VIOFO Horizontal FOV Database

[Panzer Platform]

The purpose of this thread is to document the measured FOV of all future Viofo Dash Cams I receive for test & review, (and previous models).
Shoutout to these gentlemen for helping me revise my testing jig, and measurement procedure.
@rcg530 @Vortex Radar @Nigel @DT MI @Karagandinez @gse @Dex_

I settled on this method because all you need is a wall, and a yardstick.
It’s easy to duplicate so anyone can confirm & verify my measurements.
The hardest part to maintain accuracy is to place the camera lens in the same location every time, (50cm from wall).
Height doesn’t really matter as long as it matches the yardstick.
After obtaining the FOV measurement in centimeters, plugging two known measurements into a triangle calculator will provide the AOV in degrees.

Right Triangle Calculator | Find a, b, c, and Angle

How to find the missing side or angle of a right triangle? We have the answer! Check it with our right triangle side and angle calculator.

www.omnicalculator.com

Here’s a photo of my testing jig;



FRONT:
..25° FOV A229 Pro & A229 Plus Telephoto
..93° FOV A119 Mini (2022)
..99° FOV A119 Mini 2 (2023) Original Lens
102° FOV A229 Plus
111° FOV A139 Pro
112° FOV A229 Pro
114° FOV A119 Mini 2 (2023) Updated Lens

REAR:
110° FOV A229 Pro & A229 Plus
125° FOV A139 Pro

INTERIOR:
122° FOV A229 Pro & A229 Plus
124° FOV A139 Pro

INTERIOR IR LED’s:
84° FOV A229 Pro & A229 Plus
98° FOV A139 Pro

 

[Panzer Platform]

A229 Pro
25° FOV Telephoto
112° FOV Front
110° FOV Rear
122° FOV Interior
84° FOV Interior LED’s On

 

[Panzer Platform]

A229 Plus
102° FOV Front
110° FOV Rear
122° FOV Interior
84° FOV Interior LED’s On

 

[Panzer Platform]

Reserved: A229 Duo (2022)

 

[Panzer Platform]

A139 Pro
111° FOV Front
125° FOV Rear
124° FOV Interior
98° FOV Interior LED’s On

 

[Panzer Platform]

Reserved: A129 Pro (2019)

 

[Panzer Platform]

Reserved: A129 Plus (2020)

 

[Panzer Platform]

A119 Mini (2022)
93° FOV

 

[Panzer Platform]

A119 Mini 2 (2023)
99° FOV Original Lens May 2023 - July 2023
114° FOV Upgraded Lens July 2023 - Current
Q: How to visually identify upgraded lens?
A: Shoutout to @rcg530 for the excellent post;

VIOFO A119 Mini 2 - Test and Review RCG

How Can You Tell - If Your A119 Mini 2 Has The Updated Lens I get this question frequently and so far I've not been able to identify a way to see if the A119 Mini 2 has the original lens or the updated lens. I no longer have the two A119 Mini 2 dash cameras with the original lens. VIOFO...

dashcamtalk.com

 

[Panzer Platform]

Reserved: WM1 (2023)

 

[Panzer Platform]

Reserved: VS1 (2024)

 

[Panzer Platform]

Reserved: A139 Pro Telephoto (2024)

 

[ogzogz]

Data is very important for preferability.

We conclude that the reason for the difference in the viewing angle of the A139 IR mode compared to the viewing angle of the A229 Pro/Plus IR mode is that there are 4 IR LEDs instead of 6 IR LEDs.

All other angles are related to the lens used.

 

[Panzer Platform]

the difference in the viewing angle of the A139 IR mode compared to the viewing angle of the A229 Pro/Plus IR mode is that there are 4 IR LEDs instead of 6 IR LEDs.

Correct
A229 Pro IR FOV: 84°
A139 Pro IR FOV: 98°

 

[Dashcamuser007]

Thank you Panzer, I really like this! How to calculate the diagonal angle of view so that it can be compared to other cameras? I know they used to give it diagonally. (not horizontal)

 

[Panzer Platform]

All specifications from all manufacturers should be confirmed & verified.
I do not trust any FOV, AOV, Viewing Angle specification from any manufacturer.

 

[ogzogz]

All specifications from all manufacturers should be confirmed & verified.
I do not trust any FOV, AOV, Viewing Angle specification from any manufacturer.
The only accurate comparison is to measure it with the same method.

The simplest example of this is a119 mini 2
The lens used in the beginning was narrow angle, after the focus problem caused by heating, the lens used in the a129 plus was used and the angle was widened.
Apart from that, as you said, the values may not be equivalent in practice.

 

[Nigel]

Thank you Panzer, I really like this! How to calculate the diagonal angle of view so that it can be compared to other cameras? I know they used to give it diagonally. (not horizontal)

If Panzer was to measure the diagonal FoV, then he would measure the FoV of the image. The manufacturers are measuring the FoV of the lens, which is a different measurement and should not be compared with that of the image. Panzer does not have a practical way of measuring the FoV of the lens, and it is a fairly useless measurement anyway!

Some cameras, especially Viofo cameras, have different aspect ratios depending on the settings you choose, the Viofo A119 has a 4:3 aspect ratio option, and a 16:9 aspect ratio option, and the Viofo A139 has a "super wide" 21:9 aspect ratio option, which I normally use. Each aspect ratio has a different diagonal FoV, thus the cameras do not have a fixed diagonal FoV that Panzer can give. The horizontal FoV stays the same, independent of aspect ratio.

It is the horizontal FoV that is the useful value, it tells you how far to the sides the camera can see, and how many accidents you are going to miss recording because they were off the sides of the image; the vertical FoV is only useful if you want to record meteorites, and the diagonal FoV is a compromise between the two.

The manufacturers don't normally give the diagonal FoV, it is normally the FoV of the lens, and since lenses are always circular, it is a radial FoV, not a diagonal FoV, which if you have a square image sensor will likely also be the diagonal FoV of the image. With a 4:3 aspect ratio image it is still close to the FoV of the lens, but by 16:9 it is quite a long way out, and at 21:9 is a very long way out.

The other problem is that many of the manufacturers use lenses that were not designed specifically for the sensor being used, so the FoV of the lens may be quite a bit larger than that of the sensor, which doesn't affect the image that the sensor sees but does allow them to state a wider FoV in the specifications, thus you can't compare FoV measurements between cameras with any certainty that they have useful meaning when comparing images. It is about as useful as the specification that the lens has 6 glass elements, which I guess is supposed to make you think it is a high quality lens, but what does it actually mean for image quality?

 

[gse]

Correct
A229 Pro IR FOV: 84°
A139 Pro IR FOV: 98°

How to look at a ruler to understand degrees?

 

[DT MI]

How to look at a ruler to understand degrees?

In another of Panzer's threads I posted a method.

A229 Pro Test & Review PP

Sorry to intrude, but does this reboot issue occur if you’re using the hardwire kit or is it only with the cigarette lighter charger connection?

dashcamtalk.com

A229 Pro Test & Review PP

Sorry to intrude, but does this reboot issue occur if you’re using the hardwire kit or is it only with the cigarette lighter charger connection?

dashcamtalk.com