Image quality from 4k Camera seems poor

[Brian P]

I was looking at my footage and the 4k camera on my setup seems like its not performing exactly as I expected. I've looked at other footage here and the images seem alot better than mine. My front camera seems very noisy and grainy compared to the back camera.

I am running the 1.1 firmware and the image quality is set to 4K. I also tried bumping the bitrate up to the highest setting and this is the image I am submitting here. (Didn't seem to make a difference in the quality from what I see)

Is there some setting I have wrong on the camera that I don't realize? Bad camera, or is this normal image quality when zoomed into the image?

Any insight is much appreciated!

 

[EGS]

I was looking at my footage and the 4k camera on my setup seems like its not performing exactly as I expected. I've looked at other footage here and the images seem alot better than mine. My front camera seems very noisy and grainy compared to the back camera.

I am running the 1.1 firmware and the image quality is set to 4K. I also tried bumping the bitrate up to the highest setting and this is the image I am submitting here. (Didn't seem to make a difference in the quality from what I see)

Is there some setting I have wrong on the camera that I don't realize? Bad camera, or is this normal image quality when zoomed into the image?

Any insight is much appreciated!

I see it is quite cloudy and It is not unusual to see noise and reduction of picture quality under those conditions specially more noticeable if you like to zoom in to attempt to read plates or people inside another vehicle. You may see a big difference when you compare to a brighter or sunny day, things tend to look better. Even in a sunny day you will see some noise under the shaded area and I personally consider that to be somewhat normal as this cameras are not meant for cinematic purposes.

 

[AlexTan]

I was looking at my footage and the 4k camera on my setup seems like its not performing exactly as I expected. I've looked at other footage here and the images seem alot better than mine. My front camera seems very noisy and grainy compared to the back camera.

I am running the 1.1 firmware and the image quality is set to 4K. I also tried bumping the bitrate up to the highest setting and this is the image I am submitting here. (Didn't seem to make a difference in the quality from what I see)

Is there some setting I have wrong on the camera that I don't realize? Bad camera, or is this normal image quality when zoomed into the image?

Any insight is much appreciated!

Could you upload into youtube, so we can have a better view?

 

[Brian P]

I did wonder if the quality was questionable because it was cloudy today. It’s usually sunny here. I will wait see what it looks like when it’s sunny out later in the week.
If I still have questions about it then I will upload the video to YouTube to get a better analysis of it.

i will update this thread with the results I see on a sunny day.

thank you for the quick replies!

 

[HonestReview]

I was looking at my footage and the 4k camera on my setup seems like its not performing exactly as I expected. I've looked at other footage here and the images seem alot better than mine. My front camera seems very noisy and grainy compared to the back camera.

I am running the 1.1 firmware and the image quality is set to 4K. I also tried bumping the bitrate up to the highest setting and this is the image I am submitting here. (Didn't seem to make a difference in the quality from what I see)

Is there some setting I have wrong on the camera that I don't realize? Bad camera, or is this normal image quality when zoomed into the image?

Any insight is much appreciated!

Upload a clip of the video from the cloudy day. Still photos are a capture of a single frame and could look grainy even on a good day. Still shots don't seem to be the greatest in quality. So a clip is only real way of telling if there's truly a problem.

 

[kamkar]

If you have a feeling focus are off, the best way to check this is to park in a place where you have stationary targets at all distances and angles.
you do not want to do this while moving, best to do that judgement on parked footage.

If you have not removed all protective pieces of plastic from lens and CPL filters, you will not be the first one to have done that.

Night time footage are just a big can of worms in general, high ISO values and motion blur will make sure of that.

 

[Brian P]

I no longer have the footage from that day. I do think I was being overly critical of the image quality at the time. Everything seems pretty good when I look at the footage now. There also seems to be a quality difference between the DashCam Viewer and VLC app. To me it looks better through VLC, probably because I am watching it full screen in VLC.

Here is a recent sunny day with my A129 Pro using h.265 on Ver 1.1 of the firmware:

 

[kamkar]

you will not be the first one expecting too much from his dashcam.

