I used a car mount to mount the Osmo Pocket to my car's dashboard to film footage of drives.

I used FPV mode with the AFS option in auto focus settings and shot in 4k at 30 fps.

The footage turned out to be out of focus and not sharp.

My question is: what are the best settings to record such footage?

You can see the video on YouTube:

There may be nothing wrong with your settings but I would suggest you make sure your horizon is half way up the frame rather than in the lower third. I will try to edit some car footage today for you for comparison. My mount position for the Pocket on the windscreen is as low as I can get it in the corner of the windscreen of my car. I made my own car mount from an old Satnav holder so is in no way special or expensive. I also make sure the Pocket's camera is as close to the screen as I dare and upright.

Thank you for the suggestions.

I feel the camera is focusing on the windshield, which is the primary cause of the footage being out of focus.

Since this camera has no infinity focus option, is there a way to still shoot dashcam footage that is not out of focus and blurred?

Hills Posted at 3-24 18:04
Thank you for the suggestions.

I feel the camera is focusing on the windshield, which is the primary cause of the footage being out of focus.

The camera is incapable of focusing below 10cm so get it as close to the glass as possible it will also cut down on reflections. It will lose focus on curves depending on speed taken and severity of bend. The Osmo Pocket will focus to the center of the screen and needs areas that are not bland but have detail or it will hunt. You could try single focus before you set out and I would recommend a distance of around sixty meters.  I did upload a video to YouTube but it rendered badly. Will try again later.

There is also seemingly a problem with YouTube. At present it is compressing any footage I put up more than usual.
I tried again to upload a video just for the quality to be reduced so here are two stills.
The first is from my video taken with print screen and the second is from YouTube.
and

I'm hoping they are not too compressed here either.

Thank you for your help, Ray-CubeAce. I appreciate the time you put in to helping me.

I will try again with the camera closer to the windshield.

Hills Posted at 3-25 08:21
Thank you for your help, Ray-CubeAce. I appreciate the time you put in to helping me.

I will try again with the camera closer to the windshield.

Yes, but also lower the camera angle  or the focus point will be too distant.

Ray-CubeAce Posted at 3-25 00:38
There is also seemingly a problem with YouTube. At present it is compressing any footage I put up more than usual.
I tried again to upload a video just for the quality to be reduced so here are two stills.
The first is from my video taken with print screen and the second is from YouTube.

Youtube are downing the quality at the request of the EU to save internet bandwidth, that might be the cause of your quality loss.

DAFlys Posted at 3-26 05:30
Youtube are downing the quality at the request of the EU to save internet bandwidth, that might be the cause of your quality loss.

It's not a lack of bandwidth at my end. New uploads from other You-Tubers are playing OK in 4K at my end. It seems to be compression of the video at their end. Which is odd as my upload speed seems normal. The UK's internet providers have stated we have enough bandwidth to cope during our lock-down period. Speed test. net is giving me normal readings. Past uploads are still playing normally from my channel.
All a bit odd, but still. Thanks for the suggestion.  

Ray.

I got better results using AFC mode for auto focus. See video below.

Ray-CubeAce Posted at 3-26 06:56
It's not a lack of bandwidth at my end. New uploads from other You-Tubers are playing OK in 4K at my end. It seems to be compression of the video at their end. Which is odd as my upload speed seems normal. The UK's internet providers have stated we have enough bandwidth to cope during our lock-down period. Speed test. net is giving me normal readings. Past uploads are still playing normally from my channel.
All a bit odd, but still. Thanks for the suggestion.  

Its not related to your bandwidth the EU was trying to protect the works from home by asking big streamers to use less bandwidth.

Hills Posted at 3-27 01:31
I got better results using AFC mode for auto focus. See video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWakw1plVbI

Yes, much better.
Are you using the Osmo just as a dash cam or was this just a test?

Ray.

