Night time shots - can't spot Number plates??

[DarkStryder360]

I have been directed here from RCForum Mobius discussion.

I have an issue, mainly at night. I use it for a Dash Cam (insta-start when ignition turned) but my night captures are really washed out.

There was a guy seriously tailgating me on the way home, a touch of my brakes @ 50mph and he was up my rectum. I let him past, just so I could then record him being the worlds worse white van man driver, to find its so washed out, of the 3 minutes of footage, not once could I actually see his plate! Gutted! (its clearly visible IRL)

It was a company van too so I was planning on sending the plate, to the company and complaining.

I have attached the image in question.

My car has Bi-Xenons (Mini Clubman) and I think it is ruining all of my footage! Is there something I can flick on/off in the settings?

 

[jokiin]

License plates are reflective and will flash back at the lens, Bi-Xenon or HID's will accentuate the problem, switching your lights to just the park lights for a bit is perhaps the only way to avoid that, if you're recording audio then you also could have just read the plate number out to make sure the detail was noted

 

[niko]

Nothing is wrong with Mobius.

Please check to my thread and you will u derstand.

http://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/reading-license-plates-at-night-hid-xenon-standard-bulbs.1444/

The issue is because of narrow dynamic range. Aptina AR0330 CMOS sensor dynamic range is only 72db and can do only HDR ( high dynamic range ), not real WDR ( wide dynamic range ). Slighlty better would be Sony Exmor IMX122 with 100db ( real WDR ), but still not enough.
Best choice is Sony Exmor IMX136 or Aptina AR0331 CMOS sensor with 116db, trully wide dynamic range CMOS which can read those "washed out" numberplates much better than AR0330.

So from point of view of Mobius and capabilities of AR0330 CMOS used there, everything is fine. You can not have a better result with that hardware.

 

[DarkStryder360]

License plates are reflective and will flash back at the lens, Bi-Xenon or HID's will accentuate the problem, switching your lights to just the park lights for a bit is perhaps the only way to avoid that, if you're recording audio then you also could have just read the plate number out to make sure the detail was noted

Oh my god.. what a simple solution, why didn't I think of that...

I will just chuck it back to side-lights or just simply read it out like you say.

 

[DarkStryder360]

Nothing is wrong with Mobius.

Please check to my thread and you will u derstand.

http://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/reading-license-plates-at-night-hid-xenon-standard-bulbs.1444/

The issue is because of narrow dynamic range. Aptina AR0330 CMOS sensor dynamic range is only 72db and can do only HDR ( high dynamic range ), not real WDR ( wide dynamic range ). Slighlty better would be Sony Exmor IMX122 with 100db ( real WDR ), but still not enough.
Best choice is Sony Exmor IMX136 or Aptina AR0331 CMOS sensor with 116db, trully wide dynamic range CMOS which can read those "washed out" numberplates much better than AR0330.

So from point of view of Mobius and capabilities of AR0330 CMOS used there, everything is fine. You can not have a better result with that hardware.

Thanks for this, very helpful!