Funny fact my avatar give away my name, and my sir name also start with P

 

[kamkar]

And yes on players, this video have me open the same H.265 4K/60 video on my computer with 3 different players ( 2 windows 10 ones and VLC player )
Clearly windows media player suck.

 

[Aly_Oops]

Are you using Viofo 219 4kUHD at H.265, if so, the quality is not as good as I am experiencing with my unit, unless it got modified in the upload to the site. When I stop a picture, where there are lots of details, like trees, branches, it very sharp and detail on apple photo, quicktime, VLC and Elmedia. No hesitation in playing. My screen is not 4k (so no doubt, some details missing) on my MacBookPro 15. Attach is a screen shot of one frame in VLC and my laptop isn't 4k so it can't display full details. Took this morning, not sunny and overcast. The MacBookPro 16 is 4k screen, will be upgrading this fall.

 

[nizmoz]

I'd recommend facing your dash cam down a couple of notches. That will allow it to focus better and not up in the air.

 

[jokiin]

I'd recommend facing your dash cam down a couple of notches. That will allow it to focus better and not up in the air.

just to clarify, it won't do anything to the focus, it will improve the auto exposure results though which is what you want

 

[Aly_Oops]

I grab a portion of the frame, left out info details, the cam does show my hood in this frame. Also, still playing with it and won't be permanent until i complete the hardwire kit. Okay on exposure, I don't think I had WDR on, though it now on for testing.

 

[Aly_Oops]

Got things all hook up as I like. Front and back camera installed on the windshield and rear window, as close as possible to the glass, seem better than if I mounted away from the glass. Park mode working. I have it set at H265 4k and high bit rate. 30fps, WDR is On. I notice one of your video, look okay, but a bit blocky, which results when bitrate is medium and low, which is why I have it on high, not happy with medium, but not max but I do notice a bit difference at Max. Compromise on my part. I use 256 gb memory card, will change if they support 512 gb or higher. Can you do that VIOFO?.

Some have recommended I put a pad between the base and camera, if installed on a truck, ( 2016 Dodge Ram 2500 Turbo Diesel 3/4 ton ) as they felt it will reduce shakes. I haven't notice that, nor does it feel sloppy or any play between the base and camera when installed. I would think, it should have come with the unit, if needed due to manufacturing tolerance issues. But, I am thinking it may have been an issue with the previous model, not the 2020 dual 4k. I stand corrected? What say VIOFO?

I have installed CPL filter. I initially removed the plastic film, however, shortly later on, I notice another inside the CPL filter, it was barely noticeable. (there are 2 protectors on the CPL filter) Happens when you rush and I never read manuals, glutton for punishment, grin. I added 1EV in case filter reduce lighting. Haven't played with EV setting, seem great as is. Perfect picture as expected. Remember most don't have 4k monitors, so it even better on a 4k/5k display.

Be sure to clean the inside of windshield, over time it will have a film, reducing the quality. It seems best to have a portion viewing your hood, as it captures more side views and does have an effect on exposure, less likely of over exposure when very sunny and my truck being white, on gloomy days not under exposure. One way to control the exposure ai on the camera.

Hope this helps.... the unit is capable of excellent quality video, which I can attest, but depended on your setting qualities and installation environment.

I take raw photos of 32 megapixel sensors, so quality has to be there for me, as I don't use the dash-cam for accidents or break-in only but also capturing scenery when exploring National parks, Yukon, Alaska and NWT. ( I purposely move the lens so it doesn't see the hood at those times.)

 

[Nigel]

I added 1EV in case filter reduce lighting.

I hope that wasn't a full 1 stop? If so then it will have a lot of over exposure.

Best to leave it a 0EV, or possibly -1/3EV if you are using it more for photography reasons.

