Chilli Technology New Bullet Camera image quality?

Hi All,
I've bought one of these after a close pass too many but the quality of the image is poor to useless as number plates are unreadable both from head on and same direction passing vehicles. Its the same even on slow speed uphills were vehicles are driving slowly to overtake you.
I'm considering sending it back and asking for a refund as its nothing like the website on quality of images!!!..

Has anyone got one of these bullet cameras and what are your views on images from the camera?

Regards.

T.

Comments

  • thistle_
    thistle_ Posts: 7,218
    I don't have one but it sounds normal: https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=116155.0
    I'm not sure whether yours is a newer model to the one described?

    With my camera (different make) the quality is much better in good light and less so on dull days. But it does record 1080p @ 60fps which gives quite clear frames most of the time.
  • There are so many variables with action cameras out-of-the-box and then there are user adjustments/settings. It's near impossible to advise without the camera in-hand.

    I have a different make of camera but the lighting conditions [daylight/sunny/dull, dust, night time] make an enormous difference to the captured image quality it’s hard to believe they came from the same camera and storage card

    I assume you mean the manufactures website when you refer to the quality of images on the website. If you bought the camera to read number plates and their website clearly shows the camera recording number plates. I would email them some stills and see what they have to say about them in the first instance, mentioning The Sale of Goods Act 1979 (replaced by the Consumer Rights Act 2015) won’t do any harm as it may not be fit for purpose. If you do, let us know how you get on
  • I have one and I'm not impressed with the image quality either. I've had a couple of incidents where I've almost been knocked down by cars but couldn't read the number plates on the videos so the camera is basically useless!

    Good luck trying to get your money back by the way. I ordered the Garmin mount along with the new bullet cam but was sent the older mount. I sent a number of emails and facebook messages to the company but haven't received a reply. So after-sales service is non-existent!
  • photonic69
    photonic69 Posts: 2,875
    edited October 2020
    I have two and my wife has two and we find the image quality acceptable. Not brilliant but good enough. I have now reported two drivers for close passes. One a couple of months back where the guy stopped and got out and threatened me. The police responded and have been in touch with him. I don't know the outcome as they don't tell you, and another this Saturday where my daughter and I had a close pass. Number plate again perfectly clear and visible. I have reported this as well but too early to tell if action will take place. See pic for idea of how close! I won't put up numberplate of car at this point in time.

    There seems to be some shocking driving on the increase at the moment.


    Edit: forgot to add that mine fell off the handlebar mount at 35mph on a rough downhill stretch and bounced along a bit. Might have been run over by a car too, but I managed to recover it and after reseating the battery and sd card it worked perfectly. Now added a velcro strap to wrap around it when in the mount to stop it falling again. Oh, and the audio is quite bad on these. Lots of road noise.


    Sometimes. Maybe. Possibly.

  • tonysj
    tonysj Posts: 391
    Photonic69,
    I dont know what camera you have but its definitely a lot better than mine as you can only see right in front about 4 feet clearly. Id love to see proper footage to compare with mine.
    I've been for another ride with the bullet camera mounted on my handle bars and the image quality is SH*TE. It wouldn't even pick up the words at a roadworks traffic lights where they were digging the road up. Couldn't even read the sign saying "When red light shows wait here" or whatever it says and I was at the front nearest the traffic lights!!!!!!!.
    I even slowly passed an oncoming car on a narrow lane who politely stopped for me and couldn't read the registration either!
    I would message the owner Paul but apparently refunds seem to be unobtainable from what others have said.
    Be warned if you want a bike camera to record "Near passes" to send to the police forget it as this camera does not record number plates with any clarity to ID them.

    Steer clear Folks.....

    T.
  • tonysj Apparently Chilli Technology offer a no quibble 30 day return period - just send the cameras back
    Then look for something with a higher quality video specification. Check the action camera reviews out