Post by Bad Drivers of Southern ON on May 4, 2015 23:39:10 GMT -5
One of the closest things to my idea of the perfect dash cam on sale today is the Mini 0806. Its discreet appearance, small size, really good video quality, high storage capacity (up to a grand total of 256 GB using two 128 GB microSD cards, which according to BlackboxMyCar is good for over FIVE DAYS of footage) and reasonable price tag make it an incredibly tempting buy. This, along with the A118 and the slightly older Mini 0805, is on my shopping list for my next dash cam.
However, the 0806 isn't perfect. The first ones to roll out of the factory suffered from quality issues like the lens being out of focus and the GPS not working. (Though, to be honest, GPS is one of the features that I don't really care about.) Techmoan faced numerous problems with his 0806 and sent it back for a refund. The parking mode leaves something to be desired. The lane departure warning system is really a bit of a gimmick.
Personally, my biggest gripe with this (and with most dash cams, in fact) is that it doesn't come with a rear channel (which I often found myself needing. See Bad Drivers of Southern Ontario 3). I have seen other dash cams with a rear channel like the BlackVue DR650GW-2CH (another one of the closest things to my idea of the perfect dash cam), eCELL Focus and FineVu T9, but none of them are perfect. The DR650GW-2CH, for example, has a great design (discreet front camera, tiny discreet rear camera) and a lot of features, but the footage is (from what I've heard and seen) on the blocky side, the sound quality isn't the greatest and the price tag is astronomical. (The resolution is different for each of the two cameras, but this is only a minor gripe.) The Focus is more reasonably-priced and features two tiny black cameras and a separate recording unit, which is great if, if you're like me, one of your main priorities with a dash cam is its inconspicuousness, but it only records in 720p and the video quality (at least from what I've seen) is incredibly blocky. I couldn't find much information about the T9, but what I do know is that it has an incredibly tempting price tag, but it's way too big and way too noticeable, the instructions and software only come in Korean and the rear channel records at an archaic 4:3 aspect ratio.
So, this is my idea of the perfect dash cam:
Now, as the old saying goes, nothing is perfect. I doubt that there will ever be a dash cam that pulls all of this off. The closest thing to this is BlackVue DR650GW-2CH, but like I said before, it has a few issues, chief among which is the price. Again, the Mini 0806 also comes close, but it lacks the facility for a rear channel and quality hasn't always been its greatest asset. What I would likely do is buy two 0806s and mount them on the front and rear, which is still cheaper than buying one DR650GW-2CH.
And, of course, all of us have different needs and wants, even when it comes to dash cams. For example, some of us are perfectly content with putting a camera with a large screen on your windshield (like the G1W), but some of us (me included) want a dash cam that is barely noticeable even from the driver's seat. So, I'm curious. Tell me, what's your idea of the perfect dash cam?
However, the 0806 isn't perfect. The first ones to roll out of the factory suffered from quality issues like the lens being out of focus and the GPS not working. (Though, to be honest, GPS is one of the features that I don't really care about.) Techmoan faced numerous problems with his 0806 and sent it back for a refund. The parking mode leaves something to be desired. The lane departure warning system is really a bit of a gimmick.
Personally, my biggest gripe with this (and with most dash cams, in fact) is that it doesn't come with a rear channel (which I often found myself needing. See Bad Drivers of Southern Ontario 3). I have seen other dash cams with a rear channel like the BlackVue DR650GW-2CH (another one of the closest things to my idea of the perfect dash cam), eCELL Focus and FineVu T9, but none of them are perfect. The DR650GW-2CH, for example, has a great design (discreet front camera, tiny discreet rear camera) and a lot of features, but the footage is (from what I've heard and seen) on the blocky side, the sound quality isn't the greatest and the price tag is astronomical. (The resolution is different for each of the two cameras, but this is only a minor gripe.) The Focus is more reasonably-priced and features two tiny black cameras and a separate recording unit, which is great if, if you're like me, one of your main priorities with a dash cam is its inconspicuousness, but it only records in 720p and the video quality (at least from what I've seen) is incredibly blocky. I couldn't find much information about the T9, but what I do know is that it has an incredibly tempting price tag, but it's way too big and way too noticeable, the instructions and software only come in Korean and the rear channel records at an archaic 4:3 aspect ratio.
So, this is my idea of the perfect dash cam:
- Small and discreet front and rear cameras which can sort of blend in with the car's interior and look like it's part of the car. This should make things easy when it comes to installing (setting, hiding and forgetting) the dash cam. The closest we've got is the A118, but it doesn't have a rear channel. If the front camera is large, the rear camera being smaller than the front is also ideal, much like the DR650GW-2CH. (Side note: As much as I like the DOD RX8W for being discreet, it doesn't have a rear channel and it isn't ideal for modern cars with buttons on the rearview mirror.)
- Identical front and rear camera quality. The Focus does this, but the video quality leaves a lot to be desired.
- Great video quality. Something along the lines of DOD dash cams and more modern (0803 and newer) Mini dash cams.
- Large storage capacity. Not as large as the Mini 0806, but large enough for one or two days worth of video. 128 GB of storage, like that of the Lukas 7300, should be perfect.
- High temperature tolerances. There are many of us who live in Canada, where the temperature can easily dip below -20°C or rise above 30°C (in a car, it can get even hotter). I have yet to see a dash cam which can operate at temperatures below -20.
- Reasonable price. Something along the lines of the T9's price tag is ideal.
Now, as the old saying goes, nothing is perfect. I doubt that there will ever be a dash cam that pulls all of this off. The closest thing to this is BlackVue DR650GW-2CH, but like I said before, it has a few issues, chief among which is the price. Again, the Mini 0806 also comes close, but it lacks the facility for a rear channel and quality hasn't always been its greatest asset. What I would likely do is buy two 0806s and mount them on the front and rear, which is still cheaper than buying one DR650GW-2CH.
And, of course, all of us have different needs and wants, even when it comes to dash cams. For example, some of us are perfectly content with putting a camera with a large screen on your windshield (like the G1W), but some of us (me included) want a dash cam that is barely noticeable even from the driver's seat. So, I'm curious. Tell me, what's your idea of the perfect dash cam?