Zenfox T3 insides

[jokiin]

The whole point of pre-production builds is to sort out the problems so that the production units are good

even if there were zero changes to be done a production version is still going to be better than pre production hand samples

 

[HonestReview]

You keep saying that without any evidence to support it!

The whole point of pre-production builds is to sort out the problems so that the production units are good

Considering Zenfox ran away from our criticism by disappearing from the forum, and hit up reddit and other places for "praise, pretty much shows intent. I'd be flabbergasted if the camera was improved, considering the flaws.

@Nigel You lose credibility the more you speak. Tirelessly defending a product which everyone but yourself admitted had major faults.

There's a stark difference between a manufacturer that accepts criticism with intent to improve and one that simply decides it's not worth validating constructive criticism and seeks approval elsewhere. I.E. Shills that test a product on a surface level, write a rave review, then hope for their next promo.

 

[HonestReview]

not something you could say one way or the other without seeing a production version, I think this model is a hard sell due to the unusual design so it may never get any love, if they can't sell in volume they generally lose interest in making further improvements and just move onto something else, perhaps it was interesting at first due to no other 3 channel options but the A139 is a much better form factor and is more likely to pickup any sales that this model would have got due to being 3 channel, the market for 3 channel perhaps isn't big enough to warrant both and for the majority the Viofo is going to be a better option I would think

I actually really really really liked the form factor of the Zenfox T3. Given the choice between 3 separate cameras or a Front + Interior integrated, I would pick the Zenfox. To me, I like the form factor. Sadly, it appears the hype was overshadowed by the execution. Meaning the product looked great but didn't perform as expected.

 

[jokiin]

I actually really really really liked the form factor of the Zenfox T3. Given the choice between 3 separate cameras or a Front + Interior integrated, I would pick the Zenfox. To me, I like the form factor. Sadly, it appears the hype was overshadowed by the execution. Meaning the product looked great but didn't perform as expected.

not a fan of the look, I guess beauty is in the eye of the beer holder

 

[richx]

@jokiin It looked ungainly at first, but once mounted (and assuming your car has a cooperative mirror in the middle), most of it goes away save for the indoor cam peeping up the top. I personally like this outcome better than more wires (no matter how thin) to another indoor camera. But pros and cons to each, there's still a price increase to give you the extra wires and housing too. Good for a side-cam instead of indoor cam?

 

[jokiin]

@jokiin It looked ungainly at first, but once mounted (and assuming your car has a cooperative mirror in the middle),

yeah questionable looks aside, there's a lot of vehicles that are not cooperative for this type of design which limits things somewhat

 

[HonestReview]

not a fan of the look, I guess beauty is in the eye of the beer holder

I mean it saves having to mount two individual cameras upfront by integrating them into a single unit (front + interior). None the less, the Viofo appears to be the only real contender at the moment. Waiting for hardwire kit to drop on Amazon. Also price got jacked up a bit on amazon vs. viofo's site. Got amazon gift cards so stuck ordering there.

 

[HonestReview]

@jokiin It looked ungainly at first, but once mounted (and assuming your car has a cooperative mirror in the middle), most of it goes away save for the indoor cam peeping up the top. I personally like this outcome better than more wires (no matter how thin) to another indoor camera. But pros and cons to each, there's still a price increase to give you the extra wires and housing too. Good for a side-cam instead of indoor cam?

Agreed on the form factor. Zenfox is a bit larger but you have less wires and less space to take up with a 3rd camera. Either way, at some point I'm going to yank the Zenfox out with it's no longer functioning wifi. And replace it with the A139 most likely.

 

[SawMaster]

I remember the Junsun comparison because of the saucer plate at the end of the lens Just adds weight and size while looking goofy Some will like it and some won't, but for me a discreet appearance without anything drawing attention to the unit or making it clearly a camera matters a lot.

As far as mounting no cam fits everywhere or in every car but from a sales point of view, a cam should be designed to fit as many cars as possible. Not easily done with multi-channel cams with the interior cam integrated into the front cam/processor "head unit" And very good engineering reasons to not do that: EMI and heat

So there's a lot you can infer about a dashcam simply by looking at it if you understand how they work in the real world. That doesn't make any design "bad" but it makes some better than others as it shows you how the designer(s) thought when they made it

Phil

 

[Nigel]

@Nigel You lose credibility the more you speak. Tirelessly defending a product which everyone but yourself admitted had major faults.

I think everyone agrees that the prototypes/pre-production versions were not perfect, but that is the same with all cameras, and the one you had was definitely not a full production version. You lose credibility if you keep judging the production version based purely on your experience of the pre-production.

yeah questionable looks aside, there's a lot of vehicles that are not cooperative for this type of design which limits things somewhat

Depends on if you want it hidden or not, for taxi use, some will want it on show, in which case it will work in almost any vehicle.
It is not my favorite design visually either, but it will work well for many.

The Viofo A139 should work in nearly all vehicles, and I really like that design, but there are still a few people who it doesn't work for. The Viofo is also likely to get better support, features, and more firmware updates.

