The lens in my CGO3+ is misaligned (pics)

[BoostedPerspective]

I'm coming off of the Q500 4k, so I know what to expect from the camera. I got fantastic results (for what these things are) with the CGO3. I finally got my H out today in the bright sunlight. Identical settings that I used on the Q500. But this isn't a settings issue, you can easily see the lens is misaligned and very much out of focus. I'll put up a couple of shots with the CGO3, and my CGO3+. Did some testing in my dining room, ISO 100, 125th shutter w/ some LED lighting. The only thing I can get to be decently in focus is about 3' away. Further than that, its out.

This isn't a bash session, I'm not upset. Its a bummer, yes. The H (so far) has been SO good its funny. I literally laughed the first time I switched over to rabbit mode. The Q500 was great for me, the H is OUTSTANDING.

I'm putting this out there in the name of science, in case anyone else might come across this problem. I'm going to give tech support a call this evening.


I've uploaded some images, each is labeled Q500 or Hex. All images are show RAW DNG, the processed in LightRoom.

 

[ChrisP]

I'm having what I think is the exact same problem. My video shots are dramatically out of focus, the only exception is when the craft is on the ground waiting to take off. Then the grass in the foreground is in focus, everything else is not. Let us know what you find out from tech support, we'll do the same

 

[jwjohnson]

I'm coming off of the Q500 4k, so I know what to expect from the camera. I got fantastic results (for what these things are) with the CGO3. I finally got my H out today in the bright sunlight. Identical settings that I used on the Q500. But this isn't a settings issue, you can easily see the lens is misaligned and very much out of focus. I'll put up a couple of shots with the CGO3, and my CGO3+. Did some testing in my dining room, ISO 100, 125th shutter w/ some LED lighting. The only thing I can get to be decently in focus is about 3' away. Further than that, its out.

This isn't a bash session, I'm not upset. Its a bummer, yes. The H (so far) has been SO good its funny. I literally laughed the first time I switched over to rabbit mode. The Q500 was great for me, the H is OUTSTANDING.

I'm putting this out there in the name of science, in case anyone else might come across this problem. I'm going to give tech support a call this evening.


I've uploaded some images, each is labeled Q500 or Hex. All images are show RAW DNG, the processed in LightRoom.

Hard for me to tell. Your process stripped out all the pertinent EXIF info. hex-1 looks fine to me given the resolution of the sample. Hex-3 looks terrible, but I can't tell if that because of the even lower resolution of the sample. Is that one shot on manual mode with too long of a shutter speed?

 

[BoostedPerspective]

I get very minimal EXIF info from these DNG files, no shutter or ISO info. The shutter speed can NOT be too long in direct sunlight. At this focal length and sensor size, even 1/30th would be fine. I was getting sharp images from the Q500 in sundown conditions. This is not motion blur, but out of focus. Also with my shots indoors, you can see the focus point is about 2.5' (or less) away from the lens. Not good. Here is another example for shiggles. Badly OOF.
The shots from my Q500 were perfectly fine. Looks like the lens on the CGO3+ is not focused to infinity, but in closer. I'll include another shot, on top of my car. You can easily see the focal point about 18" away, a fairly shallow DOF, then out of focus to infinity.

I spoke with tech support, and emailed them my shots. (including some from the Q500) They have emailed me an RMA, and a shipping label is coming in email this evening. I am sending the camera back. He couldn't tell me if it would be replaced with a new unit or serviced, no manager was in.

The shots I've included here are rendered at full resolution.

 

[BobW55]

I hate to ask this, but some have forgotten.
You did remove the clear protective cover from the lens?

 

[Easy12]

I certainly did as soon as it came out of the box

 

[ChrisP]

Yes, reasonable question to ask but yes. We even thought maybe the cover had left some adhesive on the lens, but after cleaning it didn't help. Here is a snapshot by the way for the group from a video stream we shot today. Take a look at the horizon areas, completely soft. (BTW, shot at UHD, sized down in photoshop to 1920x1080 just to post here)

 

[ChrisP]

Here's another snapshot from video, on the ground prior to takeoff. The camera is behaving as if it had a shallow depth of field, which for a fixed focus camera makes no sense to me. BTW, called tech support, I'm shipping the gimbal assy back to be looked at:

 

[BoostedPerspective]

I hate to ask this, but some have forgotten.
You did remove the clear protective cover from the lens?

haha, yeah the tech asked me that as well.

 

[BoostedPerspective]

Yes, reasonable question to ask but yes. We even thought maybe the cover had left some adhesive on the lens, but after cleaning it didn't help. Here is a snapshot by the way for the group from a video stream we shot today. Take a look at the horizon areas, completely soft. (BTW, shot at UHD, sized down in photoshop to 1920x1080 just to post here)

Yeah, that's pretty bad. Same as mine.

 

[BobW55]

I would have to agree something is not right. The picture you took on the ground was excellent for looking a depth of field. To my untrained eye, I can not see anything that looks "IN FOCUS" Almost like it was taken at a very HIGH ISO, or way too fast a shutter speed.
In the picture you took in flight, the same thing, all looks out of focus.
By the way that looks like beautiful area to be filming in, around here all I have is farm fields.

 

[ChrisP]

Thanks BobW55, we cant wait to film in this area once the camera is functioning correctly. BTW, ISO was as low as I could get it, as I recall 100. Also shutter speed was 1/50. We tried both automatic settings and manual and had no correct focusing under any circumstances. If you have any suggestions regarding alternate settings that might eliminate the focus problem we're all ears. We spent quite a bit of time trying different settings to see if it would fix the problem, nothing worked.

 

[Easy12]

Someone tell me if this is out of focus. The H is standing on a table. The first couple of feet are good but from there on it's out of focus (like the trees). Thats taken at full resolution

 

[BoostedPerspective]

Someone tell me if this is out of focus. The H is standing on a table. The first couple of feet are good but from there on it's out of focus (like the trees). Thats taken at full resolution
View attachment 921

Yeah, it's definitely not in focus. Even if the trees were moving, look at the trampoline.

 

[BobW55]

Now I am going to check mine. Been having so much fun flying, I have neglected the camera.
No offense, my cell phone could do a better job and it has a crappy camera.

 

[BoostedPerspective]

Make sure you're looking at these images on a large screen, at 1:1. Mine was bad enough (and so are some of these) to tell even at Instagram sizes, but when viewed 1:1 its wildly apparent. The CGO3 on my Q500 gave me photos just as good as a normal cell phone.

 

[CAPTAINDRONE]

Try this....

Take the glass lens off. Try your camera with it off.

 

[BoostedPerspective]

Try this....

Take the glass lens off. Try your camera with it off.

My camera is already gone. Maybe someone else can do it for giggles. If not, when I get it back (or a new unit) that's focused properly I'll try it.

 

[ChrisP]

The focus problem in the preceding picture is the EXACT same as mine only mine is worse. It almost looks like a dual image with a slight offset, and it gets worse as you move to the edges of the shot, really weird. Also, I had no idea the lens was removable, and my camera has also shipped back to Yuneec.
BTW, the tech support I got on the phone was great, very responsive and committed to getting to the bottom of the problem. They sent an RMA and a UPS shipping doc right away, impressed with the response. Hopefully the camera that comes back fixes these issues.

 

[Easy12]

My camera is already gone. Maybe someone else can do it for giggles. If not, when I get it back (or a new unit) that's focused properly I'll try it.

I'll try it tomorrow before I call support. Today I send them some pics but they couldn't open it (came straight from the cam)