What Makes This Cam's Videos So Good?

[DroMike]

I'm new to dashcams and am about to pull the trigger on my first: one of the two flagship BlackVue models. However, I can't get over the fact that in every video I see on YouTube, the A119 series of dashcams seem to show absolutely crystal-clear and stellar videos, and all for 1/4 the price of the BVs (of course the A119 is only a 1-channel cam while the BVs are 2-channels). To confuse matters more, I've recently heard about the imminent release of the A129, a 2-channel Viofo camera, so I'm still hanging in waiting to fully vet that out when it arrives - especially because I'd suspect it would be a spectacular value.

Still, the bottom line and my question is, what makes the A119's camera so good that it seems to be the best (or at least one of the best) out there?

Thanks. - Mike

 

[jokiin]

Blackvue have always been about features and design, not so much about video quality, the 900 is the first one that looks ok, the others are pretty ordinary

 

[DashcamDPR]

It's one of the best visual quality cams for the price (and getting slightly cheaper). I wonder if it'll get cheaper still when the A129 comes out

I almost wanna buy a car just to buy an A129

 

[Mineshaft]

Two features that caught my attention on the Viofo A119S was the layers of glass lens and the Sony processor.
They both have a direct effect on the quality of image.
Update: Nigel is correct, I should have stated Sony sensor not processor.

 

[Nigel]

Two features that caught my attention on the Viofo A119S was the layers of glass lens and the Sony processor.
They both have a direct effect on the quality of image.

It's a Sony sensor, Novatek processor, all three can have a significant effect on image quality. Maybe the lens is the most significant, you wont find good multi-coatings and aspheric elements in older/less good dashcams and lenses often go out of focus when they warm up in sunshine.

The A129 uses the same Sony Sensor as the A119S, but with next generation lens and processor with significant improvements to both.

Also, I think that most of the people posting A119S video will have a Viofo CPL fitted, and that can give big improvements in some circumstances, both for clarity and colour. With other cameras people often wont have bothered with a CPL, or with many there isn't one available.

 

[Mineshaft]

It's a Sony sensor, Novatek processor, all three can have a significant effect on image quality. Maybe the lens is the most significant, you wont find good multi-coatings and aspheric elements in older/less good dashcams and lenses often go out of focus when they warm up in sunshine.

The A129 uses the same Sony Sensor as the A119S, but with next generation lens and processor with significant improvements to both.

Also, I think that most of the people posting A119S video will have a Viofo CPL fitted, and that can give big improvements in some circumstances, both for clarity and colour. With other cameras people often wont have bothered with a CPL, or with many there isn't one available.

Thanks, I just got up and I’m not wide awake yet.
Good points on the CPL filter.
I noticed it does a nice job of separating dark blue and dark blue metallic colours.

 

[PSFerreira]

The only thing that attracts me to the Blackvue cams is the design.

My car has a gigantic sensor and camera housing.



The Blackvue design would allowed me to mount the cam just below it, centering the frame, instead of this:



and probably avoiding this:



But for the purpose, image quality and price, the Viofo is perfect.

 

[JohnnyMnemonic]

^ My previous 16' XC90 and current 18' XC60 and 18' Escalade have this same type of huge housing behind the mirror for camera/sensor/radar module etc. When I first went to mount the A119 I tried it to the left like you have yours and saw the housing was in view of the cam so i kept going a bit lower until it was out of view. Eventually it was low enough that I just said the heck with it and I mounted mine dead center of the car but below the housing. It's not as nice and up out of the way as I would like it but I said the heck with it, I'd rather a centered unobstructed view from the cam. It's not as stealthy from outside but that doesn't really bother me and from the inside I don't even notice it quite honestly.

The shame is if the mount would have had the cam slide on left/right and the GPS module mount had the power input on the side instead of the top, I could have mounted it flush up again the housing but instead I had to drop it down a bit even lower to allow for power cable input and removal upwards from the mount.

 

[TonyM]

The A129 slides left/right onto the mount, which makes it a bit easier to install at the top of the screen. The power input is still at the top, however you can add a 90deg adapter to suit your setup.