Mobius vs Panorama II S. Clear winner in my opinion.

[Spinball]

Apologies, this is my first comparison video. I'll do more after I've made a polarising filter for the Mobius.

 

[kamkar]

For sure you found some very challenging roads for the cameras

If the bottom camera is the most true one, then your car have a funny color, allmost one of those cameleon paintjobs

 

[niko]

Title say: "clear winner". So, which one is the winner in OP opinion and why?

 

[GJHS]

That really shows off the quality you can get for under $100.

 

[niko]

That really shows off the quality you can get for under $100.

No doubt for under 100usd ( way under ! ), 70$ you will get very good dashcam: Mobius. Very hard to compete within this price-range.

But who is " clear winner ", as title says ?

 

[Spinball]

Title say: "clear winner". So, which one is the winner in OP opinion and why?

The top one, the Mobius has much more authentic, more natural colours. Now I don't know whether this is because the Panorama has the filter on it, but in this test, the colours in the Panorama are way off. The parked cars on the right at 1:26, for example. They are red, not orange.

The Panorama also does not respond as well to changes in brightness, with the contrast being too high and in many points, the road is blown out. By that I mean the area is so bright that detail is lost.
Here is a perfect example:

in the top image, the Mobius, the detail in the road is clear. In the lower image, the Panorama, the road is blown out.
Now this *could* be because the Mobius was pointing more downwards and a good portion of the image is the dash. I'll adjust the mobius and do another test to check this.

Also the fish eye distortion is worse on the Panorama and there seems to be marginally more artefacting visible when there is lots of moving detail.

Lastly with regard to the audio, I had to boost the Panorama audio by 6db to get it to the same level as the Mobius, and I separated them into two channels to be able to distinguish. I think the Mobius audio (in the left channel) is better quality.
Although it's not perfect, because the Mobius has a quiet pulsing hiss which is somewhat irritating.

In my opinion, if it's pure image quality you're after, the Mobius has it hands down.
But I bought the Panorama because I want to have the GPS data as well on our American road trip. I'll definitely be using the Mobius to record the front, and I think I'll use the Panorama to record the view out of the rear window. But I will use the Panorama for day to day use as the GPS data will be more important for accident information.

Anyone interested in learning about picture quality should watch a set of tutorial videos we produced here.

 

[niko]

I agree that Mobius has more natural colours, no doubt here.

I also agree with @kamkar1 that colours on Panorama are a little bit funny, - this is because developer has tuned up to get most out of action on the road, not on the sky. You need to suffer sky to road. Road is more important, - thats the purpose of dashcamera to record action on the road.

There are 3 point where this comparison is not valid:

1. Most important: vertical angle is not even. Mobius is way too down and Panorama is up, - this causes wrong AWB and other colour reproductions. Vertical angle has to be more less similar for fair judgement.

2. CPL filter has to be removed from Panorama. CPL filter blurs a little bit numberplates- and other readings. this is not only on Panorama but on all other dahscams as well. Its just the nature of using CPL filter.
Need to make comparison tests with both dashcams having SAME CPL filter. If you chose different CPL for tested daschams, - you will get different result, so CPL filter has to be the same for Mobius and Panorama to get fair comparison.

3. Video is not synchronized.


To make true judgement, need to do fair conditions comparison ( see above 3 points ). Also driving in the evening, dark, pitch dark.

If to do comparison right way, then Mobius loses to Panorama in almost all cases. Thats the reality, there is nothing to do. Mobius is from different price-category and its very good in it's own "weight", but can not outperform high-end dashcam like Panorama

 

[niko]

The top one, the Mobius has much more authentic, more natural colours. Now I don't know whether this is because the Panorama has the filter on it, but in this test, the colours in the Panorama are way off. The parked cars on the right at 1:26, for example. They are red, not orange.

The Panorama also does not respond as well to changes in brightness, with the contrast being too high and in many points, the road is blown out. By that I mean the area is so bright that detail is lost.
Here is a perfect example:
View attachment 5901
in the top image, the Mobius, the detail in the road is clear. In the lower image, the Panorama, the road is blown out.
Now this *could* be because the Mobius was pointing more downwards and a good portion of the image is the dash. I'll adjust the mobius and do another test to check this.

Also the fish eye distortion is worse on the Panorama and there seems to be marginally more artefacting visible when there is lots of moving detail.

Lastly with regard to the audio, I had to boost the Panorama audio by 6db to get it to the same level as the Mobius, and I separated them into two channels to be able to distinguish. I think the Mobius audio (in the left channel) is better quality.
Although it's not perfect, because the Mobius has a quiet pulsing hiss which is somewhat irritating.