 

[richx]

@SawMaster I agree with you on that saucer trim on the front camera. It was totally unnecessary and much too glossy. But at the same time if it allowed them to save cost by recycling half the tooling set from Junsun, I have no major objection to it. Just well, not going to put my money down to own one.

 

[kamkar]

As i see it:

1: No Zenfox T3 have been sold. ( Dont seem likely )
2: T3 have been sold but zenfox do so good support on poor cameras that we never see those owners in here complaining. ( Also not likely )
3: T3 are selling and working alright. ( Most likely scenario in my book )
4: T3 owners with bad performing cameras do not find dashcamtalk. ( not likely at least some should find their way in here if that is the case )

 

[SawMaster]

I recall only one or two owners having come here after the T3 went to market. We usually see larger numbers with more popular cams. I'm sure it will remain for sale as long as there is stock already built, and longer if sales merit that, but as always newer cameras push older ones out unless they are 'modernized', and that hasn't happened with the T3 so far.

My best guess is that sales are modest with the T3 now that more 3-channel cams have come along. It can't beat the A139 in any department except price, and as 3-channel systems are not cheap I think most buyers looking for a 3-channel solution would spend a little more to get a much better cam.

Phil

 

[Nigel]

1: No Zenfox T3 have been sold. ( Dont seem likely )

I think you are correct that it don't seem likely, given that it is in a Best Dashcams of 2021 list:

Best dash cams 2021: The top road monitoring cameras for your car

 

[SawMaster]

Many cam buyers are not knowledgeable about them, but I question the expertise of anyone recommending the NB 622 which has proven to be one of the more troublesome dashcams since it's introduction. They simply cannot know the subject they're speaking on but many will believe them anyway

Phil

 

[kamkar]

Yes. there might very well be T3 buyers out there that have gotten the camera and a memory card, put it in their car and forgot all about it and just assume ti do what it is supposed to do, and might not do if it is a unfortunate camera from design or just bad luck.

I am happy i got to beat on the T3, though i was also not lucky with my test sample, but at least it gave me the chance to sample some 1440p footage and i like that.

 

[HonestReview]

I remember the Junsun comparison because of the saucer plate at the end of the lens Just adds weight and size while looking goofy Some will like it and some won't, but for me a discreet appearance without anything drawing attention to the unit or making it clearly a camera matters a lot.

As far as mounting no cam fits everywhere or in every car but from a sales point of view, a cam should be designed to fit as many cars as possible. Not easily done with multi-channel cams with the interior cam integrated into the front cam/processor "head unit" And very good engineering reasons to not do that: EMI and heat

So there's a lot you can infer about a dashcam simply by looking at it if you understand how they work in the real world. That doesn't make any design "bad" but it makes some better than others as it shows you how the designer(s) thought when they made it

Phil

A counterpoint is that an obvious camera is a deterrent. Less likely to break into a car filming you than to select another that's obviously not. No Dash Camera is ever going to be "fully hidden". Thief doesn't know if the video being upped to the cloud, so at least an obvious cam, offers that risk.

Although the idiots that broke into my other car didn't seem to care or notice they got filmed by the Viofo A129 Duo.

 

[HonestReview]

As i see it:

1: No Zenfox T3 have been sold. ( Dont seem likely )
2: T3 have been sold but zenfox do so good support on poor cameras that we never see those owners in here complaining. ( Also not likely )
3: T3 are selling and working alright. ( Most likely scenario in my book )
4: T3 owners with bad performing cameras do not find dashcamtalk. ( not likely at least some should find their way in here if that is the case )

Most likely:

T3's aren't being used in parking mode, where camera is most likely to overheat. Many of the reviews on Amazon were people "refunded for their purchase" in order to leave a review.

Many dashcam users don't utilize the full capabilities of their cameras (hardwired). Nor do they regularly check to see if videos are being properly recorded. They assume all is fine. Since the newest firmware disables interior camera to prevent overheating, few would notice the flaw outright, unless their camera shut down completely and started beeping.

Missing interior camera videos would easily go unnoticed unless there comes a point (accident) where one decides to pull off a video and finds out it's absent.

 

[HonestReview]

I think you are correct that it don't seem likely, given that it is a Best Dashcams of 2021 list:

Best dash cams 2021: The top road monitoring cameras for your car

An article that is a paragraph long and doesn't state any in depth testing, or any testing at all. Analogous to The Yugo declared best and safest car ever made, per the former Yugoslavian government.

 

[kamkar]

T3's aren't being used in parking mode

Thats also a option that i forgot to add as i was not able to test that myself
My problems was just in regular use scenarios, which in my book are even worse, though of course if parking mode is there it too should of course also work.

I also think most people are not using dashcams for parking mode, not least when in most cases the hard wire kit to do that is a extra cost, and a installation most people are not able to handle them self.
I only use parking mode if it is a option to do in a test sample, personally i dont feel a need for it.