A better AE metering for the A119 V3 and other dashcams.

What horizon level (sky to ground ratio) do you use with your A119 V3?

  • I don't care and have no idea about it.

    Votes: 2 8.0%
  • 10/90

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 20/80

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 30/70

    Votes: 3 12.0%
  • 40/60

    Votes: 8 32.0%
  • 50/50

    Votes: 10 40.0%
  • 60/40

    Votes: 2 8.0%
  • 70/30

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 80/20

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 90/10

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    25

nutsey

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 12, 2015
Messages
627
Reaction score
574
Location
Turkey
Country
Russian Federation
Please vote for the horizon level you've set for your cam. It will help to get a more reasonable AE window suitabale for the most shooting conditions.
 
40/60 for dark to mid-tone vehicles works for me. When I was driving white vehicles then 50/50 or maybe even 60/40 gave me better overall results.
 
40/60 for dark to mid-tone vehicles works for me. When I was driving white vehicles then 50/50 or maybe even 60/40 gave me better overall results.
This means that the lower part of the AE table where the hood probalby is should be ignored (=zeroed).
 
This means that the lower part of the AE table where the hood probalby is should be ignored (=zeroed).
I don't know about VIOFO but most (if not all) the SG cameras have that ability, although I don't know to what degree. I just find it easier to play with the alignment versus adjusting the in camera metering settings.
 
This means that the lower part of the AE table where the hood probalby is should be ignored (=zeroed).
Depends on the length of the hood!
Some are invisible, others take up 50% of the image.
 
Please vote for the horizon level you've set for your cam. It will help to get a more reasonable AE window suitabale for the most shooting conditions.
You can make a picture of the% ratio so that the user can quickly understand how his camera is configured.
 
I don't know about VIOFO but most (if not all) the SG cameras have that ability, although I don't know to what degree. I just find it easier to play with the alignment versus adjusting the in camera metering settings.
The A119V3 default metering table:
a119v3-ae-window.jpg
Note those 6'es in the 2nd row from below.
 
I don't know about VIOFO but most (if not all) the SG cameras have that ability, although I don't know to what degree. I just find it easier to play with the alignment versus adjusting the in camera metering settings.
As a rule, expo tables are used standardly on all platforms, I think SG did not edit them.
 
Last edited:
we don't use default tables, that V3 table posted above is not a default table either

I thought that might be the case with most cameras, just as any manufacturer needs to tweak color balance, sharpness and other parameters. As you know, the AE tables on the SG9665GC needed adjustment to resolve the issues some of us encountered with the GC. Not sure how @gse reached his conclusion about this or if it was simply an assumption.
 
A lot of cameras likely do use the default tables in the SDK, quite a lot of cameras have default values for most of the settings
 
A lot of cameras likely do use the default tables in the SDK, quite a lot of cameras have default values for most of the settings

Would those happen to be the more generic ones vs the name brands offering higher quality imagery?
 
The generic stuff is almost always with everything at default values, happens in some other 'brands' as well but most common in the domestic market names that seem to find their way onto Amazon, eBay etc as export product
 
I've only been out once since fitting the V3 and I think I had too much sky showing. The result was darker than expected footage with my dash top almost black, something no other cams have done.

I've angled it down for my next test run.
 
Not sure how @gse reached his conclusion about this or if it was simply an assumption.
This was just an assumption since:

A lot of cameras likely do use the default tables in the SDK, quite a lot of cameras have default values for most of the settings

Work metering on the example of SG:
And this is how the picture changes with the lens lifted up and tilted strongly
You can do the same test on Viofo


 
This is me:

V2:

dET9yxy.jpg


V3:

VaYn1n7.jpg



Too much sky seems to have reduced brightness. Lens clicked down one notch for my next trip.
 
Last edited:
Check the MOD1.3 custom firmware (based on v1.02).

Modified AE table:
a119v3-ae-window_MOD13.jpg

There are several more improvements in this fw. Follow the link above to get more information about it.
 
Last edited:
Got it, thanks
 
Back
Top