In my opinion, if it's pure image quality you're after, the Mobius has it hands down.
But I bought the Panorama because I want to have the GPS data as well on our American road trip. I'll definitely be using the Mobius to record the front, and I think I'll use the Panorama to record the view out of the rear window. But I will use the Panorama for day to day use as the GPS data will be more important for accident information.

Anyone interested in learning about picture quality should watch a set of tutorial videos we produced here.

Yeah, I guess need to make a new tests and take into consideration above mentioned 3 points ( vertical angle, no CPL, synchronization ).
Also you can do night driving as well ( incl pitch dark ).
I recommend v1.12.03, - this is best for those who drives in low-light ( rural, country side etc ).

I did detailed comparison review of 1.12.03 vs 1.12.06 HERE

I agree, Mobius has better audio recording, no doubt here. Panorama microphone is a little bit away from microphone hole. I have adjusted this via DIY on my Pano and only then its much better than before.

 

[Spinball]

Nico, all respect, but the videos are definitely 100% synchronised. I synced them in Adobe Premier by matching up the spikes in the audio when I hit bumps in the road.
The one video starts before the other because the Panorama takes a moment longer than the Mobius to start recording.
With regard to the filters, I'll record a video now with no filters. I have made a filter for the Mobius by cutting up cinema glasses and a spare lens cap. But if they are not the same, then the comparison would be invalid.

And as I wrote above, I agree the difference in AWB could be because of the angle.
That's why I'm just going out for another drive now with both cameras angled as closely as possible.

 

[niko]

Nico, all respect, but the videos are definitely 100% synchronised. I synced them in Adobe Premier by matching up the spikes in the audio when I hit bumps in the road.
The one video starts before the other because the Panorama takes a moment longer than the Mobius to start recording.
With regard to the filters, I'll record a video now with no filters. I have made a filter for the Mobius by cutting up cinema glasses and a spare lens cap. But if they are not the same, then the comparison would be invalid.
View attachment 5908
And as I wrote above, I agree the difference in AWB could be because of the angle.
That's why I'm just going out for another drive now with both cameras angled as closely as possible.

To be honest, myself I am not using CPL filter, I am lazy to attach / detach it ( maybe its just me ), but I am afraid that some time I might forget CPL for night driving, which will darkens picture.
Also CPL is making moving object very little blur ( like numberplate ). I recommend to compare them both without CPL filter.

Can you share raw / original video files and I can see if my synch will be different ?

 

[Spinball]

On a technicality, I think the only way to accurately sync the files is by synchronising the audio. That way you get a more accurate idea of exactly what the cameras are recording at the same time. I can't see how trying to sync them by looking at the video will be as accurate. And synchronising the audio is how they match up the various camera footage in the movies (with clapperboards).
I'm rendering a new video now. If you still want the raw footage from those, I'll be happy to share it.
Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Spinball]

In lower lighting conditions (video started at just past 8pm), and when considered purely as a dashcam for accident 'insurance', the higher brightness level in the Panorama starts to become more useful.

 

[Sunny]

In lower lighting conditions (video started at just past 8pm), and when considered purely as a dashcam for accident 'insurance', the higher brightness level in the Panorama starts to become more useful.

Dang that Mobius is dark.
It's like night and day difference.

 

[parklawn]

And the clear winner is............. niko.

 

[jokiin]

aim the Panorama down further, for dashcam use you want about 40% above the horizon, 60% below for the AWB to function as intended, you have about 30% below the horizon and 70% above which will skew the results

all that said if you're looking for natural looking video a dashcam is not for you, they are not designed for cinematography, they're optimised to work over a wide variety of circumstances and to be able to find a balance that can reveal the most detail in the widest set of circumstances possible, in a lot of cases this will not be the most natural looking but that is not the intention anyway

if you want realistic rendition of colour have a look at the Dimika also

 

[Street Guardian USA]

I agree, you need to re-do the test. Pointing the Panorama so high up into the Sky isn't good for any DashCam.

 

[Spinball]

Thanks for the feedback, but the dashcams are at the top of the windscreen, so I can't mount them any higher. If I angle them down, I will just get more car dash in the picture, which is pointless.
The only way I could get more road in the picture is if I mounted them on the roof!

 

[jokiin]

The dashcams are at the top of the windscreen, so I can't mount them any higher. If I angle them down, I will just get more car dash in the picture, which is pointless.
The only way I could get more road in the picture is if I mounted them on the roof!

you don't need to mount them higher, just aim them down, getting more dash in the picture doesn't matter unless of course you're wanting to film wildlife flying overhead pointing up too high screws with the auto white balance

for dashcam use you need to worry about what gives the best results, not what looks the prettiest, this is a journal of events, not award winning cinematography

 

[Spinball]

The reason why I angled it up is because I felt that if I angled it down and half the picture is filled with black dash, it would be worse for the white balance. The brighter areas would potentially be even more blown out.

 

[jokiin]

aiming it down will improve the results