in each example you've got a similar scene and time of day but different conditions, mostly just overcast versus sunny, the exposure level, white balance etc changes to suit the conditions, look at the example above and your 'soft' image has better detail on the roof tiles on the second building along on the right than your 'normal' image, focus is ok, what you're seeing is the difference due to lighting changes, any dashcam is a one size fits all adjustment to try and work in the widest variety of situations, some scenes are going to look better than others at times, this is normal
I'm not sure I agree. I don't remember my Mini 0801 having this much difference between sunny/cloudy, if any.
On my last comparison yesterday, there is no difference in conditions, but the issue still shows.
On the 3rd set, I was standing still. Difference in shutter speed, should not matter.
At speed, on a sunnier day, I would even expect a faster shutter speed and sharper image. Different white balances also don't affect focus...
The roof tiles on the second set on the right indeed appear better defined on the "soft" image, but that's because the sun is hitting them from the side, increasing their contrast. The footpath on the right at the same time looks less defined, or if you look at the "hedge" on the left in front of the shopping mall, you'll clearly see the "soft" image being, well, softer. Also the text on the billboards, the lamp posts, the zebra crossing, or the windows on the furthest building are clearly softer, and it's not motion blur (of which there should actually be less).
Also, if it were true what you said, any drive on a sunny day would cause a soft-focus, which is simply not te case, even not when driving into the sun.
Sunny:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/6tqq89lymwqp0j6/normal_extra6.jpg
Partially cloudy:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/o935jsqmlekfefl/normal_extra5.jpg
Cloudy:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/t259ozvtxbqzf7o/normal_extra7.jpg
Ignoring the obvious difference in contrast due to low dynamic range, it should be clear by looking at the building on the center/right, the hedges, the small sign on the right, or the trees, that the sharpness itself is identical, despite the different conditions.
Any apparent increase in sharpness on the sunny screengrabs, like the rooftiles you mentioned, or in this case for example the pavement, is only due to higher local contrast.
Another example:
Sunny:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/f89kwwn9juqq4hz/normal_extra8.jpg
Cloudy:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/cmqbeqr4k0zc8mo/normal_extra9.jpg
Again, ignoring inevitable problems due to the sensor's low dynamic range while pointed at the sun, looking to the left, the brick wall, but especially the big tree's branches, the inherent sharpness is identical, as expected.
This is completely different from the "sunny soft" examples I posted yesterday, where the image appeared soft no matter where you looked on the frame and no matter in what direction the sun was at.
What's different here is these were all taken with normal interior temps, in the morning, with the car having been inside the garage...
(Weather will turn for the worse again next week, so I won't be able to provide other comparisons, but I actually believe what I've already shown should make it clear there's a temperature dependent problem. When we get another "hot" day (again, it's never even been over 15-20°C outside, not even in the affected screengrabs), I'll try and gather some data without the CPL, but I think a lens and/or lens-housing temperature related problem is much more likely than a "deforming" flat piece of CPL glass...)
)
