After many many queries about "What dashcam should i buy", "Whats the best dashcam", "How to install a hardwire kit" or "Will the dashcam make my battery go flat "
These are the main things to consider when buying a dashcam!
BUDGET
Dash cams can range from about $100 right up to over $1000. This would be the most common factor in deciding what dash cam or brand you choose. Cheap isn't always best when it comes to electronics. Installation price should also be considered if you dont feel confident, but commonly a dash cam can be installed by anyone after arming yourself with the knowledge.
1, 2, 3 or 4 CHANNEL DASHCAM
Dash cams can be purchased with 1, 2, 3 or 4 cameras. Work out what your requirements are and what you need out of your dash cam. Many owners purchase a single channel dash cam only to find out later on that a rear facing camera would have been beneficial with an incident they were involved in. A 3rd and 4th channel dash cam has a interior camera's included.
RESOLUTION (4k - 2k or 1080p)
4k dash cams provide the best resolution (image when played back) however are usually the more expensive to purchase. Another thing to consider is the frames per second (60,30 or 25fps) is the usual standard. The higher the fps the less motion blur on playback however can also become an issue with filling up a memory card quite quickly as there are more images to process. A regular question that is raised around image quality is NUMBER PLATE review on playback. No dash cam can assure number plates are always visible on review. A lot of factors are in play here with, day, night, overcast weather, headlights and general levels of light always being a factor.
ONSCREEN OVERLAY - GPS, SPEED and DATA
Generally most dash cams will come with some type of overlay (built in) to the image. We suggest that you get a dash cam that can be formatted to your requirements in the menu. Its nice to be able to show how and where your incident has occurred or who was at fault but if it shows you speeding as well then it can cause you an issue later on if you need to submit your footage to authorities investigating. Just something to note before purchase.
PARKING MODE RECORDING - HARDWIRE KIT
A lot of dash cams have a parking mode option built in. This feature requires an additional accessory install for it to operate. So if you require your camera to record while you are away from it, this will be a must. You should also consider if you would like it to record via motion or time-lapse as this can impact your memory card storage space - for example if you park your car on a main road. We have a video guide to follow (below) if you would like to give hardwiring a go, otherwise we recommend an auto electrician or auto parts dealer to install
SUPER CAPACITOR OR BATTERY
Majority of dash cams now have a super capacitor as manufacturers move away from ni-cad batteries. There have been a range of issues with ni-cad batteries exploding in vehicles in years past, with temperatures exceeding 60 degrees inside a vehicle in Australia's hot summer. The super capacitor has many built in features including a heat shutdown/cutoff. The Super capacitor will usually shutdown with ignition of vehicle, where battery can last a few minutes of recording after an incident possibly if the dash cam isn't hardwired.
RECORDING CAPACITY SIZE
Many dash cams use a micro-sd card as the storage system. This can also be an extra cost when purchasing a dash cam, as some brands provide it and others do not. The dash cam will also have a MAX capacity (some up to 512gb) and we recommend that if you want to use parking mode on top of the normal recording of road footage that you consider selecting the maximum size card. Other dash cam have inbuilt storage in the dash cam unit, the dash cam will have options when purchasing the size. This cannot be changed once purchased.
We hope this guide helps when making your selection. Our shop has some choices that we
have already road tested. All relevant specifications are in the videos! view here
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