Lukas LK-7900 Focus?

[superpat]

Hi,

I have used my Lukas LK-7900 for some weeks and I am still dissatisfied with the quality of the videos produced.

The problem is lack of detail ( lack of sharpness) in the image recorded. It looks blurred.

I have run the gamut of adjusting the ALL the settings and although I can vary the quality, I can never achieve as good an image as the little DR32 I also have.

Today whilst I was staring at the latest video using the Ace Viewer, I suddenly realised:-

The image of the plastic air vents and bezel on the surface of the horizontal part of the dash board just in front of the bottom of the windscreen glass is ABSOLUTELY BLOODY FANTASTIC! It is extremely detailed and pin point sharp. Very clear and not blurred.

( This is not the reflected image in the windscreen, but a primary image, The air vent and bezel is about 6 inches in front front of the LK-7900 lens (in the horizontal plane, but about two feet down. My windscreen slopes at an acute angle.) The air vent and bezel appear at the bottom of the video frame. Another possibility is that the lens / image sensor are not aligned in the same plane and are tilted in the vertical direction, with the best focus at the bottom of the frame.

My windscreen is perfectly clean both sides.

The only realistic conclusion I can come to is that my camera is focused at its sharpest point at about 6 inches in front of the lens !!!!!

I think I will print off a copy of a focusing target from the web and take some video with the car static, moving the focus target back from touching the windscreen to a few tens of yards away.

Is it possible to adjust the focus of the camera lens? Or is it glued in?

Just looked again at the jpg I have attached... I'm not convinced its a simple focus problem. The focus does not get worse the further the objects are in front of the camera, they appear uniformly bad at whatever distance... I am really baffled now.

Relevant comments and help appreciated please.

cheers

Patrick

 

[Al Drake]

Hi,

I have used my Lukas LK-7900 for some weeks and I am still dissatisfied with the quality of the videos produced.

The problem is lack of detail ( lack of sharpness) in the image recorded. It looks blurred.

I have run the gamut of adjusting the ALL the settings and although I can vary the quality, I can never achieve as good an image as the little DR32 I also have.

Today whilst I was staring at the latest video using the Ace Viewer, I suddenly realised:-

The image of the plastic air vents and bezel on the surface of the horizontal part of the dash board just in front of the bottom of the windscreen glass is ABSOLUTELY BLOODY FANTASTIC! It is extremely detailed and pin point sharp. Very clear and not blurred.

( This is not the reflected image in the windscreen, but a primary image, The air vent and bezel is about 6 inches in front front of the LK-7900 lens (in the horizontal plane, but about two feet down. My windscreen slopes at an acute angle.) The air vent and bezel appear at the bottom of the video frame. Another possibility is that the lens / image sensor are not aligned in the same plane and are tilted in the vertical direction, with the best focus at the bottom of the frame.

My windscreen is perfectly clean both sides.

The only realistic conclusion I can come to is that my camera is focused at its sharpest point at about 6 inches in front of the lens !!!!!

I think I will print off a copy of a focusing target from the web and take some video with the car static, moving the focus target back from touching the windscreen to a few tens of yards away.

Is it possible to adjust the focus of the camera lens? Or is it glued in?

Just looked again at the jpg I have attached... I'm not convinced its a simple focus problem. The focus does not get worse the further the objects are in front of the camera, they appear uniformly bad at whatever distance... I am really baffled now.

Relevant comments and help appreciated please.

cheers

Patrick

Look closely at the lens of the camera. Try a magnifying glass and see if the center of it is clean. If there is even one speck or smudge you would get the effect you seem to have with the outside of the clip looking in focus but the center may not.

If you connect the camera to a large TV or good quality monitor using the video out you might be able to get a better idea of any problems.

 

[jokiin]

The only realistic conclusion I can come to is that my camera is focused at its sharpest point at about 6 inches in front of the lens !!!!!

from the pic it looks as though the focus is set wrong, for all cameras this is something that is adjusted manually before being glued in position and is prone to human error unfortunately

 

[jamesbcd]

Have you tried older firmware to check it's not a firmware issue? Mine was great on AC19. All the other ones after that, I noticed a blurrier image..

 

[johnf]

Hi,

I have used my Lukas LK-7900 for some weeks and I am still dissatisfied with the quality of the videos produced.

The problem is lack of detail ( lack of sharpness) in the image recorded. It looks blurred.

I have run the gamut of adjusting the ALL the settings and although I can vary the quality, I can never achieve as good an image as the little DR32 I also have.

Today whilst I was staring at the latest video using the Ace Viewer, I suddenly realised:-

The image of the plastic air vents and bezel on the surface of the horizontal part of the dash board just in front of the bottom of the windscreen glass is ABSOLUTELY BLOODY FANTASTIC! It is extremely detailed and pin point sharp. Very clear and not blurred.

( This is not the reflected image in the windscreen, but a primary image, The air vent and bezel is about 6 inches in front front of the LK-7900 lens (in the horizontal plane, but about two feet down. My windscreen slopes at an acute angle.) The air vent and bezel appear at the bottom of the video frame. Another possibility is that the lens / image sensor are not aligned in the same plane and are tilted in the vertical direction, with the best focus at the bottom of the frame.

My windscreen is perfectly clean both sides.

The only realistic conclusion I can come to is that my camera is focused at its sharpest point at about 6 inches in front of the lens !!!!!

I think I will print off a copy of a focusing target from the web and take some video with the car static, moving the focus target back from touching the windscreen to a few tens of yards away.

Is it possible to adjust the focus of the camera lens? Or is it glued in?

Just looked again at the jpg I have attached... I'm not convinced its a simple focus problem. The focus does not get worse the further the objects are in front of the camera, they appear uniformly bad at whatever distance... I am really baffled now.

Relevant comments and help appreciated please.

cheers

Patrick

Got my LK-7500 1 week ago. I'm a camera / video guy, so I'm not guessing about this - the lens is out of focus. Not a firmware issue, or dirty windshield, or anything else... the lens was improperly focused at the factory. Bought it new (box was sealed) from an eBay vendor, and I'm not liking my chances of getting him / her to help at all. I emailed Qrontech, we'll see if I hear back from them. Otherwise, I'll try my first dash cam disassembly and repair, as it is really not useable the way it is. Any other ideas?

 

[jokiin]

it happens unfortunately, lens focus is set by hand so human error is always a possibility

 

[Ken]

I hope it's not like the 808 cam - (lens is crazy-glued in place).
I haven't taken my LK-7900 apart yet, maybe this weekend to see how they did it. The picture is not crisp by any means, so I think it's usually some factory worker focusing things in a few seconds... then the glue dries...

 

[jokiin]

I think it's usually some factory worker focusing things in a few seconds... then the glue dries...

adjusted by hand (eye) and then a bit of glue applied to the screw threads is the norm

 

[Quick]

Lol, you probably got one done by the guy in the corner cube. He only has about a 5 foot view

 

[jokiin]

Lol, you probably got one done by the guy in the corner cube. He only has about a 5 foot view

5 foot is plenty, they only look at a monitor directly in front of them to check the focus