Super Full HD 1296p versus Full HD 1080p: what drives the recorders?
At the end of 2013, the Russian company AdvoCam released the first DVR in Russia with support for shooting in Super Full HD resolution or 2304 x 1296 pixels. That same resolution, which is almost 1.5 times sharper than the "ordinary" Full HD 1080p. The AdvoCam-FD7 Profi-GPS model gave rise to the beginning of a dispute in which, in my opinion, the point has not yet been set. Namely - is there really any sense in shooting 1296p, or is it just a marketing ploy for selling new expensive cameras? Last fall, I managed to get four registrars at my disposal, including the AdvoCam FD8 SE, for which it was necessary to conduct a parallel video recording. Then I did not have the task of paying close attention to Super Full HD, the advantages and disadvantages of this resolution. However, I caught a glimpse of that the real clarity in the form of distinguishable license plate numbers in the 1296p version is very decent. After more than six months, I decided to “wipe off the dust” from the November shoots and take a closer look at studying the resolution of 1296p.
To be more precise, I was not interested in the ultra-high resolution as such. It is no secret that, other things being equal, the larger the viewing angle of the camera, the shorter the distance in direct readability of those same license plates. Whereas, for example, I consider within the city archival presence of such a characteristic as 170 degrees of diagonal viewing in the camera. Because on the side the most unpleasant surprises can “fly in”, right down to the pedestrian fraudster. And I prefer the single-chamber model to cover as much space as possible.
So, a blitz-comparison of still images with AdvoCam FD8 SE and other registrars showed that just the presence of 1296p seems to give the camera the same “margin of pixels" that allows you to maintain such a desired distance of clarity - up to 20 meters at a maximum viewing angle. Maybe at first glance my explanation does not hold water, but the fact remained. In a quick comparison, it seemed that a 170-degree recorder with shooting at 1296p records at least at a level with 120- / 130-degree opponents with good “stuffing”.
First, I will introduce the main participants and give their characteristics. I understand that ideally it would be possible to make another selection, and the “old man” BlackVue is not at all particularly relevant (although his average price tag on Yandex.Market is 13,900 rubles or $ 250!). But still - it was such a company of models that crept on the windshield of my car.
Technical characteristics of registrars:
Before starting to study the received freeze frames, I will make the following remark. In this comparison, I am by no means saying or trying to show that 1296p is definitely better than 1080p. As you know, such a thing would look rather silly, after all, the quality of shooting is the result, first of all, of a bunch of high-quality CMOS sensors, a processor and a lens. I also note that there are six 1296p recorders with different viewing angles in the AdvoCam line, including AdvoCam-FD8 Profi-GPS RED (120 degrees, 8,290 rubles or $ 150) and AdvoCam-FD8 Gold GPS (170 degrees, 9,490 rubles or $ 170).
And yet - no matter what the result of the AdvoCam FD8 SE, the quality of the "golden" model should be slightly better than the "SE" due to the more "advanced" filling in the face of the Ambarella A7LA70 processor versus the LA50. The same processor provided the AdvoCam-FD8 Gold GPS and also shooting Full HD at a frequency of 60 fps.
I warn you right away - there will be no YouTube videos in which this service perfectly compresses the video and allows you to correctly compare unless the white balance in the frame. Therefore, under each scene, I will give an archive where the freeze frames and the video from which the screenshots were taken will be shown. Also, for the most impatient, I will immediately give two links. Here is a complete archive of the original freeze frames. Here are the same still pictures with enlarged sections of license plates. I also provide the originals because Geektimes shows reduced to 1000 points in width of the image.
First, stop at the crossroads and see if there are significant differences between the registrars at a minimum distance. If you find fault, then the AdvoCam right number is a little darker, there is a barely noticeable ripple on the "identifier" of the red car. More importantly, I do not see any hints of confusion and the possibility of a double interpretation of individual numbers and letters.
Archive No. 1
We move from the traffic light and see how we are doing with the cars that drove a little ahead. And at the same time we get the opportunity to assess the clarity of unhurried oncoming traffic. The situation regarding the favorites is about the same, the white Audi license plate number became controversial - both AdvoCam and Mio can be mistaken for identification. Hint: the correct option - K 689 PX 197.
Archive No. 2
We switch to "hardcore", evaluate sharpness over a long distance. Ahead is the third time in a row Mio and AdvoCam, in the models we can best distinguish the rightmost license plate number. With a high error, the silhouettes of the number of the car in the center are visible, I would not call a clear winner. For information, the car number is X 486 HO 190.
