Two or Three Camera System for a Ute (Light Pick Up Truck)?

[SawMaster]

Every install is a compromise. For security purposes all you need is bed coverage which cold be done from the corner of the rear window instead of the center. It might also be possible to mount it away from the glass looking back. You're never stuck with mounting the way the cam maker intended, and there are many aftermarket mounts or you can fabricate something

Situations like yours is where the old Mobius with it's tiny match-box size, optional configurations (side-lens or remoting the sensor), optional super-caps, and versatile mounting usually fits great Only it's old hardware lets it down at night but if you can always park where there is decent ambient light it might do OK for you 2ch cams usually have a small rear cam and that could be your best option.

Only you can decide what is acceptable for your usage. More and more cams are now being made with super-caps and with better sensors for low-light, but our choices are still rather limited so every job is a compromise and if you can get most of what you wanted you're doing as well as can be done.

Phil

 

[Theodulf]

I think I will pull the trigger on the DR650GW TRUCK and reconsider the value of the tray-cam and/or consider exterior options for it. In addition to everything we've already covered, the tray-cam would also have to contend with the diamond-grille screen in the ladder rack that protects the back windscreen from the load. I know it doesn't affect my vision but it could potentially affect the wide angle lens of a dashcam. I'll test it with the Blackvue and see what I think.

Thank you for your input guys!

 

[Theodulf]

I think I will pull the trigger on the DR650GW TRUCK and reconsider the value of the tray-cam and/or consider exterior options for it.

I have just cut out a piece of paper the same dimensions as the A119S and blu-tacked it to the rear windscreen and found that it's not nearly as much of a visual obstruction as I imagined. I am considering purchasing one of these and reviewing the footage to see if I can get enough of the number plates of vehicles behind me to warrant not having a camera mounted under the tray. This would free up my front choice, I would no longer be constrained to choices with a waterproof rear camera.

 

[flip9]

If your getting the A119S make sure you get the V2 with the new GPS mount. The old GPS mount had issues.

 

[Theodulf]

The A119S (V2) arrived the day after I ordered it. What I have done is construct an exceedingly simple bracket from a piece of thick aluminium for the mount, which screws into the centre stud hole for the back of the roof lining, thus the camera has the highest possible viewpoint and it comes down into my field of vision through the rear windscreen less.

Single cabs have long trays so mounting it on the rear windscreen wont be ideal.

It seems you're correct, although I've only looked through the screen on the device so far. I had been hoping that the fact that my tray doesn't come as high up in relation to the cab as the stock tub, combined with the fact that my Hilux is a 2wd with lower suspension - I imagine yours is a 4wd - would mean that the rear cam under the tray might not be necessary but what I saw seems to indicate that this is not the case. It can, of course, see the whole of the tray and will work fantastically for identifying thieves.

However, I've been looking at reviews of the Blackvue models mentioned earlier (mostly reviews of other kits with just the same front cameras) and they both seem to be kinda crappy, as well as expensive.

A SGZC12RC and the optional waterproof camera for under the tray would only be slightly more expensive than the cheaper of the two Blackvue models. Then maybe another A119S in the front.

I also came up with the idea of getting one of those two camera sets for motorbikes, such as the Koonlung K1S for both the rear facing cameras and transferring the A119S to the front. This also means I could mount the tray-cam on the exterior so I wouldn't have to cut a hole in the tint, but the K1S is reviewed as having bad visibility at night.

There are options, but they all have disadvantages...

 

[MarcoM]

If you decide for the dual K1S in the back, take a look at the INNOVV K1. It looks like the K1S but it seems to be better and to have a lot less problems. I think they must have adapted the K1S making it a better product


Inviato dal mio iPhone utilizzando Tapatalk Pro

 

[Theodulf]

I have now been for a drive and reviewed the footage. I can see the number plate of a car if it is a bit more than a full car-length behind me or further. I only took it for a quick spin and, surprisingly, the only time there was another car behind me was when I was parking again. I could see my Dad's number plate clearly as I was parking, but his car was stationary, of course. You can see the reflection of me changing gears etc - due partly to the tint, I imagine.

Here is the video, the number plate can be read clearly in the real thing, Youtube lowered the resolution:

I think I need to do more testing before I decide on what to do next.

 

[SawMaster]

There's never a perfect solution. If you have a load back there this cam will be less effective for driving, but it could still be enough. It should still show distance to whoever is directly behind you adequately, and you'd still have decent coverage on the corners. To me those are the important things for rear cams.

It's all about what you want to accomplish and this looks like a good start

Phil

 

[kamkar]

I can get enough of the number plates of vehicles behind me to warrant not having a camera mounted under the tray

Getting a plate capture across the bed of a truck, plus what ever the car need to be behind for the camera to see the plate are pushing it for the regular wide angle lenses used on dashcams, but you can buy another lens and put that on the camera, just like on the windscreen i would recommend a 6 - 8 mm lens as the output file will then look close to what you see with the eyes ( minus the wide angle our brain extrapolate making us think we have a wide field of view )

Here is how a 8 mm look in my windscreen on my little snub nosed car, so you get really up and close with the rear of the van ahead of me.

Off course you will loose some of the side as such a lens are not that wide angle, but as the area of interest are all the way out back, then there are still a lot of stuff visible on the sides i think.

As i recall the video start as i am 10 M from the rear of the van, and as you can see i have 3 lanes in full view at that distance.

 

[Theodulf]

Getting a plate capture across the bed of a truck, plus what ever the car need to be behind for the camera to see the plate are pushing it for the regular wide angle lenses used on dashcams, but you can buy another lens and put that on the camera,

Is this an attachment that goes over the existing lens, or does one have to replace the camera's inbuilt lens?

