Hello,

I know I shouldn't expect much regarding night performance from an action cam, but I compared my Action3 against my cheap(ish) dashcam, a 70Mai A500s(a 70Eur dashcam from 2years ago)... and I was quite dissapointed by the Action3. The dash cam appears to be brighter and sharper than my Action3, even though the A3 has a bigger sensor and the dash cam's resolution is lower. Yes, the colours on the dash cam are terrible and AWB is way off.

Is this normal low light performance for an A3? What are your experiences regarding filming in poor lighting conditions with the A3? Any tips to improve image quality in low light?

I uploaded 2videos to YT comparing them, the only difference between them is max ISO on the Action3, the rest of the settings stayed the same:
   70mai Dash Cam Pro Plus+ (A500s):
         - 1920x1440@30FPS Auto(not much to adjust)

   Dji Action3, batch 10/2022(Adv combo), firmware 01.02.10.10:
        -4K@30FPS
        -Auto Exposure(ISO 100-3200/6400 respectively, shutter speed max 1/30 , +0.0  EV),
        -Rocksteady Off, (with RS On, max shutter speed will be 1/100)
        -FOV Wide,
        -AWB,
        -Color Normal,
        -Enhanced Image: On

Sample videos are straight from the cameras, without any editing (Left side: dashcam, Right side: DJI ):
    ISO max 3200:


    ISO max 6400:

Unfortunately, links don't highlight like links and I can't copy them.  please fix it, we will look at it with pleasure.  Car cameras always work better at night than dji oa3 or gopro11.  Thanks in advance for including the links.



Edit: It's ok now. Thank you very much for correcting.

Edit 2: As for a camera for everything / for every task / the image looks quite decent.  Sports cameras like a lot of light.  Maybe in a while - the oa7 or oa8 version will make great night movies.  It's still not bad today.  I will compare myself with the gopro7 - it is normally night there.  Only gopro11 supposedly shows anything acceptably.  I greet you

to me the action 3 looks good on both clips, one  you can see a crisp shot,  I understand you want a brighter image, I shoulddo the same with the cheap  Dashcams but just happy it gets the shots like that.

if you experience site issues with embedding.    put in like so

The OA3 looks pretty good I would say sharper but the temperature is different in both the dash cam seems set to a bit warmer than the A3 so giving a slight yellow look. I’d definitely prefer the A3.

I thought the right monitor side was on the brown with the street lamps like a Kodachrome color, and hte  left a  bluish say 4500K  more natural

Hallmark007 Posted at 1-14 04:24
The OA3 looks pretty good I would say sharper but the temperature is different in both the dash cam seems set to a bit warmer than the A3 so giving a slight yellow look. I’d definitely prefer the A3.

I certainly do not. Especially if I needed to read the license plates of cars fleeing from the scene of an accident, because AO3 can't even handle large texts on traffic reflective signs, and it's no wonder it's not made for that, but you'll definitely put it there when you're considering a dashcam, right? I'm still wondering why you haven't replaced all your photo equipment with AO3 yet, a new firmware will be released just for you for astro photo, it can increase the pixel size without counting the surrounding ones. You are already embarrassing with your blind propaganda of the firmware, which only artificially sharpens the software. It is noticed even by newcomers who have no idea what you have theorized in various other threads...

If you stop on a frame and compare, there is actually a noticeable difference in sharpness on small detail. Especially edges.

I think the dash cam is doing slightly better than the A3 which is surprising really.

After watching twice I think the dash cam seems brighter and a bit sharper.  

StevoB Posted at 1-14 06:36
I certainly do not. Especially if I needed to read the license plates of cars fleeing from the scene of an accident, because AO3 can't even handle large texts on traffic reflective signs, and it's no wonder it's not made for that, but you'll definitely put it there when you're considering a dashcam, right? I'm still wondering why you haven't replaced all your photo equipment with AO3 yet, a new firmware will be released just for you for astro photo, it can increase the pixel size without counting the surrounding ones. You are already embarrassing with your blind propaganda of the firmware, which only artificially sharpens the software. It is noticed even by newcomers who have no idea what you have theorized in various other threads...

