Problems with the A118-C from Gearbest

I was reffering to "heat blur" in the 20 March FW,Jan FW was just a test,didn't like it.
 
Thermal problems have long been a problem with a wide range of digital cameras, especially when you consider that in most cases the sensor continually heats up as it continually runs and there's no efficient means to dissipate the heat. The sensor is in a light-tight lens-to-sensor chamber, which is often air tight, too. You can put all the air vents around the camera's casing, but a key area of heat buildup is fairly confined in that chamber. (OK, wonky rechargeable batteries can get hot, too.)

If your camera delivers sharp images when it's "cold", but goes blurry after running a while or sitting in a hot environment, like next to a car windshield, adjusting the focus isn't going to help. It's not a focus issue.

Also remember that excessive heat will cause electronics to deteriorate and could cause cheap plastics in and on the camera body to deform. These can cause a host of problems. Cameras with metal interior chambers and external bodies can generally dissipate heat more efficiently than plastic ones.

Another factor is the electrical gain on the sensor, especially at higher ISO's, which most dashcams automatically adjust as the light changes. (Higher gain is how the sensor becomes more sensitive and achieve higher effective ISO, which causes a host of other problems--more noise, lower dynamic range, crummier colors, etc.)
 
Tested the Mar 20 firmware + refocus lens.
Everything is readable until 30 mins in when the left side of image is blurry and I can no longer make out signs on the stores or license plate. So this is definitely due to heat and how long the cam is in operation.

Maybe they should start selling the lens itself in a pack of 5 or something.
Almost like DSLR and switch lenses to find the best one.
 
Gibson99 said:
what about adding a tiny little fan? i know they make 5vdc fans, and one that small would not draw much current...
Click to expand...
I posted that somewhere before but it maybe too noisy as it'll be very close to mic so need to redesign the internals and housing to allow proper airflow/exhaust away from mic.
 
Is the lens component built with plastic or metal?
If it's metal, that's already somewhat dissipating heat?

Also, if you look at the dissection of the A118 lens, it's enclosed with a small opening at the back for the sensor ribbon.
If they added slits in that or open it up. Maybe it'll reduce the running temperature?
 
Gibson99 said:
but then you run the risk of getting dirt/dust in there on the sensor.
Click to expand...

I'm not referring to the actual lens housing. G1W also has that and it doesn't seem to have "heat blur"
I'm referring to the two black housing that makes the rotary module.

a118.jpg
 
oh i thought you were suggesting they revise the PCB that the sensor is actually soldered onto. yes, ventillating the cylinder-shaped lens assy housing makes good sense, and would be very easy to do, even without much risk of damage. can't hurt to try, right?
 
Long time troller of this forum but first time post. I ordered my A118-C from Gearbest after reading all the input on this website quite sometime ago and I'm still waiting for it to arrive. I ordered it in late March and have yet to receive it, here is the tracking number RS211631269NL, should I be worried? I anticipate I will be having some issues with it after reading these forums, it seems most people see their order within 3 weeks. Thanks
 
the only problem i have with my a118c is my own fault. i was taking it apart out of sheer curiosity, and accidentally ripped one of the wires off the speaker. doesn't affect dashcam recordings at all, just doesnt make any sound at startup and when playing videos on the cam, it's silent. but like i said; that's my fault.
 
Has anyone reported heat related focus issue on the SG9665GC, since it has the same physical form factor? Is there anything else that has been upgraded on the SG9665GC other then the superior lens and Sony sensor? What about the chassis, or other design? Does it dissipate heat better (perhaps more metal), or withstand heat better (perhaps more metal, less plastic), or perhaps generate less heat overall? I wonder, because I recall it was posted that the SG9665GC was tested to operate at a very impressive temperate range.

More importantly, I wonder if the SG9665GC will face similar heat related issues (especially focus) as the warm summer whether approaches, seeing that it was only released in March 2015 and hasn't had hot summer feedback yet.
 
SuperGoop said:
...I wonder if the SG9665GC will face similar heat related issues (especially focus) as the warm summer whether approaches, seeing that it was only released in March 2015 and hasn't had hot summer feedback yet.
Click to expand...

Australia has been having our northern hemisphere summer weather for the entirety of our winter so I'm pretty sure it's been exposed to high temps both by actual users and in testing.
 
