$40K Red Epic-M Camera

[DashCamMan]

I came across this video of the Red Epic-M Camera. This is a $40,000 camera (with lenses and accessories) that records at 5K up to 120fps.

Here is a video of it in action. They demo it as a dash cam from 4 minutes to 8 minutes and 45 seconds.

While the picture quality is excellent. Check out the clip between 7:45 to 8:45.
They are recording 5K at 96fps and are showing it in slow motion. Note the license plates are blurry when moving. And this is during the day with decent lighting. Perhaps this is due to Youtube compression?

I realized 2 things from watching this video. The decent $200 to $300 dash cams have pretty good video quality! Also, I know we all want to capture details (license plates) when the vehicle is moving and are disappointed when our dash cam doesn't do this. Perhaps our expectations are too high!

 

[Wlad]

Hi DashCamMan,

Perhaps this is due to Youtube compression?

Maybe, but I do not think that the readability of license plates will be much better. I think this camera is not the best choice as the Dash Cam

I like readability license plates on this video:

Link to the original video

 

[DashCamMan]

Thanks for the video Wlad. Looks like a Kapkam Q2 (Russian F500LHD). I agree daytime video for this camera is quite good. Very hard to beat for under $100!

 

[Wlad]

It was a Mouse Like DVR (example) and the author changed the standard lens on the other.
DashCamMan, which is the best Dash Cam with excellent readability license plates you've seen?

 

[DashCamMan]

Hi Wlad,

Ah the mouse camera. I will probably do a write up on that camera when I get some time. If I recall correctly it had some problems such as vertical stripes on the video and overheating causing blurry video. It is an Ambarella A2S based camera like the F500LHD, F900LHD, GS1000, etc. These cameras are good at reading moving license plates in certain conditions. If the lighting is good and the oncoming car is in the opposing lane than it can read it well. If the angle is too great, they cannot read it well. Many of the Korean cameras (BlackVue, FineVu, Itronics) can get license plates but once again it depends on the conditions.

Unfortunately there is no camera that I am aware that can consistently get license plates in a variety of conditions. If the opposing car is too far away, there is too much of an angle, it is too sunny, too dark, etc, reading plates is difficult. It even seems that North American license plates are more difficult to capture than Asian or European ones due to the smaller letters and greater reflectivity. I'm sure if the Epic-M camera was pointed directly at the license plates instead of on an angle, it would have read the plates as well.

 

[Wlad]

Hi DashCamMan,

Thanks for your detailed response!

Yes, on the Russian forums I often come across messages of incorrect work this mouse camera. Unfortunately, I also did not find the dash cam that get license plates in a variety conditions. But I hope in the future they will be.

P.S. Thanks to you and your site for the opportunity to learn English

 

[rjgscotland]

They are recording 5K at 96fps and are showing it in slow motion. Note the license plates are blurry when moving. And this is during the day with decent lighting. Perhaps this is due to Youtube compression?

The problem is that the shutter speed has been set too slow. It's either for artistic effect, to maintain the film-look motion blur deliberately, or it's because that's as fast as they could go for correct exposure at the given aperture and ISO. Of course, this means that you can't read the number plate due to the motion blur!

As I use the Epic-X fairly often, they're certainly more than capable of reading number plates if you set it up right

 

[DashCamMan]

Hi rjgscotland,

That explanation makes sense. Set a faster shutter speed and we have the ultimate dash cam Unfortunately it probably costs more than most people's vehicles

 

[vta1985]

Ambarella revealed their new A9 chip at CES which records 4k at 30fps. So it may be a year or so before we see affordable camcorders and car dvrs that record at 4k 30fps video.

 

[DashCamMan]

Hi vta1985,

That is interesting that Ambarella released the A9 chip. Perhaps now we will start seeing some more Chinese cameras coming with A5 processors or maybe A7 processors instead of all the A2 processors. I think the A9 will take some time before we see it in an affordable camera. I wonder if the night quality has been improved. Really it has been the biggest drawback of the Ambarella chips.