Polarizing filter for DR500GW-HD

[Heocon]

I'll get a picture for you later on today. Basically I just positioned the CPL filter on the dashcam's lens. Then I applied a small amount of JB weld to each side to hold it down. And now it is solid as a rock.

What do you mean JB, what does JB stand for? Tks Jsan

 

[blackcanon]

What do you mean JB, what does JB stand for? Tks Jsan

JB Weld

 

[Heocon]

What do you mean JB, what does JB stand for? Tks Jsan

JB Weld

OK, I see, Tks.

 

[vbx]

Sorry, but this camera should work right out of the box. Not gonna ghetto-rig a device with any type of filter or add-ons.

Might be a good business for someone who get make an polarize "overlay" that people can stick onto the lens. The same thing as a "screen protector" for phones, but using polarizing filter material.

 

[Hillbilly]

Sorry, but this camera should work right out of the box. Not gonna ghetto-rig a device with any type of filter or add-ons.

Might be a good business for someone who get make an polarize "overlay" that people can stick onto the lens. The same thing as a "screen protector" for phones, but using polarizing filter material.

It does work right out of the box, but same as with cars there is always those who want to fiddle.

Must be thousands of happy users that just set and forget and then there's a few who want to turn it into a souped up movie camera.

Every one to their own I'm happy with my ones and happy to let others play.

 

[jokiin]

Sorry, but this camera should work right out of the box. Not gonna ghetto-rig a device with any type of filter or add-ons.

Might be a good business for someone who get make an polarize "overlay" that people can stick onto the lens. The same thing as a "screen protector" for phones, but using polarizing filter material.

understand what you're saying, a polariser is a bit beyond just working out of the box, these have bigger issues before even getting to that stage

 

[jsan]

The main purpose of a Circular polarizer is to reduce glare/reflection that appear on the windshield. If you are not bothered by the glare/reflections then there is no need to add a filter to your dashcam. NOTICE, how I said reduce the glare not eliminate.

The CPL filter only works at right angles (90 degree angles) towards the sun. Chances are you wont be at that angle all the time and so the reduction of the glare is less.

CPL also gives you more vibrant colors. I posted this fame from a video earlier. http://i.imgur.com/HFhCnPg.jpg

So if you can't justify your time and $3 for a filter to achieve those results then don't bother with this mod.

When I first got the camera, I was really disappointed with the quality of the videos I was getting. I actually paid close to $350 for this camera and when I saw the videos, they were about the same as a keying camera that I bought for $34 from ebay. After seeing the quality, I went searching online to see if anyone else was getting ****ty videos. I found a Russian forum and after pages and pages of translated Russian and through a lot of messages I was able to get the custom firmware. Changing the bit-rate of the videos was a lot of improvement and with the latest firmware the quality has improved greatly from when I first saw the videos.

Now I don't feel so bad about spending that much money on this camera. But if it wasn't for the custom firmware I'd have returned this long time ago.

If you're happy with the price to performance ratio of the camera out of the box, that's good. But I personally feel that adding the polarizer has improved the quality of the videos even more. I have Cannon 60D and 5D Mark ii, I don't go comparing the videos of those DSLRs to this dashcam. I know DR500GW is not a movie camera and I'm pretty sure everyone who buys this dashcam knows that. But improving the video quality doesn't mean that people intend to use it as a dedicated video camera.


Also An overlay wont work because you need to have adjustment in the filter. A fixed polarizer wont work or will only work at the angel it is fixed at.

 

[Heocon]

Jsan: Agree with you, I am trying to mount 49 mm CPL filter in to my Blackvue cam by your way. Tks any way.

 

[vbx]

It may work out of the box but the quality is no better than $60 cam on ebay. I returned mine after seeing it could not focus on the license plates in front of me.

I should be receiving a replacement next week. Lets see how this one works.

The $60 cam on ebay also does not get as hot as the blackvue.

Also, with technology they have these days, u would think someone could make a smaller camera., and they do. So y is this thing so big?

