Back up camera poorer quality than lane watch camera?

Videone

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I have just noticed the crappy quality of the back up camera on my 2016, compared to the lane watch camera. To be honest with you...it may have always been like this, or it may be something new. I would think that the quality of both cameras would be about the same. This is my first car with a back up camera, so I was just happy with any image. Anyone else notice the difference? Is it possible that it started out with an OK image and has gotten worse?
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The resolution of the backup camera is a lot lower than the lane watch. Honda is just trying to save a few bucks there.
 

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Make sure you clean the cameras. I find the LaneWatch camera to perform worse at night than the backup cam (since the backup cam is aided with the lights in the rear), but overall they're both average amongst car manufacturers.
 
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Honda Civic 10th gen Back up camera poorer quality than lane watch camera? BACK UP CAM
View attachment 136477 View attachment 136477 View attachment 136478 View attachment 136478
Make sure you clean the cameras. I find the LaneWatch camera to perform worse at night than the backup cam (since the backup cam is aided with the lights in the rear), but overall they're both average amongst car manufacturers.
I do clean it almost every time I get in the car. I noticed today that there seems to be "something" on the inside of the lens. If moisture is getting inside the lens, that may be my issue. This is what it looks like AFTER cleaning the lens. View attachment 136475

and this is the lane watch image.

Honda Civic 10th gen Back up camera poorer quality than lane watch camera? LANE WATCH CAM
 

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REBELXSi

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Yes, the back up camera isn't nearly as clear as the lane watch but you're not going very fast when using the back up cam so I wouldn't worry much.
 

davidpeab

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My backup camera is much clearer than the one in your pic above. I would say you have a bad lens cover, retaining some moisture. I could nearly read the license plate on the car behind you in that pic with my camera.
 

Gruber

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Several points here.
First, a good quality picture of your camera's lens itself would help more than the picture you took with an obviously dirty lens. How come it is not obvious to you that your lens was dirty and for what purpose would you post here a picture from a dirty camera?

Second, if you wipe the dirty lens often with just anything you grab, you will finally scratch it. Maybe you already did?

Third, the lens of the backup camera is extremely wide angle. It covers distance from less than one foot to infinity. It has to have a tiny sensor to achieve this large depth of field with a cheap, tiny lens. All this (wide field and tiny sensor) combines to look like a less sharp picture. The lane watch camera does not cover so deep a field - it's not sharp at all at close distance. That's why it can be sharper at the distance it is designed for.

To have a super high quality picture from this type of camera you would need to pay more.
 
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Several points here.
First, a good quality picture of your camera's lens itself would help more than the picture you took with an obviously dirty lens. How come it is not obvious to you that your lens was dirty and for what purpose would you post here a picture from a dirty camera?

I should have mentioned that the photo I posted was taken just after I cleaned the lens with wet finger and micro fiber cloth. That's the issue...it always looks "dirty".

Second, if you wipe the dirty lens often with just anything you grab, you will finally scratch it. Maybe you already did?

No scratches on the lens.

Third, the lens of the backup camera is extremely wide angle. It covers distance from less than one foot to infinity. It has to have a tiny sensor to achieve this large depth of field with a cheap, tiny lens. All this (wide field and tiny sensor) combines to look like a less sharp picture. The lane watch camera does not cover so deep a field - it's not sharp at all at close distance. That's why it can be sharper at the distance it is designed for.

To have a super high quality picture from this type of camera you would need to pay more.
Thanks for your input. I am taking it in next week to have the dealer take a look.
 
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tsupersonic

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I do clean it almost every time I get in the car. I noticed today that there seems to be "something" on the inside of the lens. If moisture is getting inside the lens, that may be my issue. This is what it looks like AFTER cleaning the lens.

and this is the lane watch image.
That is NOT normal. You should go to the dealership to fix that. It's much clearer than that.
 
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That is NOT normal. You should go to the dealership to fix that. It's much clearer than that.
Went to the dealer today and they agreed the image sucks. Although, the service manager said he has seen worse. They ordered a new camera.

In an unrelated problem...they also agreed to order a new pad for the rain sensing wipers (I have been having issues with the wipers working too fast)...I'm not too optimistic about that fix, but it's worth a try.
 

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I have just noticed the crappy quality of the back up camera on my 2016, compared to the lane watch camera. To be honest with you...it may have always been like this, or it may be something new. I would think that the quality of both cameras would be about the same. This is my first car with a back up camera, so I was just happy with any image. Anyone else notice the difference? Is it possible that it started out with an OK image and has gotten worse?
I owned a 2015 Hyundai Veloster, I returned it at the end of its lease and I bought a 2019 Civic Coupe Touring. I was disappointed to find out that the backup cam on my 2019 Honda is a lower resolution than that of my Veloster.
I checked the camera lens very carefully and there is no plastic on it and it's not dirty. It's either a poor quality camera or it's defective. The video on my display is blurry and grainy. The mirror cam however is acceptable, clear and focused.
My backup cam reminds me of a VHS tape when you make copies of a copy.

I'm just wondering if it's worthwhile to bring it to the dealership to have it looked at?...or if it's just a poor quality cam?
 
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Videone

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Update...got the replacement camera installed yesterday. Here is a shot of the old one;
Honda Civic 10th gen Back up camera poorer quality than lane watch camera? aa


And here is the new one:

Honda Civic 10th gen Back up camera poorer quality than lane watch camera? a

Quite the difference. It now looks the way it did when the car was new. If anyone has a crappy image on your BU cam, I'd take it the dealer and have them check it out. The quality of the replacement camera, although a huge improvement, still sucks when compared to my wife's 2018 Mazda 6.
 


 


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