Archive No. 3
Final assessment for daily shooting, three cars on almost the same line in front of the hood of my car. AdvoCam has the most contrasting and clear license plates, this time Mio is clearly in second place, the “old man” BlackVue has seriously surpassed such an ancient brainchild of Akenori.
Archive №4
We turn to night still frames. We get up again at the traffic lights and consider the results. With the exception of BlackVue, the registrars did the job well, I have the least complaints about AdvoCam. In principle, we can already conclude that the AdvoCam wide-angle 1296p registrar has only one minus, and even that is insignificant. I have in mind a periodically manifesting subtle “ripple”, which was mentioned earlier.
Archive No. 5
We touch from the intersection and consider the number of the “soloist” of the frame. In all four cases, the number is clearly distinguishable, and BlackVue suddenly received a “gold”. From receiving the same award, Mio separates the presence of “purity”. In AdvoCam, the “white balance” “turns yellow”, but there are no questions in contrast - as with Akenori.
Archive №6
Another traffic light, slowly moving off. Akenori has the best clarity, but AdvoCam and Mio can also make out letters and numbers easily. Relight BlackVue I would not blame on the features of the installation - the camera was fixed almost in the center of the windshield.
Archive No. 7
Let us turn to a taxi, which accelerates ahead of me on the right. Once again, if we were talking about 120-degree shooting at 1296p, then 1080p cameras would become obvious outsiders.
Archive No. 8
Final - the left car drives out to the “zebra”, at this time the car overtaking caught up with her. If the same driver, let’s say, scratched your car and tried to hide, the most accurate number would have been recorded with AdvoCam, with a minimum margin of error - BlackVue. It is he who has the “main” three digits distinguishable better compared to Mio and Akenori.
Archive №9
I would be extremely interested in repeating this test, but already with AdvoCam-FD8 Gold GPS or “Red” - I do not exclude the possibility that in the future I will try to bring this idea to life. In the meantime, I can confidently say that at least in registrars with a viewing angle of 170 degrees diagonally, shooting at 1296p is more than justified and allows you to not lose, and sometimes even slightly beat, 1080p models in terms of image sharpness. Of course, my assessment of even visual pictures can be subjective, so I wonder what you think about the topic raised in the material.
To be more precise, I was not interested in the ultra-high resolution as such. It is no secret that, other things being equal, the larger the viewing angle of the camera, the shorter the distance in direct readability of those same license plates. Whereas, for example, I consider within the city archival presence of such a characteristic as 170 degrees of diagonal viewing in the camera. Because on the side the most unpleasant surprises can “fly in”, right down to the pedestrian fraudster. And I prefer the single-chamber model to cover as much space as possible.
So, a blitz-comparison of still images with AdvoCam FD8 SE and other registrars showed that just the presence of 1296p seems to give the camera the same “margin of pixels" that allows you to maintain such a desired distance of clarity - up to 20 meters at a maximum viewing angle. Maybe at first glance my explanation does not hold water, but the fact remained. In a quick comparison, it seemed that a 170-degree recorder with shooting at 1296p records at least at a level with 120- / 130-degree opponents with good “stuffing”.
First, I will introduce the main participants and give their characteristics. I understand that ideally it would be possible to make another selection, and the “old man” BlackVue is not at all particularly relevant (although his average price tag on Yandex.Market is 13,900 rubles or $ 250!). But still - it was such a company of models that crept on the windshield of my car.
Technical characteristics of registrars:
| AdvoCam FD8 SE | BlackVue DR400G-HD II | Mio MiVue 568 | Akenori 1080 X | |
| Lens | 5 glass lenses | Not specified | Not specified | 6 glass lenses |
| CPU | Ambarella A7LA50 | Model not specified | Model not specified | AmbarellaA5S |
| Matrix | Aptina AR0330 | Model not specified | Aptina | Aptina |
| Diagonal viewing angle | 170 | 120 | 130 | 130 |
| Shooting Resolution | 2304 x 1296 pixels | 1920 x 1080 pixels | 1920 x 1080 pixels | 1920 x 1080 pixels |
| Price | 7 000 rubles or $ 130 | 13 900 rubles or $ 250 | 8 700 rubles or $ 160 | 10 400 rubles or $ 190 |
Before starting to study the received freeze frames, I will make the following remark. In this comparison, I am by no means saying or trying to show that 1296p is definitely better than 1080p. As you know, such a thing would look rather silly, after all, the quality of shooting is the result, first of all, of a bunch of high-quality CMOS sensors, a processor and a lens. I also note that there are six 1296p recorders with different viewing angles in the AdvoCam line, including AdvoCam-FD8 Profi-GPS RED (120 degrees, 8,290 rubles or $ 150) and AdvoCam-FD8 Gold GPS (170 degrees, 9,490 rubles or $ 170).
