Mobius 2 Action/Dash Cam support thread

ok, now that according to a post in RCgroups support thread it seems that the m2 has been discontinued, lets' start to complain about how good it was and how many (?) situations M2 was better than other models...:) (i skipped on that....now wonder:eek: if i should have gotten one:cry:)
 
Somehow I doubt there be much lamenting of it's passing. In fact I can think of a few people who might celebrate the event! :eek:
It is only fate leaving me short on cash at one point which kept my from getting burned by this cam like so many others have been- IMHO they should have dropped it sooner.

Phil
 
Somehow I doubt there be much lamenting of it's passing. In fact I can think of a few people who might celebrate the event! :eek:
It is only fate leaving me short on cash at one point which kept my from getting burned by this cam like so many others have been- IMHO they should have dropped it sooner.

Phil

The reason that the m2 was kept in stock for so long was most likely due to an attempt to sell off overstocked merchandise. When I recently looked at the number of m2 sold by the mfr on ebay the number was still very low. You can still find a few on ebay. I bet the current listings are all new old stock they have been unable to sell.
 
More details on why the M2 has been discontinued, (copied and pasted from rcgroups.com)

The real story is that the original DSP chip used by the M2 was modified by the chip manufacturer, and the updated chip uses different low level code libraries for FW development. That leaves the original M2 with a dwindling supply of DSP chips, and necessitates new FW code development to support the new DSP chips. In short, there would need to be a new M2 variant camera.

I don't know what new capability the updated M2 DSP chip offers, but the newer Mobius Maxi already has upgraded capabilities over the M2, with FW still maturing. It is better in low light (less video noise and/or less motion blurring) than the M2. So I think the decision was made to focus on upgrading the Maxi FW rather than starting from scratch with an M2 variant. The Maxi is similar in size and weight to the M2, so that makes it a good substitute. And as mentioned, the original M1 is still available, and though it's not as capable as the Maxi in the higher resolutions and frame rates, it still has some functionality that the Maxi does not have (yet?)

M2 batteries and CMOS/lens modules are still being stocked by some of the re-sellers (I don't know which ones... you'll have to contact them). The Maxi and M2 batteries will fit in the M2 case and can be used to power the M2, but the M1 battery has less mAh rating (less recording time), and though the Maxi battery has higher mAh rating (more recording time), it has a different connecting plug, so an old plug from a dead M2 battery would need to be soldered to the Maxi leads. If you do this be SURE to check the polarity with a voltmeter and DO NOT rely on wire colors to define the polarity.
 
The “Real Story”? This comes across more like a face saving propaganda piece issued by Mobius' primary apparatchik, Tom Frank, reposted here by a member who has also become somewhat of a public representative for Mobius .

I'm not necessarily questioning whether this explanation is true but the fact is that the M2 has been a failed product since the very day it was first introduced in June, 2016 and immediately withdrawn from the market in response to the ensuing uproar when buyers saw how poorly it performed. It was reintroduced a month later with only marginal improvement and despite their best efforts, the developers were never adequately able to make the camera live up to it's promises and expectations.

Different low level code libraries for FW development” aside, the current firmware for the M2 has not received any updates since April, 2017, despite the pressing need to address many issues with the camera. I believe there is a relationship with this fact and the camera being taken out of production that is entirely separate from any chipset update or code library changes. For a company with such a well documented history of relentless firmware updating, refining and enhancement for the previous M1 to not release a badly needed firmware update for the M2 for the last year and a half is very telling. It's not hard to make the case that with the release of the V2.14 firmware in April, 2017 Mobius effectively abandoned the M2. Many of us who own the M2 and have given up on the camera have been somewhat surprised to even still see it on the market at this point, here in September 2018, so it really does seem about time for this announcement whatever the fundamental reasons may in fact be. Perhaps the camera has lingered in the marketplace because the developer hoped to recoup his considerable investment as best as possible under difficult circumstances?

Another thing to consider is that a camera developer, especially one as aloof from it's enthusiastic supporters as Mobius would never have offered a discount on the Maxi for previous owners of the M2 if they were not acknowledging in some small way that many were so discouraged by their experience with the Mobius 2, especially for dash cam use.

I feel badly for what happened with the M2, as the developer obviously spent thousands of hours writing the Linux firmware essentially from scratch while also investing a significant amount of time and money into designing and producing the hardware. It must be painfully difficult to let go of a project like this that one has put so much sweat and blood into but I believe the writing was on the wall and has been for some time.
 
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I feel badly for what happened with the M2, as the developer obviously spent thousands of hours writing the Linux firmware essentially from scratch while also investing a significant amount of money in designing and producing the hardware. It must be painfully difficult to let go of a project like this that one has put so much sweat and blood into but I believe the writing was on the wall and has been for some time.

This exactly. They put a lot of effort into it, but for whatever reason it all was for naught and that kind of thing hurts. Maybe added effort could have helped, maybe not. Either way it's demise was long overdue when the development ended before it was complete, and now we have what we all hope is a better platform to work with in the Maxi.

