Viofo A119 V3 Review + comparison with V2, Pro, A129

USDashCamera

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[Review Update]

Here is my full video review, previous comments and updates are below.


[/Review Update]

Hey guys, I did receive the new A119 V3 from @OCD Tronic and have been using it for a bit like several other users here. I plan to update this thread as I get more samples and finish my final review video which I hope to be comprehensive.

Here is my first update with the V3 vs the other 3 cams during the day only. I used 1.02 firmware with 1440p 30 mbps. The other cams I updated the to the currently available firmware versions as of yesterday (July 2, 2019) and used 1440p in the V2 and Pro, and 1080p60 in the A129. I am using WDR on all of them, no CPL on any of them. All other settings default. I am pretty impressed with the V3, it seems like a BIG leap over the V2. The Pro still looks pretty good and I feel like I still stand by my opinion in my Pro review that I think the Pro had better video quality. Some others said they liked the V2 but from my experience the Pro was better, either way I hear from @OCD Tronic that the pro has been discontinued anyways. I honestly think the naming scheme has been sort of awkward and confusing. The Pro should have been the V3, and this V3 should have been the A119S V3 (i see the original A119S also got a V2 version but that seems overlooked by most). I assume since the A119S was not a big hit, they want to just keep this as the regular A119. Anyways on with the comparison.

Here is a sample image from my video, license plate readability test at 30 mph (other car is stopped)

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First impression from that comparison was pretty great. Obviously the A129 is at a disadvantage being only 1080p since its a 2 channel system but I wanted to include it since I had it.

Here is the full day sample comparison:


[Update]

So here is my night comparison. One thing to point out is the differences at night are typically not as pronounced as during the day when it comes to readability. That being said the text in most situations in the environment do seem to be best on the V3, followed by the Pro, then A129, then the V2 in last again. In this case the Pro and A129 look pretty close but I am guessing the Pro edges it out with its 1440p. I'd like to point out I know the images aren't PERFECTLY timed but sometimes its just really hard with my software that I am taking screen with, and each of these cams have slightly different FOV. I usually try to match moving cars up to stationary objects. But in this case I was going pretty similar speed anyways so a few fractions of a second wouldn't likely make much of a difference.

I wanted to point out again I am using 1440p highest bitrate on the V3, 30 mbps. 1440p high bitrate on the V2, 1440p high bitrate on the Pro, 1080p60 (no rear cam connected) with WiFi off. All have WDR on, none of the CPL adapter on. All other settings were default.

47129

Where the V3 really shines is in real low light conditions. In these conditions, the A129 with its sony image sensor seem to do 2nd best against the Pro and V2 again in last.

low light.jpg

So one thing I wanted to point out is it seemed like in my video comparison, there is a part where I am passed by a dodge truck. There is a split second where it seems the A129 is the ONLY one that can read the license plate very well. I thought maybe its because its only 1080p? But at 60 FPS is it letting less light in? My hypothesis from watching several instances where the V3 always looked best with most definition is what's really happening here is the A119 models are on the left side of my rear mirror, and the A129 is on the right side; so when the truck passes on the left, my trucks high headlights are bouncing light back much harsher to the 3 A119 models, where the A129 on the far right is not getting all that light bounced right back at its lens. I could be wrong, let me know what you guys think. In every other case the V3 looked obviously best.

Also the reason I don't have a 4 way image like the day sample above is NONE of them were able to read a license plate while passing an oncoming car at any decent speed at night, even the V3. Night is still very hard to make plates legible at speed like that.



Review coming soon!
 
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...and 1080p60 in the A129. I am using WDR on all of them, no CPL on any of them. ...

Nice comparison. 4 image shot helps.

Was the Wifi off on the A129? And given you're running it at 60 frames the rear camera is disconnected?
If yes the image really sucks on the A129.
 
Nice comparison. 4 image shot helps.

Was the Wifi off on the A129? And given you're running it at 60 frames the rear camera is disconnected?
If yes the image really sucks on the A129.
you know what, i gotta double check now that you mention the wifi. how much does that affect the video quality? and yes it was 1080p60 with the rear cam disconnected.

edit: it was wifi off, 1080p60. But again when I edited it it was brought down to 30 fps, and zoomed in to fit the 1440p video.
 
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@USDashCamera, I'm curious to see what happens if you run the A129 in 60fps with no rear camera attached. That might be a fairer comparison.
 
I would have to agree. I certainly hope there's a logical explanation for why the A129 looks so bad as I own two.
not quite sure if there is a major difference but this is the IR version. I gave away my first A129 in a giveaway on my youtube channel.

@USDashCamera, I'm curious to see what happens if you run the A129 in 60fps with no rear camera attached. That might be a fairer comparison.
pretty positive i had it running 1080p60 because I had no rear camera attached and checked before recording. But the issue could be the rending in my video editing software. It's bringing it down to 30 fps and stretching it to 1440p. Not really a fair comparison I suppose no matter how you look at it. The video was rendered in 1440p yet its not showing up as 1440p on youtube which confuses me since youtube supposedly supports 1440p and others tell me it works for them but it doesn't for me, I don't get the option.

Also I was going at least 30 mph past the car in that image, and I got that screen just before the car was passing my left.

One other factor is all 3 A119 cams are to the left of my mirror, the A129 is to the right of my mirror. the car was to my left. The A129 had a disadvantage there too.

I planned to show the location of the cams in my review.
 
This the A119 V3 thread please take A129 chat to the relevant forum.
 
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It had moved completely away from A119 V3 to A129 and should be in it's correct forum or else why have a forum for each device and not have a free for all.
 
Perhaps this thread should be in the Comparisons sub-forum, rather than the A119V3?

In any case, when compiling or reviewing a comparison video it's useful to know whether the camera settings are comparable, which is what the discussion seems to be about. Running three cameras at 30fps and the other at 60fps could give that one camera an advantage or a disadvantage, depending on the scene being recorded.
 
Perhaps this thread should be in the Comparisons sub-forum, rather than the A119V3?
it could easily go in the comparison section, it's titled V3 compared with the other three though so no doubt if you put it there someone would ask why it wasn't here, moot point, it's not off topic in this section to be discussing how it compares to the other models
 
I think it's called 'mission drift' in some circles. :ROFLMAO:
 
I have no objection to comparisons. It is when it goes beyond a comparison and meanders and starts to go off thread is when control is needed.
 
I like some aspects of the V3. I'm tempted to buy one, but may wait to see if someone else makes a camera with the IMX335. The combination of a high resolution Starvis sensor and a good quality lens give sharp, detailed results. The colours seem slightly over-saturated, and the WDR seems a bit too strong at night for my liking.

The A129 seems to capture the passing truck's plate just before it moves into the brightest part of the headlights. Motion blur also has a big part to play in number plate capture. I have tried to extract the same frame from each clip. The black/yellow marker is least blurred in the A129 video, which suggests it is using the fastest shutter speed at that moment.

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@viofo
Matrix 335 does not have Wdr, it turns out that Wdr setting can be equated to additional exposure settings?
 
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