So you buy a dash cam and it cannot read the signs and you think that’s good , you’re obviously comparing the dash cam to an action cam. Remember we’ve seen your footage its nothing to write home about . Your expertise is due to reading google nothing to do with cameras or photography. So your opinion should be taken with a pinch of salt.
Incidentally the dash cam footage is a lot better than videos you posted on YT , so I wouldn’t be in a rush to compare. Read post number 3 again….

I don't want to use the A3 as a dash cam but I got to compare them sort of accidentally while playing around with the A3 and at first I was shocked when I saw the footage from both cameras in the same conditions.  The difference was massive, but that difference was due to a very dirty windscreen(the dash cam was not very affected by the dirty windscreen as it's lens it's basically next to the windshield, while the A3 with the GoPro suction mount was maybe +5cm from the windscreen). I will attach a screenshot from a comparison video I made, I won't share the full video as it isn't a fair comparsion.  
When I noticed the dirty windscreen I decided to test again with the A3 mounted on the outside and luckily the results were far better(these are the 2 videos I posted).

Actually the AWB/colours are spot on the A3, those street lights are yellow/orangeish in real life, I think the colours in general are great on the A3. The green light from the traffic lights looks blue on the dash cam, so there is no debate there. What is surprisng to me is that the dash cam provides a brighter and sharper(or very similar sharpness) to the A3, even though all the odds are against the dash cam: older and smaller sensor, lower resolution video, the dash cam is mounted inside the vehicle(see all the reflections on the windscreen, but I cleaned the windshield inside and out).  These results lead me to believe that the Action3 is let down in this case by it's lens.

Anyway, I won't be planning to use it very much in low light, but I have expected to easily outperform an old dash cam in low light. I was curious what were other people's experiences with it in low light.

Here's the screenshot I was talking about, I repeat this was through  a very dirty windscreen:

Hallmark007 Posted at 1-14 08:32
So you buy a dash cam and it cannot read the signs and you think that’s good , you’re obviously comparing the dash cam to an action cam. Remember we’ve seen your footage its nothing to write home about . Your expertise is due to reading google nothing to do with cameras or photography. So your opinion should be taken with a pinch of salt.
Incidentally the dash cam footage is a lot better than videos you posted on YT , so I wouldn’t be in a rush to compare. Read post number 3 again….

Also, the "resources" provided by me are still available and everyone will make a sober judgment, because your mouth is empty again, as always Mr. used to be a professional currently suffering from eye fog. You write what I didn't even talk about, how can you lie like that?

StevoB Posted at 1-14 09:43
Also, the "resources" provided by me are still available and everyone will make a sober judgment, because your mouth is empty again, as always Mr. used to be a professional currently suffering from eye fog. You write what I didn't even talk about, how can you lie like that?

You never heard me saying I was a professional, that title was reserved for the likes of you , its just a pity is was only on paper. You sound very bitter and its a blessing that know one has taken you up on your complete botched job. Obviously people have a lot more sense than you credit them for. Considering your video that I’ve seen its your eyes that have to cleared the fog yet. Now move along  go troll someone else.

djintonic Posted at 1-14 09:17
These results lead me to believe that the Action3 is let down in this case by it's lens.

I don't think the A3 lens is brilliant either tbh. The fov doesn't help either. I know the original Action was quite narrow, but they went to the other extreme with this one! Look at the number plate of the car going away on the right. That shows the softness of the A3 that I get. Also the building behind it. There is really poor definition there as well. However, it might be the windscreen so it's hard to judge. It's pretty typical of what I get though.

Turning it improves closer focus, but the fov means that the edges are still not quite right and with the massively wide fov on the A3, the softness creeps in quite a way as well. The joys of a wide angle lens ........