Phil
 
My Mobius 2 has been rear-facing in my wife's car for around a year. It has a capacitor. Today I removed it to check video files since we had someone tailgating us on the way home. The last file of the journey was not saved. On a spot check, at least 25% of the video files were not playable, including the last clip of each journey where they had been saved.

It's simply not reliable enough, so I'm going to install one of my Mobius 1 cameras in her car instead. Or a B1W.
 
My Mobius 2 has been rear-facing in my wife's car for around a year. It has a capacitor. Today I removed it to check video files since we had someone tailgating us on the way home. The last file of the journey was not saved. On a spot check, at least 25% of the video files were not playable, including the last clip of each journey where they had been saved.

It's simply not reliable enough, so I'm going to install one of my Mobius 1 cameras in her car instead. Or a B1W.


Running my M2 with a capacitor as well, have noticed a corrupted file here and there a couple of times but the last file has always been fine. Once you have it out of the car, try replacing the capacitor kit.

I have the exposure priority set to 'bright light' and IIRC metering is set to multi-spot, works really well for capturing the sides (looking inward from the rear).
 
I put the batteries back in mine after I found it had only been recording randomly for a few weeks. Despite it being less discrete I've now replaced one with a recognised dashcam and will do the other car shortly. I feel very short-changed by Mobius and will not be buying a Maxi on principle.
 
Marking the final nail in the coffin, Tom Frank has closed the M2 support thread on RCG

Well, the M2 was discontinued over 1-1/2 years ago, and since the discussion seems to be migrating off into other cameras, I think the time has come for me to close this thread to new posts.

The thread will still be available for reference by any M2 users, and the FW links in InfoPost #3 will remain active for download as well. Also, my PM link is still available if any questions come up.

RIP M2!
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Personally, I had a couple of M2 cameras but both of them died after a couple of years or so. I never expected when I bought my first Mobius 1 in 2013 that it would still be going strong 7 years later, with better performance and reliability than two of its supposed successors (M2 and Maxi).
 
Marking the final nail in the coffin, Tom Frank has closed the M2 support thread on RCG



Personally, I had a couple of M2 cameras but both of them died after a couple of years or so. I never expected when I bought my first Mobius 1 in 2013 that it would still be going strong 7 years later, with better performance and reliability than two of its supposed successors (M2 and Maxi).

At one time, I believe it was during the unfolding M2 debacle I made the comment that the Mobius 1 was a true classic that was beginning to look like a classic "lightning-in-a-bottle" phenomenon that we might never see again. Looking back, that may have been more prescient than I first thought. It seems at this point that Mobius has lost interest and has essentially abandoned the endeavor; at least it feels that way. I mean, with the Mobius 1 there was a constant stream of firmware updates we could always look forward to with fixes and enhancements, hardware tweaks and improvements, new and better lenses and module options, a new and better battery, etc., and that is what led to making the M1 the remarkable, enduring product that it is.

After the none too soon demise of the M2 we finally got the Maxi which seemed at first to finally be a worthy successor to the original Mobius, yet it lingers and still leaves the original Mobius as the miniature camera of choice. I still marvel at the footage I get from these 7 year old cameras and their remarkable reliability and ability to tolerate abuse and high heat.
 
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Well good riddance to the thread- I didn't follow it but I'm sure it was stale, moldy, and bad-tasting at this belated time. Should have happened sooner and should have taken the M2 with it...

Phil
 
At one time, I believe it was during the unfolding M2 debacle I made the comment that the Mobius 1 was a true classic that was beginning to look like a classic "lightning-in-a-bottle" phenomenon that we might never see again. Looking back, that may have been more prescient than I first thought. It seems at this point that Mobius has lost interest and has essentially abandoned the endeavor; at least it feels that way. I mean, with the Mobius 1 there was a constant stream of firmware updates we could always look forward to with fixes and enhancements, hardware tweaks and improvements, new and better lenses and module options, a new and better battery, etc., and that is what led to making the M1 the remarkable, enduring product that it is.
.......

Yeah, but totally different times. They silently sort of "released" an 808#32 ( which seems to have an immature firmware after 2 years first rumors came out, it might say something about company capabilities ).

For few bucks more and a slightly bigger ff, there is the F1, the newly released Runcam 2 4k, AND we have reliable dedicated dashcams making the mobius do-it-all approach

Even Gopro can now have additional features with"official" custom scripts....

I agree we will not see again a similar phenomenon also because there is not an empty market scenario to fill like there was when M1 came out.
 
Yeah, but totally different times. They silently sort of "released" an 808#32 ( which seems to have an immature firmware after 2 years first rumors came out, it might say something about company capabilities ).

For few bucks more and a slightly bigger ff, there is the F1, the newly released Runcam 2 4k, AND we have reliable dedicated dashcams making the mobius do-it-all approach

Even Gopro can now have additional features with"official" custom scripts....

I agree we will not see again a similar phenomenon also because there is not an empty market scenario to fill like there was when M1 came out.

