lens experiments ( 12 mm ) long range dashcam

[kamkar]

Yeah i have run into this before and yes i did notice the large back focal length, i also have a few mounts scavenged from various cameras, but i am not sure they can fit inside the X camera.

This evening i have put a little thread tape on the lens and screwed it back in, it is now much more stable.

Will have to make do for now but i will have a look around for a extension of the mount, or maybe have a look inside one of my dead x cams to see if i can space out the mount itself from the little PCB with the sensor.

 

[SawMaster]

More kudos Very nice results indeed, but you're right about needing a regular cam to go with it. It looks like you were tailgating ten car lengths back

If you have any copper or brass foil, that makes a decent thread tightening spacer (aluminum foil is too soft and will ball up). Use like pipe tape with 1 1/4 wraps minimum; any less will unravel. A machinist may have a bit of ultra-thin brass shim stock to do similar with. Best to get a longer lens or base though. Between this and Dashmellow's project it looks like I'm going to be in the market for another Mobius or two, however I think I'll start with a lens and one of my G1W-HC's since I already have that. Unless the sky falls in this week's paycheck will see me doing a flurry of ordering.

BTW, is your Q8 en-route? I got in too late; back-ordered and waiting

Phil

 

[Dashmellow]

I think I'll start with a lens and one of my G1W-HC's since I already have that.

Phil

The G1W series cameras are very amenable to swapping in a different lens. You may or may not have seen this old post of mine.

 

[SawMaster]

I remember seeing that but will look again. I'm too cheap to waste a still-working cam if I can re purpose it to do another needed job instead of buying new I do have a bit of Scottish blood in my mongrel mix

Phil

 

[kamkar]

@SawMaster
My Q8 shipped on day #2, and it have passed by some hub in Thailand on the 14, but other than that i am in the dark if it wasent for my P36 and U21

Also the cobber balls i planned to flatten a little and solder to my cells, well those turned out to be cobber coated steel balls, so i am now scrambling to come up with something else fast or i will just have to solderblob for a while until i find a better solution.

 

[SawMaster]

Solder-blobs work very well and have the advantage of not wearing out the contact in the head Any difference in conductance won't be enough to see anyway.

Phil

 

[kamkar]

One thing is for sure when i get it i will sneak up on the police station at night, and then light them up
https://www.google.dk/maps/@56.4636...ier_27xRmhZ9_yW2Dcig!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=da

 

[lacibaci]

Imagine taping two Mobius or X's together, affixed to the bottom of each other - one with a standard lens and an 8mm or 12mm lens.

Love your video Kamkar, would have never thought to present it that way.

I was thinking about similar case: side by side two cams with narrow lenses (60deg) and then stitch the two videos together to get "normal" 120 deg view.

 

[Deleted member 46308]

I remember seeing that but will look again. I'm too cheap to waste a still-working cam if I can re purpose it to do another needed job instead of buying new I do have a bit of Scottish blood in my mongrel mix

Phil

You do sound a bit like MacGyver

 

[Dashmellow]

I remember seeing that but will look again. I'm too cheap to waste a still-working cam if I can re purpose it to do another needed job instead of buying new I do have a bit of Scottish blood in my mongrel mix

Phil

Depending on the lens you choose to install in the G1-W you may not have to "waste", er...modify the camera at all.

 

[Dashmellow]

The whole concept of using a telephoto lens on a dash cam has completely altered my experience as a dash cam user. What started out for me as a temporary experiment with a varifocal lens (usually set to about 10-12 mm) has fast become an indispensable addition to my set-up. I don't see going back to having just one wide angle camera facing forward now.

I'm repeatedly astonished at the details I capture with the telephoto as a companion to the usual coverage, so now I'm totally sold on dual focal length cameras. It's interesting timing that both @kamkar1 and me have been experimenting with this concept at the same time. Maybe it's a trend? @SawMaster is next!

Mobius 1 with varifocal set to about 11mm. (IR)


SG9665GC


Mobius 1 tele. (IR)


GC

 

[Yooshaw]

I was thinking about similar case: side by side two cams with narrow lenses (60deg) and then stitch the two videos together to get "normal" 120 deg view.

