My brand new SG9665GC V3 is not performing as expected!

The best to judge shift focus is statics piture. Different speed will lead to different shape images.
 
I am glad to have bought my Street Guardian. Number one customer service!

By the way, is Matego the same as Street Guardian? I found some dash cams look the same. I was tempted to buy one of their dual channels dash cam off Taobao but consider the after sale service, I end up bought SG.

I have my Matego 188 for years, still running well.
Service and support with Street Guardian is outstanding.
 
Ok, ran my test scenario:
- took car out of the garage and drove around a few minutes, first with then without CPL. Outside temp 15°C.
- left the car with the windshield in the sun for about 2-3 hours.
- drove around a few minutes, first with then without CPL. Outside temp 22°C. Inside felt like 30-35°C.
- took cam inside the house to let it cool down to room temp for about 45 minutes
- drove the same route again (but this time only with CPL as it was already clear this didn't make any difference)

(click to enlarge)
(If not interested in looking at all of them, the first set and last set already make it pretty clear...)

1)
cold + cpl:


hot + cpl:


2)
cold + cpl:


hot + cpl:


3)
cold + cpl:


hot + cpl:


4)
cold + cpl:


hot + cpl:


Differences with or without CPL are minimal and harder to judge because of added reflections.
This one below best that removing the CPL when hot, doesn't improve sharpness.

5)
cold + no cpl:


hot + no cpl:


hot + cpl:


After cooling to room temp for about 45 minutes, sharpness is back to normal.
Because there's less time between the hot test and the cooled test than between the cold test and hot test, the following images show the difference best of all, and that it's not shutter speed, lighting, white balance, conditions, ... related. Or movement related (these are intersections).

6)
hot + cpl:


cooled down + cpl


7)
hot + cpl:


cooled down + cpl


This isn't what I expected from a dashcam twice the price of my previous Mini 0801...
 
Last edited:
the temps you are talking about are not high enough to be causing issues, suggest following up with @niko as something's not right
 
Ok, ran my test scenario:
- took car out of the garage and drove around a few minutes, first with then without CPL. Outside temp 15°C.
- left the car with the windshield in the sun for about 2-3 hours.
- drove around a few minutes, first with then without CPL. Outside temp 22°C. Inside felt like 30-35°C.
- took cam inside the house to let it cool down to room temp for about 45 minutes
- drove the same route again (but this time only with CPL as it was already clear this didn't make any difference)

(click to enlarge)
(If not interested in looking at all of them, the first set and last set already make it pretty clear...)

1)
cold + cpl:


hot + cpl:


2)
cold + cpl:


hot + cpl:


3)
cold + cpl:


hot + cpl:


4)
cold + cpl:


hot + cpl:


Differences with or without CPL are minimal and harder to judge because of added reflections.
This one below best that removing the CPL when hot, doesn't improve sharpness.

5)
cold + no cpl:


hot + no cpl:


hot + cpl:


After cooling to room temp for about 45 minutes, sharpness is back to normal.
Because there's less time between the hot test and the cooled test than between the cold test and hot test, the following images show the difference best of all, and that it's not shutter speed, lighting, white balance, conditions, ... related. Or movement related (these are intersections).

6)
hot + cpl:


cooled down + cpl


7)
hot + cpl:


cooled down + cpl


This isn't what I expected from a dashcam twice the price of my previous Mini 0801...
PM me your order number and I am going to look after you.

Sent from my LG-H962 using Tapatalk
 
It's not your imagination. I'm a photographer and know what to expect and not expect from these cameras. I have a V2 that is all good and sharp no matter how hot it gets outside and through the windshield. I've returned one V3 and am now returning the second. ANY moderate heating causes the focus to blur out big time. I believe it's a known issue (although Guardian won't admit it) that a bunch of camera samples out there have this problem. Like I said, My V2, my Blackvue's do not, and have never had this issue. I would return your camera, and maybe you'll get lucky and get a good replacement sample. After my second try though...I'm done.
CRS 123
 
It's not your imagination. I'm a photographer and know what to expect and not expect from these cameras. I have a V2 that is all good and sharp no matter how hot it gets outside and through the windshield. I've returned one V3 and am now returning the second. ANY moderate heating causes the focus to blur out big time. I believe it's a known issue (although Guardian won't admit it) that a bunch of camera samples out there have this problem. Like I said, My V2, my Blackvue's do not, and have never had this issue. I would return your camera, and maybe you'll get lucky and get a good replacement sample. After my second try though...I'm done.
CRS 123

Can you share original files?
 
I have the replacement Niko sent me, but I think to a certain extent it exhibits the same problem, (softness seems to be limited to the right hand side of the frame now instead of all around) although I can't reliably compare for a while because the weather has turned cold and rainy again this next week...
Also the sound is much worse. The smallest bump I hit in the road, or even low engine revs during acceleration get passed to the cam as a very low and loud rumble. (And no, it's a subtle 1.6 diesel I'm driving :)) Strange thing is, it seems to be dependent on how I angle the lens... I had clear sound once, when I was fumbling about with the position of the cam & lens, but haven't been able to "find" that "sweet spot" back... (maybe I should take my laptop with me in the car, so I can listen to recordings immediately)
(First I thought it was the lens pushing against the windshield, but my previous SG was always set up like this without sound issues, and due to the angle of the windshield and the attached CPL, the lens pushing against the windshield is actually the best angle I get.)
 
No foam pads, both on old & replacement.
 
Just did that, there's an improvement yes, (can't fully "click" the cam in the mount anymore because it's so snug now), but it still sounds a bit like you have a blocked ear or something... Still sounds worse than the previous SG without pads... Don't have much saved clips from the previous cam, but I'll try and make a comparison.
Sound is one thing, but I'm more worried the soft lens might return once the temps go above 20°C again...
 
Something is amiss, 20c is not hot at all, will check with @niko and see what he found with the camera you returned

Just did that, there's an improvement yes, (can't fully "click" the cam in the mount anymore because it's so snug now), but it still sounds a bit like you have a blocked ear or something... Still sounds worse than the previous SG without pads... Don't have much saved clips from the previous cam, but I'll try and make a comparison.
Sound is one thing, but I'm more worried the soft lens might return once the temps go above 20°C again...
New unit sent last week. Going to make comparison test of old unit after return.

Sent from my LG-H962 using Tapatalk
 
I try to find videos of my tested replacement unit.

Sent from my LG-H962 using Tapatalk
 
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