And yet - no matter what the result of the AdvoCam FD8 SE, the quality of the "golden" model should be slightly better than the "SE" due to the more "advanced" filling in the face of the Ambarella A7LA70 processor versus the LA50. The same processor provided the AdvoCam-FD8 Gold GPS and also shooting Full HD at a frequency of 60 fps.
By comparison!
I warn you right away - there will be no YouTube videos in which this service perfectly compresses the video and allows you to correctly compare unless the white balance in the frame. Therefore, under each scene, I will give an archive where the freeze frames and the video from which the screenshots were taken will be shown. Also, for the most impatient, I will immediately give two links. Here is a complete archive of the original freeze frames. Here are the same still pictures with enlarged sections of license plates. I also provide the originals because Geektimes shows reduced to 1000 points in width of the image.
First, stop at the crossroads and see if there are significant differences between the registrars at a minimum distance. If you find fault, then the AdvoCam right number is a little darker, there is a barely noticeable ripple on the "identifier" of the red car. More importantly, I do not see any hints of confusion and the possibility of a double interpretation of individual numbers and letters.
Archive No. 1
We move from the traffic light and see how we are doing with the cars that drove a little ahead. And at the same time we get the opportunity to assess the clarity of unhurried oncoming traffic. The situation regarding the favorites is about the same, the white Audi license plate number became controversial - both AdvoCam and Mio can be mistaken for identification. Hint: the correct option - K 689 PX 197.
Archive No. 2
We switch to "hardcore", evaluate sharpness over a long distance. Ahead is the third time in a row Mio and AdvoCam, in the models we can best distinguish the rightmost license plate number. With a high error, the silhouettes of the number of the car in the center are visible, I would not call a clear winner. For information, the car number is X 486 HO 190.
Archive No. 3
Final assessment for daily shooting, three cars on almost the same line in front of the hood of my car. AdvoCam has the most contrasting and clear license plates, this time Mio is clearly in second place, the “old man” BlackVue has seriously surpassed such an ancient brainchild of Akenori.
Archive №4
We turn to night still frames. We get up again at the traffic lights and consider the results. With the exception of BlackVue, the registrars did the job well, I have the least complaints about AdvoCam. In principle, we can already conclude that the AdvoCam wide-angle 1296p registrar has only one minus, and even that is insignificant. I have in mind a periodically manifesting subtle “ripple”, which was mentioned earlier.
Archive No. 5
We touch from the intersection and consider the number of the “soloist” of the frame. In all four cases, the number is clearly distinguishable, and BlackVue suddenly received a “gold”. From receiving the same award, Mio separates the presence of “purity”. In AdvoCam, the “white balance” “turns yellow”, but there are no questions in contrast - as with Akenori.
Archive №6
Another traffic light, slowly moving off. Akenori has the best clarity, but AdvoCam and Mio can also make out letters and numbers easily. Relight BlackVue I would not blame on the features of the installation - the camera was fixed almost in the center of the windshield.
Archive No. 7
Let us turn to a taxi, which accelerates ahead of me on the right. Once again, if we were talking about 120-degree shooting at 1296p, then 1080p cameras would become obvious outsiders.
Archive No. 8
Final - the left car drives out to the “zebra”, at this time the car overtaking caught up with her. If the same driver, let’s say, scratched your car and tried to hide, the most accurate number would have been recorded with AdvoCam, with a minimum margin of error - BlackVue. It is he who has the “main” three digits distinguishable better compared to Mio and Akenori.
Archive №9
Conclusion
I would be extremely interested in repeating this test, but already with AdvoCam-FD8 Gold GPS or “Red” - I do not exclude the possibility that in the future I will try to bring this idea to life. In the meantime, I can confidently say that at least in registrars with a viewing angle of 170 degrees diagonally, shooting at 1296p is more than justified and allows you to not lose, and sometimes even slightly beat, 1080p models in terms of image sharpness. Of course, my assessment of even visual pictures can be subjective, so I wonder what you think about the topic raised in the material.
