Viofo A129

kks1984 said:
Are you from Viofo? If not, I would like to receive a response from the official representative of the company.
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This is a community forum. No need to be answering like that - as a community, all members try to help or get insights.
 
kks1984 said:
Are you from Viofo? If not, I would like to receive a response from the official representative of the company.
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No, I am not from Viofo. I did some beta testing of the A129 before it was released. I also have another retail A129 installed in my car. Your lenses with the visible 'iris' do not look the ones in my cameras, so Viofo may have changed lens supplier for a different lens.

If you want a direct answer from Viofo I suggest that you send a PM, or tag @viofo in your message. They're too busy to read everything that happens in these forums, however there are plenty of people here who are happy to help if you give them a chance.

EDIT: I've done some wider reading in the A119S forum and it appears there are a number of lenses that Viofo have used lately in the A129 and A119S. @BCHobbyist seems to know a lot about the different lenses used in these cameras.
 
I was told they changed to a different lens on the A129. Not sure of the specs yet though. Also not sure if that means there will be another lens change on the A119S.
 
Whilst Viofo are free to change whatever they want mid-production, I do agree that it is confusing for consumers when they open the box and their camera does not look like what was advertised.
 
I had the same question as my lens had the more visible iris. Viofo told me the lens had changed from view angle 140Β° to 135Β° (which should result in a sharper picture) but the aperture remains as F1.6. The net result of this is that the old CPL will fit the new lens. If you have the older lens then you need the larger CPL.

Hope this helps.
 
rd08 said:
I had the same question as my lens had the more visible iris. Viofo told me the lens had changed from view angle 140Β° to 135Β° (which should result in a sharper picture) but the aperture remains as F1.6. The net result of this is that the old CPL will fit the new lens. If you have the older lens then you need the larger CPL.

Hope this helps.
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Interesting as neither their website nor Amazon shop (uk) mention the new lens, ordered one two weeks ago via amazon which has been delivered however i'm abroad atm so not sure which I have!
Any noticeable differences in Sharpness etc?

edit: Having asked the last bit unless you have both you wont be able to say lol
 
I had the same question as my lens had the more visible iris. Viofo told me the lens had changed from view angle 140Β° to 135Β° (which should result in a sharper picture) but the aperture remains as F1.6. The net result of this is that the old CPL will fit the new lens. If you have the older lens then you need the larger CPL.
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Does this mean a 5 degree narrower field of view and rounder at the edges (more fisheye) with the new lens also? I prefer the wider view that is flatter overall. I hope this makes sense.
 
Welcome to the VIOFO Lens Lottery
The A119S over 1.9 years changed Lenses and holder barrel more than any other model. The A129Duo use the same IMX291 Sensor board and Lens holder but also use the same two Lenses. I do not work for VIOFO but have every Lens they use. This photo shows the differences between current A129Duo Lens configuration (Lens ID is my own for easier reference, FOV are approx values). In reflection of lamp on Lens1 glass is green tint (anti-reflective coated), Lens2 is white (uncoated) wide angle. When A129Duo was developed a shift to metal holder barrel was made to eliminate hot weather plastic thermal expansion and focus-drift.
Lens1 = narrower FOV less side distortions / anti-reflective coating slightly changes tint / fits original CPL Filter.
Lens2 = wide angle FOV / brightest image uncoated / must use new beveled CPL Filter to prevent vignetting.

DCTeam-A119S-Lens1+Lens2.webp

Lens1+2=FOV.webp

Most Dashcam buyers want wide angle Lens to capture as much area as possible, others prefer less side distortion, offering a choice at point of sale is welcome. Consumers select products based on product description, when received product doesn't match confusion is expected and option to return item is considered. The A129Duo is the most advanced Dash Cam sold by VIOFO, and like the A119S it was released early without solid testing, history repeats itself with the same A119S unannounced Lens changes which is unfair to A129Duo owners/buyers. The A129 Lens is being changed and I agree with the reason but it could have been handled differently.

A129Duo MODs > https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/a129-modified-firmware-mods-archive.35826/
A119S MODs > https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/a119s-modified-firmware-mods-archive.35824/
A119 MODs > https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/a119-modified-firmware-mods-archive.35602/
A119Pro MODs > https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/a119-pro-modified-firmware-mods-archive.35825/
 
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BCHobbyist said:
Most Dashcam buyers want wide angle Lens to capture as much area as possible, others prefer less side distortion, offering a choice at point of sale is welcome. Consumers select products based on product description, when received product doesn't match confusion is expected and option to return item is considered. The A129Duo is the most advanced Dash Cam sold by VIOFO, and like the A119S it was released early without solid testing, history repeats itself with the same A119S unannounced Lens changes which is unfair to A129Duo owners/buyers. The A129 Lens is being changed and I agree with the reason but it could have been handled differently.
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Thank you for taking the time and for sharing your knowledge on this! I guess I'm one of the people that prefer less side distortion! I don't care for the rounded corner fisheye effect I get with my a129 Duo. I have the uncoated 140 degree lens. This was my first dashcam and I had heard a lot of good things about Viofo cams so I researched them and waited for the a129 and bought one. I do agree that research and timeframes seem to be unknown to Viofo. In my opinion this dashcam should have never been released until the CPL and hardwire kit were available. I guess the rules are different with Chinese manufacturers. It's to bad because this camera has a good picture and with some refinement could be a "giant killer". BTW would I be able to change out the 140 FOV for the 110 FOV in my A129 and if so where would I purchase one? Viofo?
 
My lens is (according to the printing on the side of the box) is an f/1.6 lens, with a 140ΒΊ FOV...
 