SuperGoop said:
Has anyone reported heat related focus issue on the SG9665GC, since it has the same physical form factor? Is there anything else that has been upgraded on the SG9665GC other then the superior lens and Sony sensor? What about the chassis, or other design? Does it dissipate heat better (perhaps more metal), or withstand heat better (perhaps more metal, less plastic), or perhaps generate less heat overall? I wonder, because I recall it was posted that the SG9665GC was tested to operate at a very impressive temperate range.

More importantly, I wonder if the SG9665GC will face similar heat related issues (especially focus) as the warm summer whether approaches, seeing that it was only released in March 2015 and hasn't had hot summer feedback yet.
Click to expand...

we use a different processor, the 96655 is dual channel capable, single 1080p channel mode that we are using is less stress on the processor, different sensor which handles the heat better, metal lens base, metal lens, it all contributes to the end result

camera has been soak tested from -20c through to +80c (14f to 176f) and held focus
 
@jokiin, that's really good information. Perhaps not every customer or potential customer will appreciate it, but you have posted a lot of "undocumented" positive information that I think is very meaningful to me and others, and will help sell the product.

From your website, I could not know about the 96655 processor (it still reads 96650), and even only just now, you explained that it is a dual channel capable, and used only for 1 channel, and therefore less stress. That's a benefit right there that I didn't know about.

Metal lens base... heat tested and held focus -20C to 80C... Aperture size of 1/2.0 vs. 1/2.8 on the A118... more solidly build and heavier... all good undocumented differences! Looking at your website, I initially assumed your camera is only slightly better than A118C (yes with GPS and SDcard included) but much more expensive too. Only recently, while reading the forums, that I realize there is much more "features" to justify the price. I don't mind paying if it is justified.

The website default description is fine, but I initially discounted it for "marketing speak". But if you highlight some the real differences like you do on the forum, I can understand the value I am getting.

To a layman, the SG9665GC is just a A118C with better lens and sensor, but same processor. That is incorrect already because processor is upgraded also. There is so much more differences that is not listed on your website. I would assume every potential (and uninformed) customer will compare it to the A118 directly and conclude that it is not worth the higher price, as I did initially.

Just some of my thoughts. I want you to do well!
 
Last edited:
thanks for the feedback and encouragement, the processor was a typo that we unfortunately missed, the website is being updated to reflect that and we are printing new boxes for our next production that will correctly state the processor as the 96655, for the most part we can line list this stuff but the detailed explanation would get lost on a lot of people I guess, specs aside I guess the proof is in the pudding, it does do a lot better than the lookalike models
 
Anyone get their new updated car charger for the A118C from GearBest yet?
 
wing0 said:
Tested the Mar 20 firmware + refocus lens.
Everything is readable until 30 mins in when the left side of image is blurry and I can no longer make out signs on the stores or license plate. So this is definitely due to heat and how long the cam is in operation.

Maybe they should start selling the lens itself in a pack of 5 or something.
Almost like DSLR and switch lenses to find the best one.
Click to expand...

I realized that I have the same blur problem on my A118C after 30 minutes of continuous driving, however blur was across the frame, not just on one side. So I decided to do something to reduce heat and it seems that I have found the cure for this heat/blur issue.

These were the steps that I followed:

1. Opened the case, removed all pieces of adhesive cloth. One piece was covering one of the 2 air vents on the top of the body for no reason, another was covering significant part of the mainboard, including RAM module and thus preventing to dissipate heat from the CPU and the board and the third one was covering an opening through which ribbon cable enters the enclosure where camera lens sits. I guess that some of this adhesive tape/cloth was there to reduce amount of dust entering the enclosure, but this cam is not dust-proof anyway, so not much sense to use it there.

2. Probably the most important part: I noticed that 2 screws that hold the base on the sensor board are not screwed in very tightly, so I used a screwdriver to fit it as firmly as I could. Guess that could be the main reason why one or another side becomes blurry after heating up - base does not sit tight on the board and slight deformation due to heat causes the lens and its base to move away from the sensor thus resulting in a more blurry image.
20150417_231646_smaller.jpg
3. To make the base fit even tighter and to prevent any chance for dust to get inside the lens base, I applied some hot glue around it.
20150417_234352_smaller.jpg
Then did some heavy testing at home runnig the camera for a few hours and also generating external heat by using a hairdryer (which caused the body of cam to heat up to 60 C) plus doing almost hour-long driving with heater set to the max and pointed to the windshield.
The result was perfect - no change to the focus or signs of blurriness throughout the tests.

It could be that screws tightening alone could have done the trick, but also having a better airflow inside the case never hurts.
20150418_153635_smaller.jpg
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top