to do some more testing/reviewing of more footage...

 

[basshead]

CPL filter doesn't appear to have much affect on the blurry image (still on the RHS as per the original cam). In the attached screen-shot you'll also notice the lack of clarity in the dash-vents on the RHS of the image (especially when compared to the sharpness of the vents on the LHS).

Off-topic, but CPL filter also doesn't appear to work as expected - notice reflected dash on windscreen in attached screen-shot. Perhaps it's effectiveness depends on angle of sun?

I'll have to stop and park, let the cam record for a minute or so, then remove CPL filter and continue recording to accurately determine how well the CPL filter works. I could use the same test to determine if it's windscreen thickness irregularity which might be causing the lens focus issue. I have noticed on one clip while driving past a truck (which was in the right lane) that the company logo/text on the side of the truck was in fact clear (sharp edges and no blurry look like you can see in the trees and buildings in the following image with CPL filter installed).

 

[basshead]

Another shot of the blurry RHS - notice the Hungry Jacks sign compared to the other sign on the LHS (without the CPL filter fitted - also compare reflections to above image WITH filter fitted).

 

[Ralph2]

I agree the RHS looks blurrier but the objects are at different distances (and lighting) from the camera so may influence some of the differences. A good way to check for blurry spots is to face square on to large brick (or concrete block) building.

 

[basshead]

The blurriness seems to be more pronounced in sunny conditions and sometimes it appears there's very minimal blurriness. If you look at the image in the reply at the top of this page you can see I'm directly in the centre of the road, and the the buildings on either side of me are close to identical distance away.

I've yet to do the testing I previously mentioned but I wonder if it might actually be varying thickness or quality of the windscreen glass. I notice when looking through it in some sections there appears to be "waves" distorting the image (not through the dashcam but just using my eyes) and moving side to side makes what I see through the glass appear to "shimmer" or distort similar to those convex/concave mirrors (but on a much smaller scale, obviously). I know windscreen glass is required to meet specific standards (o/s and there's also Australian Standards) but perhaps all windscreen glass isn't being checked for compliance (perhaps they only require a certain % to be tested)? I've tried 2 Blackvue dashcams in 2 different vehicles (but same make & model vehicle but different years of production - by about 5 years) with the same results. The Lukas dashcam I use in the other vehicle (again same make/model except one's the "cargo" version and the other "passenger" version) does not have the same image distortion as the Blackview when mounted in virtually the same location. (This still doesn't prove it's the dashcam at fault though, but I thought I'd mention it).

Good tip to try against a brick wall... Plenty of those around nearby on factories I can use for the testing...

 

[basshead]

OK I've done some testing today and can confirm blurry image still present with and without CPL filter (and proved CPL filter works - but strangely doesn't appear to correct the lower half of the image where the "test" white paper was very clearly reflected).

Two images attached - one with and one without CPL filter. You will note on the one WITHOUT CPL filter that the right side edge of the paper has two reflections - either confirming focus problem, or something strange inside the windscreen glass (laminate/layers?). Only removing and repositioning the dashcam will confirm this (hopefully try tomorrow).

I didn't find a brick wall, but a roller door I parked directly in front of the centre of it and the attached image shows blurriness on the entire right side. Brickwork might've shown better how far along the field-of-view the blurriness extends...

 

[basshead]

More testing today. No point in showing screen-shots, as it's the same as before - blurry on the right side. This test I removed the camera from the mount, and held it at various locations around the windscreen, including high and low (just above the dash) and to each side (as far as the concealed power cord would allow) and also rotated to the sides abit to see if the blurry image would go away. Sometime after doing this testing (for a couple of minutes worth of recording), I thought of one final test I could do - hold the camera upside-down (so what is presently on the left side, becomes the right side) - this should 100% eliminate whether it's the windscreen glass or the camera lens.

 

[basshead]

Damn. Testing the dashcam upside down still has the blurry image on the right side - meaning the windscreen is the problem?! and not the dashcam. Tried with and without CPL and blurriness is still present on the right side. I'm confused why two Blackvues has the same blurry image but the Lukas doesn't (2 different Blackvues and 2 vehicles of the same make)!

 

[Ralph2]

For a test.. can you mount it on the outside of the glass to determine once and for all whether the glass effects the video?

 

[basshead]

That's a good idea. The power cable is routed behind the headlining at the top of the windscreen so should be easy enough to pull out and long enough to reach and hold the camera in front of the windscreen for this test. I was surprised the blurriness was still present regardless of where I held the dashcam inside the car. Perhaps the glass is manufactured differently for RHD and LHD vehicles? Or maybe it's just crappy glass?

 

[basshead]

I haven't done the test mentioned above to 100% confirm it's the windscreen glass (or likely a laminate in/on the glass) but I did notice the two (identical) vehicles the two dashcams (the other being a Lukas) are in, have different manufacturer's markings on the windscreens. I don't have access to the original vehicle to find out the markings on it's windscreen.

Another final test I could to is swap the two dashcams between the 2 vehicles, but I'm not keen to do this as the the two dashcams have different cam & power connectors, and the Lukas is hard-wired. For testing purposes though, there might be enough length of cable for the cams to reach the other vehicle/windscreen if I parked the two vehicles with driver's doors side-by-side...

 

[boy36]

HI!
Have you solved this problem?

 

[Hillbilly]

Try it outside the car and also when you put it back tilt it down 1 click to much sky in the pics and it makes things worse 1/3 sky 2/3 rest is best angles.

Bet he found it was the screen and hasnt come back to admit it

 

[M8TJT]

Yeah. Just over 2 years is quite a long time to test it

 

[boy36]

I have the same problem, but with Thinkware F800 PRO.I've already tried clean windshield, lens, reset camera, update firmware. I ll try to mount outside the car.

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