 

[Nigel]

Some have recommended I put a pad between the base and camera, if installed on a truck, ( 2016 Dodge Ram 2500 Turbo Diesel 3/4 ton ) as they felt it will reduce shakes. I haven't notice that, nor does it feel sloppy or any play between the base and camera when installed. I would think, it should have come with the unit, if needed due to manufacturing tolerance issues. But, I am thinking it may have been an issue with the previous model, not the 2020 dual 4k. I stand corrected? What say VIOFO?

I don't think a pad is ever needed on the A129 cameras, and may make it difficult to mount. It is a good idea on some A119 cameras.

 

[CharlieG]

I made a thread with similar complaints just now. I included a bunch of non-zoomed screenshots as well. https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/horrible-image-noise-on-front-cam-is-this-normal.41996/

 

[CharlieG]

Got things all hook up as I like. Front and back camera installed on the windshield and rear window, as close as possible to the glass, seem better than if I mounted away from the glass. Park mode working. I have it set at H265 4k and high bit rate. 30fps, WDR is On. I notice one of your video, look okay, but a bit blocky, which results when bitrate is medium and low, which is why I have it on high, not happy with medium, but not max but I do notice a bit difference at Max. Compromise on my part. I use 256 gb memory card, will change if they support 512 gb or higher. Can you do that VIOFO?.

Some have recommended I put a pad between the base and camera, if installed on a truck, ( 2016 Dodge Ram 2500 Turbo Diesel 3/4 ton ) as they felt it will reduce shakes. I haven't notice that, nor does it feel sloppy or any play between the base and camera when installed. I would think, it should have come with the unit, if needed due to manufacturing tolerance issues. But, I am thinking it may have been an issue with the previous model, not the 2020 dual 4k. I stand corrected? What say VIOFO?

I have installed CPL filter. I initially removed the plastic film, however, shortly later on, I notice another inside the CPL filter, it was barely noticeable. (there are 2 protectors on the CPL filter) Happens when you rush and I never read manuals, glutton for punishment, grin. I added 1EV in case filter reduce lighting. Haven't played with EV setting, seem great as is. Perfect picture as expected. Remember most don't have 4k monitors, so it even better on a 4k/5k display.

Be sure to clean the inside of windshield, over time it will have a film, reducing the quality. It seems best to have a portion viewing your hood, as it captures more side views and does have an effect on exposure, less likely of over exposure when very sunny and my truck being white, on gloomy days not under exposure. One way to control the exposure ai on the camera.

Hope this helps.... the unit is capable of excellent quality video, which I can attest, but depended on your setting qualities and installation environment.

I take raw photos of 32 megapixel sensors, so quality has to be there for me, as I don't use the dash-cam for accidents or break-in only but also capturing scenery when exploring National parks, Yukon, Alaska and NWT. ( I purposely move the lens so it doesn't see the hood at those times.)

Strange question, but side by side my GoPro takes MUCH better 4k video than my A129 pro, why did you go with a dashcam over a dedicated video camera for national parks recording?

 

[Aly_Oops]

I have both, the dash cam needed for my work truck, due to area i am in. I have camera all over the place, people know it and seem to stay away. But we enjoyed doing the trip to Yukon and Alaska with the cam, caught some stuff we missed. I am mostly photo, raw 32 megapixel, so I used my Nikon D800, just sold it, might look at the D850 or the rumoured D860.

I don't think a pad is ever needed on the A129 cameras, and may make it difficult to mount. It is a good idea on some A119 cameras.

The iPad was a test, curiosity, my wife uses it when traveling, so it there if she or I needed it. I use the iPhone Pro Max, mounted and wired, as I am in the service industry, so I travel all over the place, need my apple map for location and tracking mileage for charges. I could mount it, fit perfect over my truck screen, but don't need that. lol.

 

[Aly_Oops]

I hope that wasn't a full 1 stop? If so then it will have a lot of over exposure.

Best to leave it a 0EV, or possibly -1/3EV if you are using it more for photography reasons.

Ooops, when I said 1, I meant 1 step, I meant +0.3 and exposure is perfect, so I left it, Didn't bother to test other settings. I used 0, but bump it when I added the CPR filter and when i check some of the footage, it was great, so left it.