Was I expecting too much?

Cameronbic

Cameronbic

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I've spent several months trying to find a camera with really great image quality, and from everything I saw from the web, this looked to be the one for me. Image quality was more important than the other features like parking mode and the like.

Having received mine now I'm feeling underwhelmed. The images just don't look as clear, particularly at speed, as the ones I've seen other people post up.


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The above is an example of what I'm talking about; everything seems fuzzy. Lines aren't crisp, even at a red light. When in motion it's like the image processor can't keep up. I've seen people post stills of license plates from cars moving in the opposite direction at speed that were clear and readable. In the video mine has taken I can't make out a plate of someone moving five miles an hour faster than you in the same direction


You can download a raw video file here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_-pH8ddq2ozSXdmUGV2Qld1STA


So, is my camera off somehow or was I just expecting too much?
 
jokiin said:
@Street Guardian USA will follow up with you with a couple of tests, if it's a focus issue (it does happen sometimes) they'll arrange to replace it
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@Cameronbic check your inbox, I just sent you a private message with some special testing I'd like performed and we'll go from there.
 
I'd love to hear how the follow up testing went. I'm looking at possibly ordering one of these cameras and reading all the threads on it. So far it's looking like a solid contender.
 
Paul Batavia said:
I'd love to hear how the follow up testing went. I'm looking at possibly ordering one of these cameras and reading all the threads on it. So far it's looking like a solid contender.
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I haven't heard back from @Cameronbic after sending a private message yet. I think a CPL would help here the most.

No other reports of this and the 5 star amazon review count is still increasing since this post. Any issues, we'll take care of you.
 
Focus on the left seems a bit off? (Look at 2:03)
 
IMO this is just a case of excessive reflection. It's affecting the most of the image, right up to the power lines.

png2016-10-12-03h23m03s897.jpg
 
Thank you for the info and welcome. I so far have this unit and the remote unit, the SGZC12RC-V2 as well as the THINKWARE TW-F770 on my short list.

I've been reading this forum and every other review page I can find over the last month to get educated and make an informed decision. Like the OP here, I am looking for clarity over most other features as well as not dying in the south Florida heat.

@Cameronbic please let us know how the focus tests go when you get a chance.
 
Street Guardian USA said:
No other reports of this and the 5 star amazon review count is still increasing since this post. Any issues, we'll take care of you.
Click to expand...

Don't pat yourself on the back too hard...there are still very real documented IQ issues with the camera that have been ongoing for over a year (ie @Dashmellow and @Feitelijk and sometimes me)
 
If anyone wants to see it, here is the requested video displaying the test pattern. It's about 30 seconds into the video. Again, while still the center and right look fine, but things like the lawn chair on the left look out of focus. Also, while moving thing moving things seems blurry/fuzzy. Not so much out of focus as massive sharpness loss.
 
Thanks for testing. I'm in Hong Kong until Monday and on my mobile at the moment so hard to view. If the factory fixed/set focus is a bit off I'll send a replacement no problem.
 
Received the replacement and it does seem to be an improvement. Before I put the new one in, I did a quick 3 minute trip and then approximately the same trip with the new camera just after. Sorry for the futzing with the camera for the first few seconds of the second vid, and I could obviously benefit from the CPL filter.
OLD
NEW

Looking at some of the older videos from when I first received the camera, they didn't seem as bad as it has gotten, and I'm wondering if it is a heat issue (black car, black interior, deep south). I'll keep an eye out and report back if that turns out to be a thing.
 
The lower border of direct sunlight is affecting the metering in your dashcam, hence footage.

Presently, we only see a "reflection" of your front windscreen's defogging air vents.
We want to actually see your front windscreen's defogging air vents themselves.

Can you try rotating both your old and new dashcams down by one notch, to expose a little more of your dashboard's windscreen air vents directly.
More dash, and less of the sunny horizon will do wonders to your video clip.
 
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Yeah you do have a lot of sky in the footage, other cameras would react really bad with that much sky.

The recommended split ( horizon ) is 60% road and 40% sky, but the SG9665GC will work good with a 50/50 split too.

I know its a little counterintuitive to have your own hood and dashbord in the footage as nothing go on there, but it is a good yardstick in footage that can cheat a little with the wide angle lenses in use in dashcams.
But also in regard to the metering the camera do all the time, and trust me even with a little down angle on the lens you will still have those lights hanging above in the intersection in frame.

I have just thrown a pice of black felt over my dashbord to eliminate the worst reflections i got, cuz at times they simply ruined plate capture for me.
I would off course prefer a ready made dashmat with a better fit, but my little car have no support in that regard, so i have to go the DIY route.

Making your own dashmat
 
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