I performed a side by side FOV comparison with my “1st batch” A119 Mini 2 that was delivered 5/12/23, and my A129 Plus delivered September 2020.
Both dash cams have a manufacturer specification of 140° FOV.
It is my belief the A119 Mini 2 has a “true” 140° FOV.
Based on comparing this test footage the A129 Plus has an FOV closer to 165°.
Q:Why does this matter now?
A: More on this later.
Q: What is FOV, and why is it important?
A: FOV or technically AOV, or “viewing angle” is a specification consumers use to make an informed decision.
Narrow FOV’s are usually around 140° or less.
Wider FOV’s are usually 170° or more.
Narrow FOV’s make objects in the image appear larger & closer, so it’s easier to see fine details like license plates.
Wider FOV’s provide overall more information in a given scene, however objects appear smaller, and further away, and warpage / barrel distortion is greater on the edges of the image.
It was discovered the A119 Mini 2 had a defocusing issue when the camera was subjected to hot temperatures like parking mode in direct sunlight on a hot day.
This was confirmed by several A119 Mini 2 users.
Viofo fixed the issued by changing the lens, and started to ship revised “2nd batch” A119 Mini 2’s July 2022.
The lens used in the revised “2nd batch” A119 Mini 2 is the lens from the A129 Plus.
Q: Why are you wasting my time with this?
A: This means consumers who purchased the A119 Mini 2 after July 2022 considering its 140° FOV specification have been deceived.
This means the current specification of 140° is false & misleading.
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Here is the test footage I took the screenshots from;