M2 footage dash and action

[country_hick]

It looks like the threaded barrel for the lens is not metal. Plastic or FRP distorts in heat. This is bad part choice.

 

[jokiin]

the M2 running 1080/30 and wdr on ( H.265 - 8.5 mbit )
.

have you had a look at how it performs at night yet with WDR?

 

[russ331]

Plastic or FRP distorts in heat.

Incorrect. For example, Lenses A & C2 for Mobius 1 have FRP lens modules, & are not susceptible to temperature-related focus drift.

 

[jokiin]

Incorrect. Lenses A & C2 for Mobius 1 have FRP lens modules, & are not susceptible to temperature-related focus drift.

the A used to be metal but they changed it at some point, plastic or FRP can be just as heat tolerant as metal lens assemblies, like everything there's different quality levels of product available, not all are created equally

 

[TonyM]

I have the metal A lens on my M1 and haven't noticed this behaviour before when leaving the camera running for a while, although I've not checked the output for a while as it has always been so reliable - as it should be.

Trying to decide whether to send the M2 back or keep testing it

 

[jokiin]

Trying to decide whether to send the M2 back or keep testing it

I'd think an updated lens version is probably going to happen, if not in a hurry I'd wait for that

 

[TonyM]

I'd think an updated lens version is probably going to happen, if not in a hurry I'd wait for that

I think I'll return it and wait for the camera I really want...

 

[kamkar]

have you had a look at how it performs at night yet with WDR?

Only on the very first day where i concluded 1080/30 nighttime recordings was very noisy to put it nice.

 

[jokiin]

Only on the very first day where i concluded 1080/30 nighttime recordings was very noisy to put it nice.

yeah, that's putting it nice

 

[TonyM]

Only on the very first day where i concluded 1080/30 nighttime recordings was very noisy to put it nice.

yeah, that's putting it nice

OK, so it might be noisy, but at least there's some detail to see. I don't (yet) have a fancy SG to compare to, so the following screen grabs compare the M2 to my M1 which, by comparison, produces smoother-looking images but suffers a lot more from motion blur. These were taken at low speed in my village.
1. Mobius 1 (A-lens 90FOV) 1080p30 WDR off
2. Mobius 2 (130FOV) 1080p60 WDR off h265
3. Mobius 2 (130FOV) 1080p30 h265





My initial preference is for 1080p60 at night, although I have not yet tested 1080p30 with WDR off.

 

[jokiin]

low light and WDR on produces the worst results, in daylight the WDR is fine but not something you'd use at night in its current state

 

[TonyM]

I'm pleased that the lens is back in focus now that it has cooled down from its trial in the sun. I don't normally run my cameras in parking mode so I'm not too worried about that experience. If it goes out of focus on a long drive with the capacitor installed and the additional heatsink attached then that would be something to be concerned about.

 

[TonyM]

low light and WDR on produces the worst results, in daylight the WDR is fine but not something you'd use at night in its current state

Agreed. Night WDR isn't great, although I think it's still an upgrade from my older M1. But that may have more to do with the lens than anything else.

 

[kamkar]

Yeah WDR / HDR at night will properly just make things worse.

I do think the M2 can be quite good at night when they get more bugs ironed out of it.

I have just become 1 X camera less here so im down to the one in my rear window. so no more long range camera in the windscreen for me

 

[Dashmellow]

low light and WDR on produces the worst results, in daylight the WDR is fine but not something you'd use at night in its current state

Why not? Graininess isn't necessarily such a bad thing if the low light functionality improves visibility of objects. Most people here do not seem to be aware that graininess often improves the appearance of perceived sharpness. Graininess increases actuance via edge enhancement. This is the same reason that photographers used high acutance developers in the days of B&W film.

 

[jokiin]

Try it and see, in low light it goes way beyond graininess

 

[TonyM]

I have just become 1 X camera less here so im down to the one in my rear window. so no more long range camera in the windscreen for me

What happened to it?

 

[kamkar]

It wont start to record often or if it do that then it also often stop recording for no reason, i have tried 2 different SD cards in it now ( both verified as working cards by software )
I am mostly inclined to think its a firmware issue and after all it is my preproduction camera ( the #2 one of those, the #1 was retired a while back )
The production X camera seem to be handling things a lot better, though it have also been acting up a little with the latest 2 firmwares.

Its not like the camera is thrown out, but i will not be using it in the car, not least as i am also told new things might be heading my way "soon"
So its just a matter of making space for new cameras and moving things around.

I have been playing with the idea of replacing the Innovv C3 thats in the right side of my car with something with a larger FOV than the 90 degree lens on the C3 provide.
But aside for the magenta flash the C3 is doing good, so i might just replace the lens on it, and to do that i just have to go to my last workplace and borrow a lathe for a few seconds.

 

[TonyM]

M2 without WDR in some tricky lighting conditions on my regular drive home. Seems to tend towards over exposure, however the road and cars remain not too dark or bright.
Recorded in 1080p60 h264 at max bitrate of about 44Mbps. I've started uploading the 900MB 3min original file but it's taking a very long time - I might finish it tomorrow.

 

[kamkar]

3min / 900 MB its just insane i tell you

I would not be surprised if future FW turn down the bitrate or there will a disclaimer to not use so high bitrates without a good airflow over the camera.
It do get quite hot running those speeds.