A top dashboard camera produces high-quality footage to prove what happened after a crash, have a raft of useful features, and are easy to use. Having one installed could help prove what happened or protect you from false claims in the case of a crash. Some insurers even offer substantial money off your insurance premium if you have a dash cam fitted, too.
How much will a good dash cam cost?
Dash cams range in price from basic £20 models bought online to feature-laden dash cam systems for anything up to £300. Price doesn’t predict quality, however, as models from both ends of the spectrum have failed to impress in our thorough tests.
That said, cheaper models will often be light on features. A cheaper model may lack any of the following features, while a premium model should have any and all of them: GPS G-force sensor, automatic on/off, on-device display, long power cable, loop recording, smart-file storage, well-designed playback, easy-to-adjust mount.
What makes a good dash cam?
The most important aspect of a dash cam is the quality of the footage it records. If image quality isn’t high enough, you might not be able to use your footage in the case of an accident to prove you’re not to blame. All dash cams support at least 720p resolution (1,280 x 720 pixels) and some devices record with a resolution of 1,080p (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) or even 4K (3,840 x 2,160 pixels). A higher resolution will generally mean a better quality of footage, but it doesn’t guarantee it, while 720p should still be clear and detailed.
Single vs multiple-lens dash cams
One of the decisions you’ll need to make is whether you want a single camera that records the road ahead, or a multiple-lens system that offers both forward-facing and rear windscreen cameras. Single Single lens dash cams are the most basic and common type of dash cam. These record from a single camera lens and are mounted onto the windscreen to record the road ahead.
Pros:
No need to hardwire them in as they can be plugged in to the 12V socket easily.
They’re the most common type of dash cam, so it’s easy to find one to match your budget.
Cons:
May miss events on either side or behind the car.
Multiple
A multiple-lens dash cam can record from more than one camera at the same time. This is typically done by using a forward-facing lens mounted to the windscreen, and a secondary lens mounted to the rear windscreen, to record the road behind.
Pros:
Will provide footage if someone hits you from behind.
Cons:
More fiddly to set up – you may need to hardwire the devices in, which could require professional installation. Likely to be more expensive than a single-lens dash cam.
What features do I need?
GPS: GPS location tracking will allow you to pinpoint your exact location at the time of the crash. It will also show the route you have travelled, and the speed you were going. This could be useful for building up a picture of exactly what happened in a crash.
G-force sensors: dash cams record on a continuous loop, meaning that footage will be recorded over when the SD card is full. Devices with G-force sensors automatically save moments of high G-force, generally during a collision or another impact, and protect these from being overwritten.
Parking mode: a parking mode will allow your dashboard camera to automatically start recording if it detects a collision or impact while you’re parked. This can be very useful for seeing who bumped your car or left a nasty scrape on your door while using a busy car park.
Other things to consider, SD memory card: all dash cams use a memory card to store recorded images and video footage. All the dash cams in our tests use ‘loop recording’, meaning that when they run out of space on the memory card they rewrite over the oldest footage. Some models come equipped with an SD card, but this is worth checking. If you need to purchase an SD card separately we recommended you use class 6 or above (this ensures that it performs at a high enough standard to be reliable for use in your dash cam).
Installation: All dash cams come with a power cord that plugs in to the cigarette lighter. These range from around 1.4m up to 4.9m. Choose a model with a longer cable if you want to route the cable around the windscreen and down the car’s front pillars so you can plug it into the power socket, without having cables dangling down from the windscreen. You may prefer to have your dash cam hard wired in, and will need to consider professional installation if that’s the case.
Apps and wi-fi: Some dash cams have bespoke apps for your smartphone, tablet or home computer that allow you to view back the footage in a manner that’s (hopefully) easier to browse and parse than through your device’s default media player. Similarly, some dash cams are wi-fi capable, which allows for the wireless transmission of footage from them to your device – so no need to remove it and take it indoors. You’ll also be able to view footage from the dash cam in real time via the wireless connection.
All of WrightStarts vehicles are completely fitted with the latest and best in-car dash cams to help aid security for both the instructors and pupils along with the added benefit of wireless video playback, a great feature when used review previous junctions during lessons. These are the ones we use.
What are you all using?
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