Best Dashboard Camera For Your Car
I think you are looking for the best dashboard camera. But aren’t sure yet that which model is best for you? This site helps you make your decision but no matter whether your budget is small or big. We have got reviews of the top rated dashboard cameras those are available in any price range. If you wonder where to start then you should have a look at our constantly updated list of the best dash cams for 2016.
Dashboard cameras are also called as car cameras, dash cams, car DVRs, or even accident recorders. Although they do record more than just accidents. You can see them below. They have been becoming more familiar and there are the huge different variety of devices on the market, most of them from little or small known manufacturers.
In June 2013 the DashboardCameraReviews.com was launched. The features of Dashboard, technical details, reviews and sample videos of more than 50 dashboard camera models. Continually reviews are being added. Building a comprehensive database as that makes it easy to compare the various dashboard camera models and brands. Check out large dash cam comparison table unless if you are looking for the perfect camera for your car. Thus you will find it there!
What Features To Look For In A Dashboard Camera
Unless you are quite popular with all of the technical terms as that decides which dashboard camera to buy that seems more difficult than that actually is. The list that follows explains briefly what to look out for while selecting your camera.
Single Or Dual Channel?
The first decision you need to make is whether you need to have your dash camera recording forward through your windshield only that must be a single channel or whether to get a front and rear facing camera system and that is of dual channel.
The rear camera is able to either face back into the car’s interior, just like taxi cams, or it is able to look through the rear window and record the road by far the most popular option behind your car.
But for trucks and other vehicles, it doesn’t consist any rear window, as there is also a niche solution that is especially with a weatherproof rear camera that can be mounted on the outside of your vehicle.
Due to the complexity of processing two video streams is simultaneously added. The quality of dual channel systems is still quite a bit more expensive than single channel cams. As there are some cheap devices available for less than $100, and we don’t necessarily recommend those. The high-quality dual-channel cams at present cost are between $200-$400.
The best dual channel cams those are available in 2016 for an overview, then check out this article, or have a look over our dual dash cam comparison table.
Video Resolution
A dashboard camera’s very important factor is the quality of video that is the video resolution it is able to record. The lowest resolution that any dash camera should support is 720p as generally 1280×720 pixels and is also known as HD. However, 720p is considered to be outdated in 2016 except for the rear cameras of some dual channel systems.
The today’s standard is definitely 1080p or higher than 1080p because a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels and also known as Full HD. Are you willing to be able for keeping track of all the details and to capture your scenic drives in all their glory?Then you are not needed to settle for anything less even though if you are on a budget. For way below $100, the high-quality 1080p cameras are available.
To date, the DOD LS460W is the best 1080p camera
The New cameras support video resolutions such as 1296p that is 2304×1296 pixels or 2560×1080 wide screen. 1296p is in a standard format 16:9 , just such as 1080p and 720p, on concord with more detail.
2560×1080 is flatter and wider than the aforementioned resolutions with an aspect ratio of 64:27. So, it is more than twice as wide as it is high. This format is quite useful for dashboard cameras because it puts more focus on your surroundings to the left and right, as it is apart from having more of a cinematic feel to it, at the time you are showing less of the sky above and of your own car’s dashboard and hood.
Sample 2560×1080 video, as recorded by a Mini 0806
If you want to see the today’s available highest video resolution then check out the Dome D201. One of the first dash cams to support 1440p as it is 2560×1440 pixels. This is the first camera that we have reviewed that can do this resolution and its video quality is indeed quite impressive. It can be had for just a little more than $100 while it’s not the stealthiest dash cam out there. So consider the D201 if you are mostly interested in top-notch video quality.
The Dome D201 has excellent video quality at the highest resolution that is 1440p.
Night Video Quality
Many dashboard cameras during the daytime are with a resolution of 1080p or above capture decent video. The ability to grab the good quality video footage at night is what separates the great camera models from the average.
As the true night vision is not necessary for a dash cam as you will normally have your headlights on when you drive in the dark if you drive a lot at night make sure that your camera is able to capture the quality footage independent of sunlight.
The DOD-LS460W has an excellent night video quality due to its large aperture
and a technique called WDR. As it stands for Wide Dynamic Range.
Night Vision LEDs
Few cheaper cameras those are supposed to improve night performance comes with LEDs. LEDs are absolutely useless for night vision on dash cams. They also tend to cause reflections on the windshield as it doesn’t have hope to illuminate the road in front of you. That’s what you have headlights for anyways that are far more powerful. If your cam does have LEDs turn them off or avoid dash cams with LEDs.
Discreetness
Probably you don’t need your camera to stick out such as a sore thumb on the windshield of your car. Dash cams come in different sizes. The smaller is almost always better and therefore more discreet. In fact, cramming lots of features into a small device normally comes with higher price tag.
And the color black is definitely preferred for a dashboard camera as if you choose any other color, it gives too much attention to it. If you need your camera to be low profile, then it doesn’t make sense to get it in any other color than black.
Loop Recording
Loop recording means that once your storage is full, the camera overwrites the oldest files on the memory card automatically, thus enabling it to record indefinitely. A dashboard camera is an absolute must. To determine your camera that doesn’t stop recording at the time of running out of disc space.
Of course, you may have the option to select or mark those parts of the footage that you may like to keep. If your camera has a G-sensor just observe the below content, whenever an impact is detected then automatically files are marked for safe keeping.
G-sensor
A G-sensor is a very useful feature as it is triggered by a g-force event such as a sudden braking maneuver or an impact. Automatically the camera will mark the current footage for safekeeping whenever an event is detected so that it doesn’t accidentally get deleted by the loop recording.
Motion detection
G-sensors doesn’t get confused with a feature called motion detection, by analyzing the camera’s video it detects events by analyzing the camera’s video and is mainly used in parking mode.
