Blurry video from Vixia hf g40

[ddywz]

Hello,  had this camera for over 3 years now and it works great.  Never had any issues with it but then all my recordings have been using its SD card(s) and the videos recorded look great.

This past Sunday I wanted to use it to livestream the Liturgy for the Church and did not like the video output from it.  

Here is how I set it up:

Canon Vixia hf g40 is connected via HDMI cable to a Magewell Gen 2 USB dongle to pass the video signal to a USB3 port on the streaming PC that uses vMIX software for streaming.  The video on vMIX monitor area appears to be blurry especially on the right side of the view. (I don't know why the left side looks a bit better, but still that is blurry too)

I used  Manual mode on camera and locked the video output to 720p and the setting for stream is set to 720p on vMIX sending it to Youtube.

Can someone take a look at the streamed video and suggest what may be the issue?

video streamed 

If you just view around 9:40 to minute 10,  you can see the icons in iconostas on right side look blurry.  Also, upon zooming on Priest, he looks blurry too.  If you look from a small display maybe is fine, but looking at it on a regular PC or a TV you can tell.

I am using iAF and the shutter speed is set for 1/60.  Have assigned Gain to the dial in front and adjusted it for the amout of brightness I need .   Also have turned off the "Output Onscreen Displays". 

I am thinking that those ceiling chandeliers are reflecting back from iconostas and affect the focus?

The distance from the camera is about 50ft and have turned off digital zoom.  Maybe the distance is too big for the objects to be on focus?   Have tried other settings but so far no luck and the output is still blurry. 

Any thought? 

Thanks in advance.

[IamintheUK]

I have had a look at your video and see your problems. First off the 720p output is at quite a low bitrate though you cannot do much about that as it is a limitation of what the camera provides, so the image is soft to start with. I see that difference in focus between the left and right. It may be the camera or the vMix software that is to blame.

Are you sure auto focus was on? I ask as when he walks towards the camera there is no shift in the focus which I would expect.

Overall I think it's the low bitrate 720p that is the main culprit, but do check that the focus is not set to manual.

[ddywz]

Thanks for your reply.  I use the same vMIX with a logitech webcam and looks much better...  Definitely is not the vMIX.  vMIX would not cause the right side of the view to be blurrier than left...  It is definitely in the camera.

Well, are you saying if I switch the camera to 1080p it will be better?  Reason I put it for 720p is because was the first broadcast and was not sure how bandwidth will sustain on 1080p knowing I'm using wireless 4G LTE for connectivity  to youtube.  Unfortunately there is no other internet connectivity option where the church is located.  I do get though 30Mbps upload from verizon 4G LTE router and may try to switch to 1080p.

I cannot explain why the right is worse than left side.  There is nothing wrong with the camera hardware.  I think the whole problem is the reflections from lights but I would be surprised if they affect so much the video quality.

Yes,  the focus is set to iAF.  Tried AF and MAF,  same results.  No matter what,cannot make the image sharper.

I'm wating for PTZ 30x NDI camera to arrive but they are in back order everywhere.  Until then have to use this.  I'm still ashamed to have this kind of video quality from a 1K camcorder. 

Any other thoughts?

[IamintheUK]

1080p would be better. It is possible the bright lights are having an effect on the focus. As a test, if you record with the same settings to the SD card what does the image look like?

[ddywz]

I changed the settings on camera to 1080p and set the ND filter to auto.  Also on vMIX set the video for 1080p /59.94p  and the video looks much better now.  At least the left and right differences are gone.  Still I see artifacts around the person head when I zoom in but is better than before.  Could it be the Magewell capture device?  There is a utility for it but I have not played with. 

I have to still record on its SD card and compare, have not done that part yet. 

Thanks for suggestions.

[DaveDR]

I get the blurry on mine, especially with hand movements, in decent if low lighting. Meantime, the Sony in the room is crisp and sharp. I have mine on the highest setting, auto focus, and not just stream but also capturing on the high quality SD card. Results are the same. Very dicouraging.

[ddywz]

I discontinued it for livestreaming.  Using a PTZOptics 30X via NDI.  Much better in video quality but this one has some barrel distortions and straight objects on top and bottom appear bended.  Waiting on a firmware update to correct this issue.  NDI is so much better and gives you freedom of bulky cables.  I only have a slim cat6 to it and all is done via that cable,  PoE, PTZ, video signal.