Is this normal?

[Gwyn Williams]

When playing back footage via the nextbase re-playapp, if I stop the recording, and use the slider to enlarge or home in on say a number plate or road sign, once I enlarge by approximately above a third, the object becomes "fuzzy" with no chance of being able to read it.
Any comments appreciated.

 

[DashcamDPR]

is this app on your phone or tablet/pc?

Many people don't bother with the apps that come with the cams for reasons like this, sometimes its easier to use video editors to xoom in on footage, or playback on windows media player. I've never stuck with dashcam software/apps, they seem restrictive

 

[kamkar]

You dont get far zooming digital on a 1080p image, unless you are some CSI TV show, i find best place for reading a plate on a oncoming car are when the car are off to the side in a 35-45 degree angle.

Like in this video, i cant remember the zoom level i used on the freeze frame, but it cant be much i would guess 50% max on this close distance.

Also it dont help if you are in a area where the sensor have to work hard with a limited bitrate, cuz that on its own will throw up some blocking too, and then putting it on youtube dont make things better.

 

[kamkar]

The problem then compound in lower light where you ideally would want to capture the plate at a more direct angle as to have minimal motion blur due to the low light, but thats not going to work with a regular wide angle lens of a dashcam, and then the car then get nearer where you can read the plate in daytime you cant cuz then it drown in motion blue due to the settings the camera use in low light.

This are also one of the reasons i have a zoomed camera in my windscreen, cuz it can read plates out there where the plate are coming more towards the camera than passing it.
But even then its still a small window you have, but i do think it work a little better then the normal dashcam, but only for a little while then its too dark for such a camera too.

This are my zoomed camera Vs a regular camera, too dark for plate capture for both of them, but you can see the zoomed camera let me read things further out, so theoretically it should make platecapture possible in a flatter / more direct angle Vs when the car are at 45 degrees and passing fast by the camera.

 

[Gwyn Williams]

Very many thanks to "well known member" and "kamkar1" for your useful comments.

I tried using the best resolution (1440) yesterday, but am still not happy with the quality.

Previously I have used a "Mobius Dash Cam" at about £70.00 so I suppose paying more than twice
as much I expected a super clear picture....??

 

[DashcamDPR]

This can be where many people fall foul unfortunately. Nextbase are a reputable brand and their cams are offering many more hi-tech features these days, just like the likes of blackvue and thinkware, but there are a good few considerably cheaper cams, (Mobius/Viofo for example) that will equal or even excel with regards to the quality of the video footage, albeit they may not have as many other features

I don't use any of the more pricey cams because there's a lot these cams do that I just don't need, so why pay more?

Regards - Well Known Member

 

[kamkar]

I always found this time of the year problematic in regard to plate capture, in the day it might seem nice and bright for our eyes but the little camera sensors struggle.
I always say capturing plates are only something you should only expect in the best of circumstances.

And some times you are freaked out why the camera did so bad with plates, but the next day in what seem to be similar light conditions the camera do much better.
Hit and run and plate capture in regard to that dont bother me so much, but i have gotten my car vandalized 2 times parked at home, so now i park in the back yard and have a 1080p CCTV camera on my balcony door aimed at the car.