 

[jsan]

is that a radar detector under it??

yup, its awesome, saved me from couple of tickets over the years. Well worth $500

 

[mollydog]

jsan, totally agree with you, for me also, strait out of the box I was disappointed with the results and when you think of the cost of this DR500,it was producing images no better than my $35 ebay DVR camera and like you if I hadn't come across Mio and his improved firmware upgrade (I think he's Ukrainian) I would of sent this camera back for a full refund long ago

 

[Heocon]

I'll get a picture for you later on today. Basically I just positioned the CPL filter on the dashcam's lens. Then I applied a small amount of JB weld to each side to hold it down. And now it is solid as a rock.

Base on your way, I plan do use the step up ring 30-43mm, then I cut the 30mm part out and position the ring on the blackvue cam by your way ( use JB weld ). So I can have the filter removable. Do you have any idea???

 

[jsan]

I'll get a picture for you later on today. Basically I just positioned the CPL filter on the dashcam's lens. Then I applied a small amount of JB weld to each side to hold it down. And now it is solid as a rock.

Base on your way, I plan do use the step up ring 30-43mm, then I cut the 30mm part out and position the ring on the blackvue cam by your way ( use JB weld ). So I can have the filter removable. Do you have any idea???

I tried that as well. I also had few stepup rings laying around, but adding the ring increase the height and distance of the CPL filter from camera lens. Then you get the rounded corners with circular video because the camera's wide angle lens captures the filter housing.

A user posted this earlier in the thread. While your's may not be as severe as this, but you will definitely get rounded corners in the video.

Just Remember this is picture

I don't plan to remove the filter any time soon. Since I get 20hours of daylight in the summer months, I'm just gonna keep it on. I'll probably take it off in the winter time where very little daylight.

But if I had some spare time, I'd look at attaching the filter magnetically. Then you don't have to screw and unscrew the filter each time. if It's fitted magnetically then the attach/remove process is 1 second.

 

[Rumburak]

Here is my so-so attempt with a CPL filter, mounted on the DR500GW.
The filter is this one: https://www.amazon.de/gp/B003LIETJQ








As you can see, I made a huge mistake buying a 25mm filter. The filmed images have a pronounced vigneting, even the camera lens are very close to filter glass. I think the filter body is too high for such wide lens, as DR500GW has. Maybe I'll have better resuts with a 30mm filter, that I intend to order in a few days.



The quality of the filter is very bad, don't waste your money on this. You can see some "air bubbles" between the glass and the polarising film/coating. The "bubbles" appeared today, after some outside tests made in full sunlight. The original external colour of the filter was bright-grey, like https://www.amazon.de/gp/B00BK7Y94A. I painted the filter in black for aestetic reasons, so now I can't send iti back to the vendor. The quality of the image isn't affected by the "bubbles", but I expect multiplying bubbles in a few days, based on my previous experience (

 

[Heocon]

I thing 43mm filter is the best ( see the jsan's picture )

 

[Rumburak]

Maybe the 43mm filter is the best, but it is very large and noticeable. I'd like something smaller and less visible. Next step will be the 30mm filter, then the 37mm, if I wont become penniless until I'll find the right filter :roll:
No doubt the CPL filter is a real advantage for the image quality. Even if it is not completely suitable, as my filter is, it manages to remove more than 70% of the dashboard reflections.
Therefore, I will continue to use it. Finally, with the CPL filter, my camera focuses not on reflections from the dashboard, but on objects located in front of the car (people, other cars, road signs, etc.)

 

[venezian]

Here's my 99% completed setup.

Two thing velcro straps that go around the camera. I've super glued the CPL to the velcro. This allows me to position the lens as needed as well as rotating the lens to get the best effect. There is a paper-thin gap between the camera lens and the polarized lens so that will keep the lens from rotating downward through all the bumps and vibrations of driving.

I'll post a video of day time and night time once I get a night drive in.

 

[Heocon]

I am watting the 43mm cpl filter and the step up ring 30-43mm from Ebay. I will fix the step ring to the camera first then the filter will be removable ( make sure the distance from the len and the filter is as less as posible ). I will post the picture when i finish

 

[vbx]

LOL, I'm not sure how that's an improvement. Looks like a bad fish-eye photoshop effect.

 

[venezian]

LOL, I'm not sure how that's an improvement. Looks like a bad fish-eye photoshop effect.

It works.