Blurry image

[ursamajor]

Or fake?
Did you drop it on the floor?

 

[uzb321]

Or fake?
Did you drop it on the floor?

What do you mean?

This is replacement item replaced directly by pier28. I did not take it until it was necessary because of car accident. Found that it has blurry images, videos and made a post here. It was on car for 5+ years.

I took it only today, made video and opened to clean lens. Found out that it has IMX122 instead of IMX322. The manufacturer probably knows about this fact.

 

[ursamajor]

Nothing. I only thought that a different sensor from that advertised is not OK. I don't know who pier28 is, sorry. Is he a SG reseller?
You look to have same issues at 2 cameras. It's very weird, IMHO.

 

[uzb321]

Nothing. I only thought that a different sensor from that advertised is not OK. I don't know who pier28 is, sorry. Is he a SG reseller?
You look to have same issues at 2 cameras. It's very weird, IMHO.

I bought it on amazon from pier28. It was recording videos with static noise. Had to sent back to Pier28, then he sent new one.
It was in 2015. This particular dash cam is on car since fall 2015 and I took it only today.

 

[jokiin]

One more thing,

While cleaning the dash cam, I found out that inside there is IMX122 sensor, when the website clearly says IMX322.
Deception?

you found an IMX122 sensor, or you found the PCB has IMX122 printed on it?

 

[SawMaster]

Coming from Pier 28 it's absolutely not fake, which anyone who knows about this company and dashcam history would understand.

Phil

 

[jokiin]

Coming from Pier 28 it's absolutely not fake, which anyone who knows about this company and dashcam history would understand.

Phil

there were fakes around that looked the same toward the end of the life of the product, they were different hardware and do not work with our firmware anyway, when the product was first designed it used an IMX122 sensor (that was before we even did this model), when that became end of life it was IMX222 (Powerucc version), and then IMX322 (our version), the sensor board is the same regardless as the sensors are pin compatible, same driver packages supports all three, there was an Aptina sensor version also but this was only available in the domestic market, was never an export version

 

[SawMaster]

But not fakes from Pier 28

Phil

 

[jokiin]

But not fakes from Pier 28

Phil

correct, they only ever did the Powerucc version and then our version

 

[uzb321]

you found an IMX122 sensor, or you found the PCB has IMX122 printed on it?

Camera board says IMX122, rev 1.1, manufactured 2014-3-5.

But I bought it on September 2015, amazon.com. The description was Street Guardian SGZC12SG - Panorama G (GPS) - DELUXE KIT (32GB SD Memory Card / 4 Special Mounts) DashCam with Updated 2015 Sony Exmor IMX322 CMOS

1. Why do I have IMX122 inside the dash cam?

2. Could you tell what the problem is with dash cam itself? Why is that so blurry? Can it be fixed?

 

[jokiin]

1. Why do I have IMX122 inside the dash cam?

you don't, see above, they all have the same PCB for the sensor whether it was IMX122. IMX222 or IMX322, we never sold the IMX122 version

2. Could you tell what the problem is with dash cam itself? Why is that so blurry? Can it be fixed?

you can try resetting the focus, will need to crack the glue that holds the lens in place and then rotate a little and check the result, may take some trial and error to work it out, if the focus has just shifted over time this will sort it out, if it can't correct it then it may be something internal to the lens

 

[uzb321]

you can try resetting the focus, will need to crack the glue that holds the lens in place and then rotate a little and check the result, may take some trial and error to work it out, if the focus has just shifted over time this will sort it out, if it can't correct it then it may be something internal to the lens

Any way to get the lens on ebay or aliexpress?

 

[jokiin]

Any way to get the lens on ebay or aliexpress?

you wouldn't find the same lens, it may only need adjusting though, suggest you give it a go before spending any money

 

[uzb321]

you don't, see above, they all have the same PCB for the sensor whether it was IMX122. IMX222 or IMX322, we never sold the IMX122 version


you can try resetting the focus, will need to crack the glue that holds the lens in place and then rotate a little and check the result, may take some trial and error to work it out, if the focus has just shifted over time this will sort it out, if it can't correct it then it may be something internal to the lens

Thanks a lot for the advise.

I followed you advise and rotated the lens. It did help.

I dont get how the factory attached lens can go out of the focus?

Right now lens are attached before the glue sign. Uploading videos. First video factory attached position, second video - altered position of lens.

 

[kamkar]

Lens shifting in heat are not uncommon, at least not in the old days, back then some would even use plastic lenses and mounts, almost making sure things would shift with heat.
you can also have a lens glass element come loose, but this give you a footage you can not fix with moving the lens a little as it is a variable fault.
I also had to re - focus my first SG9665GC camera, and it then stayed in place / focus since then.
Today focus shift it is more rare in a quality camera, but it can still happen, in a expensive dashcam or expensive action camera.

If you watch dashcam compilation videos on youtube you will often see horrible out of focus footage, even today.
While focus are not a big problem any more, it is still possible, and just another reason for people to not install and then forget their camera.

The sensor itself moving i dont think happen, but minute changes in the mount or the lens itself can give problems, even if as you have seen taking it apart things are put together seemingly well.

When you have found the sweet spot, do not use CA glue to fix the lens in place, this kind of glue have fumes that can ruin the lens glass.

 

[DT MI]

I dont get how the factory attached lens can go out of the focus?

Some plastics will change size as they age for a number of reasons. If any of the components of the lens assembly are made from these materials that can cause focus shifting in older cameras. It won't take much of a change to make a noticeable difference in image sharpness.

Aging Plastics |

People age. All living creatures age. Polymers age, too, even though they’re not alive. When they age, they — like us — become more fragile and can break. And this …

www.polymersolutions.com

 

[kamkar]

Indeed if you adjust a lens, it is normally just 1-2 degrees you need to turn it to be in the sweet spot again, and with a fine thread on the lens thats not many 1/10 of a mm you move things in relation to the sensor.

 

[jokiin]

I dont get how the factory attached lens can go out of the focus?

something that can happen over time due to repetitive heating and cooling over several years, the material can change slightly, only makes a small change to affect focus as you would notice by how small the adjustments are to change the focus