Thinkware F800 Pro Video quality

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erotavlas

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Was a bit disappointed with the video quality. I feel the day video is too compressed, lots of pixelation when I view it on a larger desktop computer monitor you can really notice it. So I uploaded the sample clip of the most ideal conditions, nice clear sunny day, also an overcast sample. I feel video should be a bit cleaner than this. There should be an option to choose how much compression to apply depending on the size of the SD card.

Day (front)
https://1drv.ms/v/s!AvYKkqS2ZoWNgj4dm_Qn6I1xp3q8
Day (rear)
https://1drv.ms/v/s!AvYKkqS2ZoWNgj2NShJxMmd4c__F

Day Overcast (front)
https://1drv.ms/v/s!AvYKkqS2ZoWNgkCePfTkoLsZK95J
Day Overcast (rear)
https://1drv.ms/v/s!AvYKkqS2ZoWNgkH-3vvFLPJWu-0D

Next, the night video looks even worse to me, the lights have these round halos around all of them, and these horrible streaks coming out of bright lights which I never saw to that extent on sample video online. I think its too excessive and I don't know if its because of the windshield, or the lens on the camera. . I include the rear shot but it has lots of dust and video quality is even worse because of it, however you can still see it has those halos and streaks. .

Night (front)
https://1drv.ms/v/s!AvYKkqS2ZoWNgjqri6r3aiIaNzfp
Night (rear)
https://1drv.ms/v/s!AvYKkqS2ZoWNgj-2Q6nlO44Rt7g1


Overall I think I paid more for the ease of use, and features of this camera than I did for video quality. Although I like the night video better than the BlackVue (which is too grainy) I still feel the lens on this camera is extremely subpar. For these prices they really should have put a better glass in the lens of this camera, looks like cheap plastic to me. As a photographer I think its unnacceptable.
Furthermore I feel as though I could have accomplished the same thing by paying much less (by getting a BlackSys, or maybe BlackVue). I can't really direct compare them, but to be honest for something that is needed just to capture an incident, I would not have paid this much again, unless they delivered a real increase in image quality.
 
the lenses aren't as big a problem as the low bitrate is, it's a limitation of the chipset used
 
The chipset used is Ambarella so it should not be a problem the bitrate because I knew the Ambarella is working with high bitrates. I am surprised that at this low 10mbps bitrate to not see image macroblocks on the road during day recording even on the overcast videos. The image is correct, well balanced, but missing the details. For me is more like the sensor is too small to catch all needed details. In theory a 10mpbs bitrate is enough for Full HD video, but because of poor image source (small CMOS + lens) the bitrate must be increased trying to compensate the source.
Someday dashcam manufacturers, at least the premium ones will understand that bigger CMOS is needed for the image expected by the money they ask. They cannot go forever with the same small sensors which are used also by the $50 dashcams. What can do a premium manufacturer to the same IMX291 used by the $50 dashcam to offer great quality like they are advertising? Better lens? Better firmware support? 5000mbps? OK, a better image is obtained but not a difference from $50 to a $500 price.
Back to F800, when I see such nice sky like on day videos I think that they tuned an action camera, not a dashcam. Good dashcams does not have nice sky, a price must paid for details needed by the drivers.

It is not correct to judge a dashcam during night with dirty windshield. The haze around the street lights can be also because dirty glass indoor because of cleaning products used. But at least to have the outside glass cleaned.

enjoy,
Mtz
 
Ambarella supports high bitrate in single channel mode, for dual channel they are very limited so around 10mbit is their limit for each channel, for Ambarella you need around 25mbit to achieve the same results as you can get from 15mbit with Novatek, I don't think their encoding algorithm is that good, the perception that Ambarella is a better chipset I think has a lot to do with their previous association with GoPro, personally I don't think Ambarella is that good but some people like them

larger sensors are coming, at the moment there are very limited options for lens choice for the larger sensors though so it will take some time before they are more common in the market
 
