SJ4000 Lens Bubbles

[matthewh]

Slightly off topic but I do have a PV2 also. I purchased a SJ4000 camera, similar to gopro. Anyway it came in and it seems okay except the lens has a few small bubbles in the glass. At first I thought the lens was just dirty but after cleaning it I discovered it would not go away. Looked at it under magnifier and I can see several bubbles in the glass lens. Without magnifier it just always looks like lens is dirty when you look at it. My eyes are getting older. The video quality is ok I guess. I hoped for better but perhaps I am expecting too much from such a tiny camera.

Is this normal or should I throw a fit about it? I ordered this off ebay for a trip I am taking to Mexico in couple weeks not leaving much time for exchanges etc. These things got really good reviews on Internet.

 

[4wd]

There's a plastic film on it to protect in transit, have you removed it?
I thought the same with mine at first.

 

[matthewh]

There is no plastic film. With a magnifier I can see about 4 - 5 air bubbles in the lens.

 

[laganm21]

I have the SJ4000 as well. the lens that came with the camera is not glass. I had to replace the lens the second day I had it. A tree branch hit the lens and scratch the hell out of it (pitted it) , I ordered and GOPRO hero 3 GLASS lens from ebay for around $11. its a night and day difference between the lenses, I know that the GoPro lens that i got is a knocked off but it is a true glass lens and it also has the ring on the outside that will thread off so you can just replace the glass lens itself (not the hole threaded tube) if it where to crack or break. you will have to tear down the SJ4000 to put the new lens and tube in and refocus. let me know if you need any help buying the right parts our need help installing.

 

[4wd]

How do others find the White Balance?
On Auto it seems rather blue to me.
I tried it on the cloudy setting and that is a little yellow but perhaps better sometimes.
Surprisingly daylight setting you would think good for bright days (?) is even more yellow.
I don't quite see where the auto setting is getting the blue option from!

I wondered if tweaking the exposure might minimise the blueness or yellowness but did not make much of it, I rather preferred it on -1/3 though which is at odds with some advice to use +1/3

 

[laganm21]

How do others find the White Balance?
On Auto it seems rather blue to me.
I tried it on the cloudy setting and that is a little yellow but perhaps better sometimes.
Surprisingly daylight setting you would think good for bright days (?) is even more yellow.
I don't quite see where the auto setting is getting the blue option from!

I really have not had any issue with a Blue hue on the camera with the stock lens or the gopro lens, the only problem that i have is in low light, it gives off and yellow hue. do you have a picture of the (Blue) you are talking about.
Also I don't have a cloudy setting or a daylight setting on my SJ4000 , are you sure we are talking about the same camera , the only setting on my camera for brightness is "HDR" the rest of the setting are for picture only

 

[4wd]

Yes it's the one which looks like a GoPro - and the stills and video are both affected by the white balance settings a way down the list of things you can change.
I only had it a couple of weeks direct from China, could be a different version.
I would not be surprised if it's pot luck what you get.

 

[laganm21]

Ok i got you, yes the white balance does effect both the picture and video, But i have never adjusted the setting, I had never needed to since i only use it in the daylight. As we all know these cameras can vary since I'm sure quality control is sub-par. I have had nothing but an awesome video and picture with mine , i am very happy with the purchase.
they only thing i can tell you is that i never had much time to test the stock SJ4000 since the second day i had i scratch the lens, I do know with the new lens i got from ebay for the gopro it have a different filter on the tube, so maybe thats where the problem lies ?

 

[4wd]

It's not a huge problem as stills can be 'warmed up' easily in photoshop and Videos slightly less easily - due to variation through the sequence - in most video software.
I suppose it would also be possible to add a warming filter on the lens.

It does seem very sharp and copes quite well with changes in exposure.
Also I was pleasantly surprised that attached direct to a Phantom 1 there is practically no jello unless it is fighting to maintain position in the wind.