The F1, the Runcam, the Gopro and perhaps a few others are all worthy cameras and there has been much evolution and development in technology since the Mobius was introduced seven years ago.

While I agree with you that many new and worthwhile cameras have entered the market since the advent of the Mobius I believe you are missing the point about what the Mobius represents and why it is still in a class by itself.

No other camera has ever offered the versatility and innovation that Mobius brought to the table. Aside from the form factor itself which literally created the product category of high performance matchbox style cameras, no other camera offers the exposure, sharpness and color control, color profile options, RGB adjustments, contrast, saturation adjustment, frame rate options, video and sound file types, in-camera field of view selection or all the other unique GUI features and extremely fine grain in-camera image tweaking capabilities of the Mobius. And the camera even works well for still photography and as a pocket audio recorder.

No other camera has offered the ability for hardware customization like the Mobius with different manufacturer supplied focal length lenses, swapable, replaceable lens modules, plus plug-in batteries and plug-in super-capacitors.

No other camera manufacturer has made affordable replacement components available including PCBs, lens modules, case housings, etc. One can literally build a whole new camera from individual parts purchased separately.

No other camera I'm aware of other than the M1 comes with a lens module that came with a grub screw specifically intended so the user can easily refocus the lens for specific purposes or install alternative aftermarket lenses at will.

The list goes on really and of course includes the remarkable image quality they painstakingly teased out of the hardware. And then of course, there is the build quality, the reliability, the small size, the ergonomics and just the way it feels in your hand. And all of this at a remarkably affordable price!

All of these things put the Mobius 1 in a league of its own and for the dedicated, creative camera enthusiast who wants a "real" camera that can be configured to his needs and purposes, nothing comes close!

All of us had hoped and indeed expected that by this time, seven years later, we would have essentially the same thing in an enhanced new product with the benefits of the latest sensor and processor technology. Sadly, each attempt to do that has fallen short and it feels as if Mobius as a company has lost its way and also lost its creative drive and inspiration.

After the unfortunate debacle of the M2, the Maxi was a really great effort and it seemed to have so much potential but it too never quite got there. Perhaps it might still happen? Who knows? I do hope so. But usually with a Mark II or Mark III product you expect the next iterations to reach newer and greater heights and achievement, yet the Mobius 1 is still the high water mark. When the latest third version of a camera has worse daylight image quality and acuity than the seven year old version after a previous second attempt at a Mark II level camera something is very, very wrong. Despite what has come along since with other cameras like the GitUp F1, the Mobius has been one of the most innovative camera companies in the business and it is sad to see their current state of affairs. Rumor has it that they are working on a wifi pet feeder camera, a product category of which there already exists dozens on the market. :meh:

Earlier, I mentioned my old comment that the original Mobius might have been a "lightning-in-a-bottle" product and how that apparently turned out to be a prescient remark, and it got me thinking about another odd thing I noted that may also have been all too precient. That has to do with my noticing the strange coffin iconography embedded in the Maxi and how I really hoped it didn't portend a bad fate for the camera. It was a joke that now doesn't seem quite so funny two years later.

I said, "I've been sort of amused and perhaps a bit freaked out by the obvious coffin iconography embedded in the (Maxi) design. It's kind of a Goth action camera look I guess. Hope it's not a bad omen.....:vamp:"

We were all so hoping for so much better than what we got.:(


caskets.jpg
 
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I am not really doubting the mobius 1 being in a "class by itself" (I have 3 of them).
I am wondering whether there is still a market for it, because as of NOW there are so many dedicated options which were not there when Mobius 1 hit the market.

Apart from special needs (e.g. such as no IR filter lens ) the question is how many people now need such an high degree of customization if the product they can find is good enough for their needs (software and AI can probably get there now quicker and better) and is specific for their need.
 
There is no other camera as versatile, customizable and configurable as the original Mobius. As for questioning whether there is "still a market" for them, the simple fact that the Mobius itself as well as spare parts, accessories and lens modules remain widely available after seven years and the fact that they still enjoy robust sales provides you with your answer.

You mention examples like the Runcam 2 4K. Maybe it's very good if you want a dedicated FPV drone footage camera, but if you want to do just about anything else creative with it such as using it as a dash cam, hidden nanny cam, wildlife observation camera, alternative lens cam, macro camera or any of the other many unique projects so many have demonstrated here on the forum with the Mobius it would be much more difficult to achieve. That is why it is a photography enthusiast's camera rather than a specialized device that has a dedicated purpose. So many of the standard functions of the Mobius don't exist in many other cameras like the Runcam, including even the standard dash cam staple of looping.
 
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I will use my three Mobius 1 in rotation as dash cams until they die...
 
I have three Mobius 1's. One is a 6mm telephoto dashcam, one is used with a 2.8-14mm lens to observe inside a glass kiln, and the last one is fitted to a CS-to-EF adapter for super telephoto video with my full-frame lenses. I think I would be hard pressed to achieve all this with any other camera.
 
" the last one is fitted to a CS-to-EF adapter "
Like to see a photo of that set up ,thanks
 
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