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I remember 5-6 years ago that the biggest advertisement for a chinese no name dashcam was the including of Ambarella name in the title of the products. I was never amazed by Ambarella just because they are using unnecessary bitrate, wasting card space. Now, very rare daschams with Ambarella in their online titles.
Companies as Thinkware or Blackvue should invest more in CMOS+lens before asking so much money for their products. They can create or ask for the needed lens. Blackvue delayed their 4K dashcam because they have the feeling that is not easy to cheat the people with a 4K image from such a small sensor saying that their camera have fantastic image. Their (and not only their, but everybody) big problem for 4K is the night recording. Even they will clone Einstein and put him working on their firmware cannot be miracles from such small 4K sensors. The future will be changed by some Starvis edition. Until then I consider spending money on 4K dashcam to be waste of money and space on the card.

enjoy,
Mtz
 
Wow. that does look very "ugly". I looked at mine and mine does not look like that.

Excuse me for asking but:
What kind of SD card are you using?
Have you cleaned and claybar your windshield (inside and out)?
What version of firmware are you using?

Sorry for asking too many questions. but thanks in advance.
 
 
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I must admit, although I praise Thinkware highly for the F800 Pro compared to other cameras that I have tested, there are some days when the video quality is not as good as other days. Those days are normally bright sunny days, when the sun catches the lens. I was going to test out a filter as I get reflection from the dashboard, but I haven't got around to it yet. A filter might help this as I have tested other cameras with filters and they don't have the same issues. It has been suggested that a filter would not be as good for night time driving, but like I said, I have not tested it with the F800 Pro yet. (By the way, there is not a production fiter for the F800 Pro, but some people have managed to make a DIY one).
 
I have a CPL for both my front and rear cams on my F800Pro, honestly I don't think it hurts the quality that much, I even leave them on at night. I live in Washington state and there's some pretty remote areas here, I've driven down the pacific coast highway at 3-4am in pouring rain, and you can still faintly make out the road markers/street signs with my rear cam. Overall the video quality could be better, but it's more than adequate for me.
 
infojunke said:
I have a CPL for both my front and rear cams on my F800Pro
Click to expand...
Please may I ask where you got the CPL from? I would like to test it out.
Thanks.
 
Oh. OK. It looks like the UK is not on the edr-auto list of destinations to ship to. I will keep looking.

EDIT: The company have just contacted me and said that they do ship to the UK.
 
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Thank you for the link.
I have just found this review which is a bit worrying.

Well made, but has little effect when compared with other similar filters such as Blackvue. Improves colour saturation a little , but does little to reduce glare/reflections. Biggest issue was that the filter holder is too thick. I could not rotate the camera lense to its optimal position as the filter holder caught with the windsreen. It was only one “click” , but enough that half of the camera view was the bonnet. I have shaved off some of the holder at the top of the lense, and the camera has a proper view....the holder is painted white “plastic” so I also used a black sharpie to cover the trimmed area.
 
I personally don't have much experience with any CPL's for a dashcam beyond this one... I also use a dashmat in addition to the CPL. I did test the polarization against a pair of polarized sunglasses, my knowledge of polarization is that I should be able to the two to line up so that they block all light, I was able to get it to block most of the light, but not all. As far as mounting goes, I had 0 problem with putting it on, or getting the camera into the right position, I haven't had to do any modifying on them so I can't really speak on what they're made of, but the holder part is black. It definitely helps, I don't have enough experience to say whether or not it's better than any other version though.
 
I didn't really want to, but I had to order it through Amazon in the end.

I have quite a lot of reflection. I know it was mentioned before about using dash mats, but I feel that it is quite a lot of work, especially if I am going to change cars soon. I will let you know the result when it arrives.

Thank you so much for your help.
 
took me a hour to whip my DIY dashmat up, granted it dont look good, but much better then the charcoal grey plastic dashboard of my Suzuki.
 
Oh wow. Lightning service from Moovika. I received the filter today and I have just attached it to the camera with no issues at all. There is a great improvement in the reduction of reflection and the image looks much better too in bright sunlight. There is still some reflection, but not as bad with the filter attached. I need to drive the car around during the day and night to see what gives the best results. I guess a real test would be to do the same run again in Blackpool with the illuminations, but I am not sure if I am going to be attending that event this year.

I initially thought that the price of the filter was a little expensive, but the filter is well made and from what I have seen so far, it certainly does the job. (y)
 
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