 

[laganm21]

I put the Walkera G-2D gimbal on my FC40 with the sj4000, it at first it had a jello effect but since than I but a little piece of Close cell tire foam from my RC buggy between the quad frame and the gimbal mount and is smooth as gravy

 

[Phantomoz]

I have the SJ4000 as well. the lens that came with the camera is not glass. I had to replace the lens the second day I had it. A tree branch hit the lens and scratch the hell out of it (pitted it) , I ordered and GOPRO hero 3 GLASS lens from ebay for around $11. its a night and day difference between the lenses, I know that the GoPro lens that i got is a knocked off but it is a true glass lens and it also has the ring on the outside that will thread off so you can just replace the glass lens itself (not the hole threaded tube) if it where to crack or break. you will have to tear down the SJ4000 to put the new lens and tube in and refocus. let me know if you need any help buying the right parts our need help installing.

Hi Laganm21,
I am a newbie to this and I too have the SJ4000. The problem I have is also a scratched lens. I am interested in how you went about replacing your lens. Would you be able to share information on the components and how you went about replacing the lens. I have been able to locate information of GOPRO lens replacement but nothing on the SJ4000. I would appreciate your help in this. Thanks.

 

[laganm21]

I have the SJ4000 as well. the lens that came with the camera is not glass. I had to replace the lens the second day I had it. A tree branch hit the lens and scratch the hell out of it (pitted it) , I ordered and GOPRO hero 3 GLASS lens from ebay for around $11. its a night and day difference between the lenses, I know that the GoPro lens that i got is a knocked off but it is a true glass lens and it also has the ring on the outside that will thread off so you can just replace the glass lens itself (not the hole threaded tube) if it where to crack or break. you will have to tear down the SJ4000 to put the new lens and tube in and refocus. let me know if you need any help buying the right parts our need help installing.

Hi Laganm21,
I am a newbie to this and I too have the SJ4000. The problem I have is also a scratched lens. I am interested in how you went about replacing your lens. Would you be able to share information on the components and how you went about replacing the lens. I have been able to locate information of GOPRO lens replacement but nothing on the SJ4000. I would appreciate your help in this. Thanks.

yes i will gladly help, You will need to buy the lens with the tube and IR filter , Here is a link to where i bought mine http://www.ebay.com/itm/360857474625?ss ... 1439.l2649
Once you have your lens ordered you will need to take the front face off the camera, it just pops on and off using your fingernail. than you will see about 5 tiny screws, take all of them out and remove your SD card. Now you will be able to see the base where the lens tube screws in, the factory used a small amount of glue on the threads at the base (i don't know why I guess the keep it form moving) Ok this is where you need you use your own judgement. Some people have been able to just crack the glue ring lose by getting a set of channel locks and clamping on the lens ring and SLOWLY unscrewing the tube, some have broken the camera by breaking the lens base Doing this. This is what i did, I have a soldering/Heat gun station and the heat gun has different tips to direct the heat, i got the smallest tip and tuned the blower (Flow of the heat) down to where the heat only hit the glue ring till I got it soft enough to just spin it off by hand. Once you have the old tube and lens out just screw the new one in. Also be EXTREMELY careful about getting dust or debri in the open base before you screw the new lens tube in, if that happens I really don't know what to tell you. The threads are M12 so they can be hard to start and really easy to cross thread, just be careful. once that's all done then you have to refocus the lens by screwing the tube in or out, I hooked up the mini HDMI to my tv and started turning it in till it started looking good, than i when outside to see if it needed more. Once you have it all focused and you are happy , put a small dab of glue on the threads and base so the focus cant be moved again

 

[Phantomoz]

@laganm21

Thanks for your quick reply. Awesome being able to replace the lens. I'll just have to get a heat gun and the parts that you mentioned. And also to go slowly and patiently. Also interested that you mentioned that it improved the picture/video quality. That would be an added bonus that replacing the scratched lens improves the picture/video. Presumably the replacement lens is a better quality as it is glass instead of plastic as well. Do you have some files and videos that you can post? laganm21, thanks again for sharing.