Hills Posted at 3-27 01:31
I got better results using AFC mode for auto focus. See video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWakw1plVbI

Delete double post

DAFlys Posted at 3-27 01:54
Its not related to your bandwidth the EU was trying to protect the works from home by asking big streamers to use less bandwidth.

Doesn't seem to effect everyone in the UK.
David Harry is still uploading some decent quality footage. Will have to look into it further.

Ray.

Ray-CubeAce Posted at 3-27 03:11
Yes, much better.
Are you using the Osmo just as a dash cam or was this just a test?

It will be a multi-purpose camera. I need it to shoot stabilised footage, but was testing out the car mount and its use to shoot driving and car ride videos.

Is it better to film such dashcam footage using FPV mode or Tilt-Lock?

I shot the video below recently using AFC auto-focus mode and tilt-lock mode would make the camera lock onto something and not maintain a straight-view. When taking a sharp bend to the right, the camera would angle to the left. Is FPV mode or Tilt-Lock better for this kind of footage?

Most of my driving footage is shot with time-lapse.

https://youtu.be/k8t0cRAx7sM

Hills Posted at 3-27 01:31
I got better results using AFC mode for auto focus. See video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWakw1plVbI

Nice video that is!

Hills Posted at 4-12 18:40
Is it better to film such dashcam footage using FPV mode or Tilt-Lock?

I shot the video below recently using AFC auto-focus mode and tilt-lock mode would make the camera lock onto something and not maintain a straight-view. When taking a sharp bend to the right, the camera would angle to the left. Is FPV mode or Tilt-Lock better for this kind of footage?

Interesting to see.
What kind of 'tripod' / 'attachment' are you using to set it up on the dashboard?

JKJenn Posted at 4-21 09:46
Most of my driving footage is shot with time-lapse.

https://youtu.be/k8t0cRAx7sM

JKJenn Posted at 4-21 09:46
Most of my driving footage is shot with time-lapse.

https://youtu.be/k8t0cRAx7sM

Cool video!

Montfrooij Posted at 4-21 23:51
Interesting to see.
What kind of 'tripod' / 'attachment' are you using to set it up on the dashboard?

I made my own from an old Garmin satnav holder and some Sugru.

Ray-CubeAce Posted at 4-22 04:07
I made my own from an old Garmin satnav holder and some Sugru.

Nice

Montfrooij Posted at 4-22 04:25
Nice

Ray-CubeAce Posted at 4-22 05:33
[view_image]

[view_image]

Nice DIY project!

Montfrooij Posted at 4-22 06:40
Nice DIY project!

Got nothing better to do

Montfrooij Posted at 4-21 23:51
Interesting to see.
What kind of 'tripod' / 'attachment' are you using to set it up on the dashboard?

I purchased a car mount from Amazon and it works really well.

This is the car mount I use: https://amzn.to/34Y346N

Ray-CubeAce Posted at 4-22 11:01
Got nothing better to do

Ghegheghe.
I know.

Hills Posted at 4-22 18:12
I purchased a car mount from Amazon and it works really well.

This is the car mount I use: https://amzn.to/34Y346N

Nice
Thanks!

I really like the GoPro suction cup mount.

Hills Posted at 2020-4-12 18:40
Is it better to film such dashcam footage using FPV mode or Tilt-Lock?

I shot the video below recently using AFC auto-focus mode and tilt-lock mode would make the camera lock onto something and not maintain a straight-view. When taking a sharp bend to the right, the camera would angle to the left. Is FPV mode or Tilt-Lock better for this kind of footage?

It's a shame DJI refuses to add the option to lock the gimbal (without holding down a button.)
I love how smooth the gimbal can make a shot in certain scenarios but it does horrible in scenarios like @ 5m56s

GRandyB Posted at 5-29 06:37
It's a shame DJI refuses to add the option to lock the gimbal (without holding down a button.)
I love how smooth the gimbal can make a shot in certain scenarios but it does horrible in scenarios like @ 5m56s

Has anyone tried using the setting for the waterproof case?