 

[Theodulf]

Yesterday I made two trips of 45 minutes each and, having reviewed the footage, I have found that the plates of cars behind me are rarely readable but those of cars passing in the adjacent lanes are usually readable for the brief window that they are visible. I'm still yet to get any night footage.

 

[kamkar]

No its a total lens replacement and refocus of the new lens ( there are a lot of videos on how you do the same on different action cameras on youtube )
There are also some videos on how to fix focus on dash or action cameras, in basic its. 1. take camera apart to get to lens 2. unscrew / loosen lens 3. screw / unscrew lens to find focus sweet spot ( take very little normally ) 4. secure lens in the new location ( dont use cyano based glue,,,,, i use some wood glue myself ) 5. put camera back together.

I dont think its a big deal, but off course if you are not technically inclined and barely know what a screwdriver it then it might be difficult.
Cameras with a AV out or HDMI out are more easy to focus as you can connect them to TV and see your focus changes as they happen.

Cameras with no AV out you have to do with adjusting a little - record something - take sd card out and preview footage on computer, and then repeat as needed, and when getting close make very little focus adjustments as its often just a mm or 2 on the circumference of the lens to be in the sweet spot or not.

In general cars have to be pretty close to have a chance of a good capture of one, in general i say just one or two car lengths.
Thats why i like to have a camera in the windscreen with another lens in it, with the 8 mm Lens i have in the footage i can read plats as far out as i can with my own eyes. ( also like a camera like that in my rear window but havent gotten there yet )
And you can go even further out if need be with a even bigger lens, but you have to be careful then cuz that much "zoom" will also amplify the little shakes your car experience all the time, and the field of view will get even more narrow.

ON no AV / HDMI cameras what i do to first find the focus area are turn lens 1/4 revolution then record a little, and then turn lens 1/4 revolution again, this i repeat 5 times or so, then by previewing the footage if i have gone too far i can just back off x number of 1/4 turns of the lens, then verify i am close, and then start to do the same but with really small adjustments to the lens.

If its just a focus adjustment its a good idea to put a mark somewhere on the lens body so you know where your starting point is, and then its just minute adjustments to one of the sides to be back in focus.

O and off course if you change lens make sure you get a good one made for megapixel cameras ( 2-3 megapixel should be fine but if you find one meant for 14 or 16 megapixel that will be fine too )
Dont go for the very cheap lenses cuz that's no good at all for plate capture.

I would go for a solution like this as a camera out back will be exposed to a lot of dust and you will have to stop / remember to clean it often, at least do so if you want plate captures.

 

[Theodulf]

I like this idea.

I have watched this video and it doesn't look like a daunting task:

However, I am completely in the dark as to what type/size etc of lens to use for the replacement and where to acquire it.

 

[kamkar]

The dash cameras and all the action cameras i know off use the same M12 ( fine thread ) cctv cameras use.

There are other mountings for cctv camera lenses, some called C - mount and CS mount ( more or less the same ) and a few other even more rare.

There are lens mods to gopro cameras that let them use C-mount lenses, just be warned that lenses can be really expensive, i would think you have to pay 50 - 100 dollars for a good megapixel lens.

One place to source lenses are here.
https://www.peauproductions.com/collections/lenses

 

[kamkar]

Myself i am planning on getting this one as the one i use are actually a pretty cheap lens off ebay
https://www.peauproductions.com/collections/mega-pixel-lenses/products/gp80016

 

[kamkar]

If you go lens shopping just make sure the lens you look at have IR cut filter ( they dont have when used for cctv use as the IR filter then are build into the mount ( active filter )
And off course look for a lens with a low F stop number ( Aperture ) as they let in more light.
The one i link to above are f/1.6 and that's about as good as it get for dashcam use.

PS. if you get hold of a old cctv lens without IR cut filter, then you can also buy those as little glass pieces ( square or round ) you can glue to the camera end of the lens.

 

[Theodulf]

If I were to get the same lens you are planning to get, with postage included, it would cost me AU$73.09, which is about half of what I paid for the A119S, but it's several times less than I would pay for an additional camera under the tray (SGZC12RCWPC - AU$314) - which would also get very dusty, judging by the amount of dust that gathers on my towbar and spare wheel - also there's the issue of condensation that I raised right at the beginning of this thread. I'll have to check the thread size but I'm quite happy to give this a go.

 

[kamkar]

Yeah its not cheap, if you browse peau peoductions page you will find lenses costing a lot more, not uncommon that some lenses cost the same as the action camera people put them on.

My little Suzuki car have a near flat rear end too, so i am quite pleased it have a washer / wiper back there.

you might be able to source a lens at a local CCTV specialist and they might help in adding a IR cut filter if it done have one.
You might also get lucky on ebay - aliexpress or similar, my 8 mm i think cost me about 20 dollars back when i got it, and its not like its totally useless as you saw in the little clip.

Here are another example of my 8 mm lens Vs the same camera with its default lens, in the end of the clip you will see the same stupid move from both cameras.

FF to 2:00 if you dont have time to wait, first are the normal lens and after that the same with the 8 mm lens.

You can open the youtube clip in 2 windows, then you can pause the footage at places so you can see how much closer the car appear with the 8 mm lens.

 

[Theodulf]

Yeah, you can really see the difference when the jackass mounts the gutter at 2:20/2:50

 

[flip9]

which would also get very dusty, judging by the amount of dust that gathers on my towbar and spare wheel

I've got a reversing camera mounted just below the tailgate and the lens seems to stay clean and condensation free. I did give it a layer of wax.