Hallmark007 Posted at 1-14 09:56
You never heard me saying I was a professional, that title was reserved for the likes of you , its just a pity is was only on paper. You sound very bitter and its a blessing that know one has taken you up on your complete botched job. Obviously people have a lot more sense than you credit them for. Considering your video that I’ve seen its your eyes that have to cleared the fog yet. Now move along  go troll someone else.

I'm going to tell you a huge secret. If I turned the lens about 15°CW (as it used to be), I would have the exact same soft image as from the factory. Well, normally it can be restored and I don't need the president's atomic briefcase for that. You describe it here as a dramatic process with no return. We didn't grind the lenses, we just moved the entire optical system by a micromillimetre from the sensor by turning it in the thread...

StevoB Posted at 1-14 10:14
I'm going to tell you a huge secret. If I turned the lens about 15°CW (as it used to be), I would have the exact same soft image as from the factory. Well, normally it can be restored and I don't need the president's atomic briefcase for that. You describe it here as a dramatic process with no return. We didn't grind the lenses, we just moved the entire optical system by a micromillimetre from the sensor by turning it in the thread...

That edge softness remains whether the lens is turned or not. It was there before you did anything. The photo above shows it clearly. But the centre closer focus is better with adjustment.

As you say, it’s a minor adjustment really!

StevoB Posted at 1-14 10:14
I'm going to tell you a huge secret. If I turned the lens about 15°CW (as it used to be), I would have the exact same soft image as from the factory. Well, normally it can be restored and I don't need the president's atomic briefcase for that. You describe it here as a dramatic process with no return. We didn't grind the lenses, we just moved the entire optical system by a micromillimetre from the sensor by turning it in the thread...

I think losing your warranty is dramatic. And it’s clear you completely botched your camera. As did the one other person who carried it out. It also seems no matter when you post you attract cling on,s who add absolutely nothing but repeating themselves like parrots. If what you done was so great and simple then everyone would be doing it. But it’s very clear most are more than happy to allow FW to see real improvements, in fact around here only two botched their camera and the rest got the message. It’s getting boring now

Hallmark007 Posted at 1-14 10:57
I think losing your warranty is dramatic. And it’s clear you completely botched your camera. As did the one other person who carried it out. It also seems no matter when you post you attract cling on,s who add absolutely nothing but repeating themselves like parrots. If what you done was so great and simple then everyone would be doing it. But it’s very clear most are more than happy to allow FW to see real improvements, in fact around here only two botched their camera and the rest got the message. It’s getting boring now

A spoiled parrot. What two? you don't ask anymore, logical...

It seems to have done Ok in that brightly lit street scene I have briefly used it on unlit roads just headlights and next to useless TBH

Try some of these settings it might improve over all your nighttime videoing.

Hallmark007 Posted at 1-15 06:02
Try some of these settings it might improve over all your nighttime videoing.

Did you actually see that video? Tell me what you see on his recording. ONLY CHRISTMAS LIGHTING DECORATIONS AND BLACK DARKNESS. That's not a night video, that's a video made after dark, and if there should be something in the scene that doesn't light up, it won't be there in its settings. Only higher ISO, stabilization off and gimbal while moving would help there...

StevoB Posted at 1-15 07:28
Did you actually see that video? Tell me what you see on his recording. ONLY CHRISTMAS LIGHTING DECORATIONS AND BLACK DARKNESS. That's not a night video, that's a video made after dark, and if there should be something in the scene that doesn't light up, it won't be there in its settings. Only higher ISO, stabilization off and gimbal while moving would help there...

Only higher ISO, stabilization off and gimbal while moving would help there...


And if you watched the video its clear that the producer mentioned this.


The video gives tips to help others who may not be so knowledgable as yourself. Continually knocking posts will not help anyone.

Although I have not done it much at night, I always had luck with the EV adjustment helping to lighten the shot more than just auto/0 setting. But that is up to the person shooting and how much action/movement is in the shot at that time. Sadly will agree that the dashcam is better, but not color correct. Which is not always needed when catching a accident or such.