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Old64 said:
...It's to bad because this camera has a good picture...
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You are complaining about a good picture? πŸ€”

The lens being described as "uncoated" is a good lens, and also has decent coatings on most glass surfaces. A narrower field of view is not always good, it means you can miss things that happen off the side of the image which would be seen by a wider lens, on the other hand the narrower one sees a little more detail. It is a compromise either way and not possible to say which is the best, however the difference between these two lenses is not huge, especially in the horizontal field of view, and as long as they both give a good image is not really worth worrying about.
 
Old64 said:
Thank you for taking the time and for sharing your knowledge on this! I guess I'm one of the people that prefer less side distortion! I don't care for the rounded corner fisheye effect I get with my a129 Duo. I have the uncoated 140 degree lens. This was my first dashcam and I had heard a lot of good things about Viofo cams so I researched them and waited for the a129 and bought one. I do agree that research and timeframes seem to be unknown to Viofo. In my opinion this dashcam should have never been released until the CPL and hardwire kit were available. I guess the rules are different with Chinese manufacturers. It's to bad because this camera has a good picture and with some refinement could be a "giant killer". BTW would I be able to change out the 140 FOV for the 110 FOV in my A129 and if so where would I purchase one? Viofo?
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The A129Duo has the most features and best designed currently. The A129 F1.6 wide angle Lens if perfectly focused has excellent clarity. May prefer wide angle Lens on rear camera.
If you suspect Lens issues post link to RAW 1min daytime clip 1080P / CPL on / EV-0 / WDR off / Wifi off / BitRate high . The brighter wide angle uncoated Lens has slightly less motion blur in low light conditions.
 
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Nigel said:
You are complaining about a good picture? πŸ€”

The lens being described as "uncoated" is a good lens, and also has decent coatings on most glass surfaces. A narrower field of view is not always good, it means you can miss things that happen off the side of the image which would be seen by a wider lens, on the other hand the narrower one sees a little more detail. It is a compromise either way and not possible to say which is the best, however the difference between these two lenses is not huge, especially in the horizontal field of view, and as long as they both give a good image is not really worth worrying about.
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Sorry, I'm not complaining about it having a good picture. That it does have a good picture is one of the things that attracted me to purchasing Viofo's a129 duo dashcam. When I say it's to bad because it could (and still could) be a "giant Killer" I meant this;
If it would have had a detailed instruction manual.
If it would have had a CPL available for the camera when the camera was released for sale to the public.
If it would have had a hardwire kit available for the camera when the camera was released for sale to the public.
If the GPS mount would have been made so that the camera could have been removed without having to unplug cables to do so.
If all features of the dashcam would have been able to be used when the dashcam was purchased.
Most importantly Viofo needs to up their communication and give real answers to questions not just "It'll be ready in 3 weeks" month after month when the same question is asked. Just a simple "We're trying our best get it done in as timely a manner as possible. We want to be sure it's a perfect fit for this Dashcam and that our customers will be happy with it. We will update you occasionally on its progress". Avoids having your customers think your having major problems and that your working hard to keep them informed and happy.

There are other changes that could be made to improve this dashcam from good to great but these came to mind right away. I am not trying to degrade Viofo I'm just giving my opinion. You may agree or disagree but being able to be forthright and open to change makes a company grow. Their customer service and reply time on trouble tickets is awesome and a great part of the company to build on! One other thing, giving users that purchased the first a129's an upgrade path to the finished product after all the beta testing is done would be beneficial to both the early adapters of this camera and Viofo's company reputation as well. Lastly if it were not for the help I have received from the DashcamTalk forum and its users on using this camera I would have gave up on it long ago. I would also like to thank BCHobbyist and the DCTEAM for all the bios improvements and testing. Some of the changes made are real improvements to the camera. They are definitely a plus for Viofo. They should hire him!
 
I notice the A129 does not have the lane departure alert that the previous models have. Some other features missing from the menu when comparing it to a BCHobbyist video I saw on YouTube. It seems the feature set has been downgraded IMO in exchange for a second read camera.
 
That feature is not useful at all. I am sure Viofo can enable it anytime in menu but they will not want this because they don't want disappointed customers. I consider they should not enable such features also on A119 series because are good only for advertising.

enjoy,
Mtz
 
they were smart to disable it, it's a rubbish feature that doesn't work reliably, it only discredits the product to have a 'feature' that doesn't work properly, it's not something they're doing wrong to not be able to get it working, it doesn't work reliably in any aftermarket product
 
Hi people!
I take my viofo A129 today. I have a Ford Focus MK3.5 and it has a rain/light sensor on windshield center. Someome has a car that has the similar sensor? How do you do to install A129?
Can I put the 3m sticker on dot printed area?
If I put the A129 on right the windshield sensor, I will lose the partial angle on left?
Excuse-me because a dust windshield!!!
IMG_20181114_202728.webp
IMG_20181114_202856.webp
 
vagner said:
Hi people!
I take my viofo A129 today. I have a Ford Focus MK3.5 and it has a rain/light sensor on windshield center. Someome has a car that has the similar sensor? How do you do to install A129?
Can I put the 3m sticker on dot printed area?
If I put the A129 on right the windshield sensor, I will lose the partial angle on left?
Excuse-me because a dust windshield!!!
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I don't have a Ford Focus, but:
It will stick on the dots if you clean them carefully first. But maybe the wipers do not reach that high?
"If I put the A129 on right the windshield sensor, I will lose the partial angle on left?" - yes the left of the image may see the sensor, you need to test it there before you use the sticky pad and will probably need to be near the bottom of the rain sensor.
Maybe it can stick to the bottom of the rain sensor, not on the windshield? Then it will be very hard to see from outside.
Or on the windshield directly underneath the rain sensor? This may look too low, but the image will be good and it may still not be visible from the driver's seat.
 
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