Updated IQ

SawMaster

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Here's a vid of the latest FW and improved IQ. Keep in mind that the conditions I was driving in (low sun to one side, in and out of shadows) are tough for a cam to resolve, but I think it did pretty good.
Raw vid file HERE

Phil
 
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I got that feeling too about Phil's camera being pointed much down, but then again you do only see some of his dashboard and i dont think his car have a vertical windscreen, i think it is pretty "normal"angled.

But yeah, i would experiment with this if i was Phil.
 
I guess if the horizon line is in the center of the frame, the metering will work more accurately...
Not exactly, it will make the number plates overexposure at night if the metering horizon line in the center only;
I got that feeling too about Phil's camera being pointed much down
Agree. Need to adjust the point a litter higher!
 
TBH it feel like many dashcam brands do not have the resources to tune the metering table, which is a shame as i am sure there are gains to be made there.
Dashcams are specialized cameras, so it make sense if they also had a specialized metering table.

I am hoping while it is a test camera i have, that the modders will also throw their love on the viofo A139 like they have done other viofo models.
And not least the capable modders than can do more than just turn the bitrate up.

I am also hoping that working good HDR will come into play here, and i assume somewhat alleviate this issue, i feel HDR can do good things for dashcams.
 
TBH i have been wondering if it would make any sense / gain to make metering tables for a camera, regarding if it is used in a a country with left or right hand drive traffic.
But maybe it is better to not skew metering towards one side as after all in traffic bad things often happen on the wrong side.
 
TBH i have been wondering if it would make any sense / gain to make metering tables for a camera, regarding if it is used in a a country with left or right hand drive traffic.
But maybe it is better to not skew metering towards one side as after all in traffic bad things often happen on the wrong side.
The right or left side of the metering grid does not make much difference.
Much more important is vertical zoning and priority in the center of the frame.

I would also revise the gamma and luminance curves to compensate
for overexposures in the frame and reduce black levels in low-light areas...
CURVES.png
 
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TBH i have been wondering if it would make any sense / gain to make metering tables for a camera, regarding if it is used in a a country with left or right hand drive traffic.
But maybe it is better to not skew metering towards one side as after all in traffic bad things often happen on the wrong side.
Next step is some AI. On a 2 way road, it can detect cars coming the other way and expose for best IQ and least motion blur on their number plates as they pass, then when they have passed it can change the exposure back to the road in front, or if there is a car in front then it can set the exposure for the number plate on the car in front.
 
This cam is pointed downward more than my others due to the notches in the mount. It's either this or aimed too high so this is the better choice. And though you can't really see it in this vid (or maybe you can?) the curvature of my windshield acts something like a lens with the sun low to one side. It was really lighting up the dashboard. My own eyes weren't seeing much better than this TBH.

This is nearly a "perfect storm" for dashcamming, almost as bad as driving directly into a low sun. IMHO this cam is handling the exposure quite well compared to many other cams I've tried, especially with the dramatic changes between light and dark. I'll grab and post another vid today in more normal conditions which should better show how the IQ improvements are working. I'd planned to do that yesterday but I was a bit unwell and I didn't go out.

Phil
 
At least your van will not burst into fire the moment someone lean up against the back of it :LOL:
 
At least your van will not burst into fire the moment someone lean up against the back of it :LOL:
I do wish the reverse would happen with some of the people I know :cautious: In which case I'd invite them to lean against my van most willingly :devilish: Now THAT would make for some interesting vids from my rear cams :ROFLMAO:

Phil
 
This cam is pointed downward more than my others due to the notches in the mount. It's either this or aimed too high so this is the better choice. And though you can't really see it in this vid (or maybe you can?) the curvature of my windshield acts something like a lens with the sun low to one side. It was really lighting up the dashboard. My own eyes weren't seeing much better than this TBH.

This is nearly a "perfect storm" for dashcamming, almost as bad as driving directly into a low sun. IMHO this cam is handling the exposure quite well compared to many other cams I've tried, especially with the dramatic changes between light and dark. I'll grab and post another vid today in more normal conditions which should better show how the IQ improvements are working. I'd planned to do that yesterday but I was a bit unwell and I didn't go out.

Phil
I had the same problem. The notches for the mount make the cam either to high or to low for my window. If they had more notches you can fine tune to where you want the camera pointed. Pointed high the vid was washed out for sky and made the cars on the road really dark. Pointed down added to much glare and things not being in focus that great. Is it me or is it hard to get the cam on and off the mount? I end up pulling the mount off the window a few times even trying to hold it in place to remove the camera.
 
TBH it feel like many dashcam brands do not have the resources to tune the metering table,
making the adjustments is something that they can do easily, knowing what adjustments to make is where they will have problems
 
Mine fits the mount tightly but can be removed by rocking it left and right while pulling back. It's tight and I'd rather have that than loose, as wear and time will likely loosen it some. As to the coarse notches I do think that could be done better, though fixing that would require making 2 new molds which wouldn't be a small cost. The thumbscrew keeping it tight is probably enough without the notches, so if someone wanted to they could probably take the mount apart, file or sand the teeth of the notches some, then insert a flat washer in between to allow any angle. I think a usable aim can be had with most any car the way it is now.

As I always say you don't get what you don't pay for and one cannot expect perfection from a budget-priced cam. I think the main thing is that it is reliable and does good video and audio, which is what we buy our cams to do for us.

Phil
 
As to the coarse notches I do think that could be done better, though fixing that would require making 2 new molds which wouldn't be a small cost.
Thanks for the report! Will ask our engineer to double-check!
 
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