Something like Sofaspud's setup:

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/mobius-remote-lens-take-2.10718/#post-136705

 

[Yooshaw]

The whole concept of using a telephoto lens on a dash cam has completely altered my experience as a dash cam user. What started out for me as a temporary experiment with a varifocal lens (usually set to about 10-12 mm) has fast become an indispensable addition to my set-up. I don't see going back to having just one wide angle camera facing forward now.

I'm repeatedly astonished at the details I capture with the telephoto as a companion to the usual coverage, so now I'm totally sold on dual focal length cameras. It's interesting timing that both @kamkar1 and me have been experimenting with this concept at the same time. Maybe it's a trend? @SawMaster is next!

Mobius 1 with varifocal set to about 11mm. (IR)
View attachment 33309

SG9665GC
View attachment 33311

Mobius 1 tele. (IR)
View attachment 33310

GC
View attachment 33312

Totally agree, I'll never go back to not having a telephoto lens

 

[Dashmellow]

What about fashioning a dual lens head instead of just 1 head lens or would that cause some kind of interference in the sensor?

Dual lens video cameras have been around for awhile, especially in CCTV cameras like in this photo below which is similar to one I have on one of my buildings.
The one I have is optimized for day and night and switches automatically at dusk but there are dual focal length versions. They have two sensors and two lenses but use a single processor.



About four years ago I came across an unusual dual lens dash cam that incorporated a wide angle lens and a telephoto.

 

[Lola]

Dual lens video cameras have been around for awhile, especially in CCTV cameras like in this photo below which is similar to one I have on one of my buildings.
The one I have is optimized for day and night and switches automatically at dusk but there are dual focal length versions. They have two sensors and two lenses but use a single processor.

View attachment 33314

About four years ago I came across an unusual dual lens dash cam that incorporated a wide angle lens and a telephoto.

View attachment 33315

Thanks for the information. I was thinking more along the lines of a small Camera with the two lenses on separate wires, sort of like a Mobius with lens extension wires.

 

[Lola]

Yeah i have run into this before and yes i did notice the large back focal length, i also have a few mounts scavenged from various cameras, but i am not sure they can fit inside the X camera.

This evening i have put a little thread tape on the lens and screwed it back in, it is now much more stable.

Will have to make do for now but i will have a look around for a extension of the mount, or maybe have a look inside one of my dead x cams to see if i can space out the mount itself from the little PCB with the sensor.

@kamkar1 Would this type of mount be usable for what you want? They may have others, I didn't check. Not exactly my area of expertise so I'll have to learn fast!

https://www.peauproductions.com/products/supermount-hero-lens-mount

 

[kamkar]

Yeah that's cool, but will not fit in a super small camera like the x cam or mobius cameras, but will work fint in larger cameras like gopro and SJcameras and so on.

i have a sneaky feeling most bases for lenses in dashcams and action cameras use the 18 mm distance between the 2 mounting screws, and all i have of mounts are the 20 mm that seem to be used more in CCTV cameras.

I think i can make a 2-3 mm spaced in plastic, my friend have a lot of that lying around for his projects, and i can use a old x cam mount so i dont have to use the main camera before i install it.

 

[Lola]

Yeah that's cool, but will not fit in a super small camera like the x cam or mobius cameras, but will work fint in larger cameras like gopro and SJcameras and so on.

i have a sneaky feeling most bases for lenses in dashcams and action cameras use the 18 mm distance between the 2 mounting screws, and all i have of mounts are the 20 mm that seem to be used more in CCTV cameras.

I think i can make a 2-3 mm spaced in plastic, my friend have a lot of that lying around for his projects, and i can use a old x cam mount so i dont have to use the main camera before i install it.

@kamkar1 This is the only 18mm 12m I could find, not much info though. http://www.m12lenses.com/Plastic-M12-Lens-Holder-p/pt-lh022p.htm

I'm sure they are available though, this one is plastic, which I didn't like!

 

[Gibson99]

Maybe 3d print a spacer to put between the lens holder and board, and just use longer screws.

 

[Nigel]

Take a second lens mount, chop some of the thread off, then stick the thread on the end of your existing lens mount to extend it.

If you stick it together with a lens inside then the threads will match up, although make sure you don't glue the lens inside.

If you try and extend the bottom then it will be very hard to keep it flat and you will end up with one side out of focus, also you may have problems with heat expansion and going out of focus.