Lock File Button
A lock file button or an “emergency” button is a dedicated button on the camera that allows you to mark the current video footage for safe keeping. The meaning of this is you can save your video file within a single touch of a button instead of potentially having to go through a menu.
Many modern dash cams consist of a G-sensor, so when an impact is detected then the footage will be saved anyways, but a lock file button is completely convenient in the case if anything else happens that you would like to keep the video off.
Auto On/Off
Another must have. This means that when you turn the ignition key automatically your camera starts recording. You don’t need to get into a situation where something happens that you would like most to keep the video off. It is just to find out and remember that you forgot to turn your dash cam on that day.
Parking Mode / Buffered Parking Mode
In your absence, if someone damages your car, a dash cam with the parking mode will come to life and then start recording so that you can see who hit your car. Remember that dash cams take some time to wake up unless your device has buffered parking mode, it might already be too late to see what happened by the time your camera starts recording.
In buffered parking mode, continuously the dash cam records while you are parked on concord unless an event is detected the footage will not be saved to the memory card that is either by visual motion or detection by the G-sensor. Frequently, footage from 4-10 seconds before until 20-60 seconds after the event will be saved.
The internal batteries of dash cams only last for a couple of minutes mostly. In order to not drain your car’s battery, you may need to get a Battery Discharge Prevention device. Some of the dash cams come with a built-in discharge prevention just like the BlackVue DR750LW.
Date and Time Stamp
If you ever need to use your video footage as evidence then this comes in handy. When you install your camera, confirm yourself that you set the date and time.
Screen
The screen is an Optional. As the screen is great to see what your camera recorded right away. Then it also makes the camera less discreet and thus the camera bigger. The notable exception is rear-view mirror cameras such as the HDVR-180, as that integrates the screen right into the surface of the mirror.
GPS
GPS is also Optional but very useful. That allows you to record your exact speed and position and to blend it into the video feed along with the time stamp and date. The obvious drawback is that the camera will be larger and more expensive. Some of the dash cams such as the BlackSys CF-100 gives you the choice to connect an external GPS module by keeping the camera discreet and small. Others such as the Mini 080x series integrate their GPS module into the camera’s mount.
External modules tend to pick up the GPS signal more reliably and faster. On concord, the drawback is that you have to install the GPS module somewhere individually or separately. It is a tradeoff so that you should consider how crucial a good GPS signal is to you as opposed to the installation easily.
Taxi Cam
Taxi cams are essentially dual channel cams. They consist of the rear camera filming the interior of the car. This is mainly useful for taxi drivers and other professional people transporters. The rear camera needs infrared LEDs to be able to “see in the dark” in the night. A recently released great taxi cam that is the Transcend Drive Pro 520.
Power Adapter
Usually, Dashboard cameras are mounted high on the windshield behind the rear-view mirror but get their power from the cigarette lighter. So you need a cable that you can neatly tuck away around the windshield rather than having it dangling down the middle.
Therefore, usually, dash cams come with a power adapter cable at least 11ft that is 3.5m long. With a particular purpose to allow you to install it in the most discreet way, that is possible.
In fact, you can also connect the cable directly to your car’s internal wiring or fuse box if you prefer not to use your cigarette lighter.Go through your car’s user manual to find the correct setup.
Dashboard Camera Prices
While you are already getting dash cams below $20, we don’t recommend that you buy a camera that cheap as that would likely neither it would last very long nor have a very good video quality.
The cheapest decent quality dash cam as of 2016 is the G1W that costs around $40 or if you can spend a bit more as we highly recommend the Mini 0805 which is everytime available for less than $80 prices that tend to vary quite a bit. So make sure to check all the vendors listed in the review for the best deal.
Of course as quality increases the price also gets increased. Therefore, for your suitability, we have divided the cameras on this site into three categories. Firstly affordable. That is up to $100, Secondly mid-price. That is in between $100 and $200 and Finally high-end. That is $200 and up.
Are Dashboard Cameras Legal?
The legal of dashboard cameras depends on the community and country where you live, so we can’t give any binding legal advice here. If there is doubt, consult with your local authorities.
If it’s legal where you live to record videos in the street and take photos, then dash cams are probably good too as that’s exactly what they do.
Advantages Of Having A Dash Cam In Your Car
Many people buy a dashboard camera for security reasons. Rightly so, because having a dash cam running when you suffer a hit-and-run or get involved in an accident will give you an invaluable advantage in case you ever need to prove your case in court.
Another quality of dashboard cameras that is often overlooked: They’re fun!
Think of your next weekend or holiday trip that celebrity crossing the street right in front of you or rare wildlife along the road scenic route along the island shore or over the mountain pass… The possibilities are endless!
With a dash cam, you will be able to keep reminders of those magical moments, edit them to make a holiday video, and share them with your family and friends.
So the main reasons why you want to have a dashboard camera in your car are:
- Prove your case in the unfortunate event of an accident
- Report aggressive drivers / road rage
- Protection for your parked vehicle
- Protection from insurance fraud
- Record your route and driving speed
- Monitor your employees and vehicle fleet
- Record holiday and weekend trips
- Capture scenic routes
- Share fun or unlikely events with your family, friends or the world.
Remember that meteor coming down over Siberia in early 2013? If it wouldn’t have been for all those Russian drivers with dashcams, we wouldn’t have so many YouTube videos of that once-in-a-lifetime event. On concord to this who knows, maybe you are going to be the next YouTube superstar…
Now go ahead and check out the best dashboard cameras in 2016. We are sure you’re going to find the one you like!
You May Also Like : Huawei Honor 8 – First Dual Camera Smartphone Hands On
