Riding with Firmware 2.0

Acquired a new crash helmet yesterday which has a smooth centre allowing fitment of a helmet mount for the first time. The mount could ideally do with being a little curvier but the foam layer in the double sided tape compensates. Despite carefully fixing the mount in the centre the horizon is tilted indicating that I must ride with my head to one side. Quality of video is good, and Vimeo whilst inferior to the original is better than Youtube.
https://vimeo.com/121840609?utm_source=email&utm_medium=clip-transcode_complete-finished-20120100&utm_campaign=7701&email_id=Y2xpcF90cmFuc2NvZGVkfDhjODEzNjRlMzk2NmEzN2ExNWJkZDQ1OWFjMzkwMzRmOTk1fDM2MTk5OTc3fDE0MjYwMzIyNDd8NzcwMQ%3D%3D

Funning FW 2.0. It's not like me to try firmware from an unofficial source let alone do an update before an important trip but fingers crossed, the bits I need still seem to be working.

A Rummage in the Toy Box

To come up with the ultimate SJ5000 +video rig.

 

Take one SJ5000+ in belt clip mount  and smartphone with voice recorder app in 99p Ebay holder. Add Belkin iPhone microphone (found mine in the Pound Shop).

 

 

3D print my self designed "Nocuto" LCD magnifier viewer to slip into the belt clip slot. (Lens on its way on a slow boat from China.

 

Eat your heart out Philip Bloom :-)

 

 



I'm sure I can't claim to have invented the idea of a rear screen camera viewfinder but built this many years ago:

 

From a modified Jessops slide viewer to use on my Olympus C2040.

 

Anyone interested in getting one of a short production run of my SJ5000 (or SJ4000) viewfinder ? 

SJ5000+ Stills ISO wierdness

Took a series of shots to test how still images looked over the range of ISOs to find out that the menu's ISO page does nothing. Whatever manual setting used photo EXIF show ISO rated at ISO51(???!!!). Haven't tested Auto ISO yet and still on Firmware v 1.7.  I tested from ISO100 to ISO800 All images look the same and shutter speed, (1/85), was the same so ISO definitely doesn't change. I've emailed SJCAM about this and await their response.

SJ5000+ New Firmware 1.9 is here!!

Link http://www.sjcam.com/download/SJ5000_Plus_FW_V1.9.zip


No time yet to try it myself. Any comments from early adopters are most welcome.

Edit: I've not seen any full account of the changes in this and a hint of trouble with low battery life and overheating so with a trip coming up I won't be rushing into this.

SJ5000+ WiFi light at the end of the tunnel?

The Android LinkinEyes App has been updated and I have been getting passable results testing wifi on my Motorola Moto G 2nd gen which previously refused to play.

Basic taking of video and stills and switching modes worked ok but a couple of times changing camera settings caused a glitch. I'm running firmware version 1.7.

Apparently good news for iOS also with the discovery of another Ambarella wireless app called INTOVA Edge X which has been reported to work better than Linkineyes.

Replacement Lenses for SJ5000+ and GoPro

Some of the high prices being asked for "special" lenses compatible with GoPro or SJ5000 models seem hard to justify given that these optics are manufactured in huge quantities for security cameras using the same M12 screw thread mounting.


A quick Google found this page at Surveilzone who list a selection starting at $2.99. I've not yet tried any but most are cheap enough to take a chance. (Caveat: the specs show sensors size smaller than 1/2.3" so may not cover the full sensor?) If buying for daytime use then a model with an Infra -red filter are advised.

SJ5000+ to Infinity and Beyond, some thoughts on fixed focus.

Some buyers have reported being able to close focus but are out of focus for distant objects, not what they want, especially for aerial photography. The SJ5000 and many other similar cameras like the GoPro are fixed focus, i.e. have no autofocus facility and the lens is adjusted in the factory by screwing into its mount then fixed with glue to stop vibration putting it out of focus. As this process is done by hand then there is always the possibility of human error or carelessness. For most uses the optimum focus setting is to the Hyperfocal distance which is the distance from the lens which gives acceptable focus over the maximum distance from infinity towards the camera. A quick Google will turn up the formula for calculating this distance, which is a function of lens focal length, aperture value and sensor size but will also throw up a good deal of internet bickering. In reality even if armed with the hyperfocal distance there are extreme difficulties in setting that as the focus point. Due to the wide angle of the lens  it becomes very hard to see fine detail and judge sharpness once the subject is more than a couple of feet (600mm) in front of the camera. SJ5000+ jpegs don't help as image artefacts visible at 100% add to the confusion. By the time you are looking at distant objects, detail like twigs or wires are too small to see and often atmospheric haze reduces sharpness. I carried out some quick and dirty minimum focus distance tests on my SJ5000+ by laying out a tape measure with Zero in line with the front of the camera body offset about 300mm to make numbers visible and parallel to the line of sight.

Difficult to judge the first point in focus because of the dreaded sharpening artefacts but I'd say about 10 inches is around the mark. A better test would be with tape oriented along the line of sight and a vertical target moved progressively as my offset tape test is susceptible to any field curvature inherent in the lens.

 I'm happy with the focus of images overall but am curious whether closer focus could be achieved without visibly softening distant objects.

In practice the best way to set focus is to hook up to a large TV and live focus on a scene covering a range from close up to the horizon and come up with the most pleasing setting.

Likewise those with a macro interest can adjust focus as they require, though this will require moving the lens forward and may interfere with fitting the waterproof case.

If you do need to adjust focus look for the YouTube tutorials on lens changing but proceed with caution and at your own risk. Ideally I would like the camera to have adjustable focus as a feature with an unglued mount and a clamping mount tread to hold the lens in place.

I'd be interested to have feedback from others' tests of minimum focus distance and whether far-focus is acceptable.