Suggested dash cams for our particular situation?

[Wolfer]

Hi all,
I have been looking at all the dash cams on offer these days, as i think its about time we got one. Not to be a dash cam warrior, but I do approx 50k per year, 40k of that for work, the rest in a camper, my play car, or the other half's play car.
One of the places i go to regularly is Milton Keynes, now, for a city full of roundabouts, the people in the traffic there seem to have no idea at all how they work!! No lane discipline, and just this morning, in CMK, I am in the middle lane at an island, with arrows right, to go right, chap in right hand lane (arrows also right) once lights turned green, took off like a loon and cut across me to go left! That happens a lot.

This is what i would like, but even after looking at all camera reviews, I am not sure what to get.

Wife - small car, would like hard wired front and back, (I can wire) i guess SD car in line? GPS? She would like to just each time she goes out, have the session recorded for peace of mind.

Me - 3 to 4 hours a day driving to and from work, plus many hours a year in the camper, plus a few hours a year in the M3, I would like above, but not hard wired, so I can move from car to car. Unless it would be better to fit all?

Really not sure, anyone else have similar, and how have you got round this?


Thanks!

Wolfer

[indigochim]

I have a Viofo A119 which I've had for a number of years. It's given faultless performance in that time. There are now updated models but it's still one of the best regarded cameras. You can buy with or without gps which I deliberately chose not to have.

It clips into a mount easily and you can buy multiple mounts with or without gps so could buy mounts for each vehicle. They do do a a129 with front and rear cameras but if you want both I think I might prefer just 2 cameras. I've read the weak point being the bitrate that they can encode video on the uintbso a single device encoding 2 cameras might be a limiting factor here.

The format of the A119 fits behind my rear view mirror and I have the screen set to turn off while recording it's all but invisible from the outside, just poking under the dotted strip and I can't see it at all from the drivers seat so it doesn't interfere with my vision.

The most important thing with dash cams is to buy a suitable sd card for it and the types you generally buy for smart devices aren't suited to work in cameras where they are continuously overwritten. You need a high endurance card of suitable size and speed.

[indigochim]

I bought mine from Aliexpress direct but not necessarily this seller I notice that you get 2 mounts with the camera and if you get the gps version you get the gps mount + 2 none gps mounts. Price on AE will be pluss vat. Make sure you read any reviews for the seller you buy from AE is like amazon market place so you're not buying from them but through them.

[Wolfer]

I appreciate your information and will take a look.

Many thanks

[shtu]

In my opinion, your answer is,

Wife's car - install, and leave it be.
Your Main car - install, and leave it be.

Camper and M3 - the problem here is that dual-camera setups aren't intended to be moved often. You could buy one camera + additional bases and rear cameras, but by the time you do that you may not want the faff.

Viofo do a decent range, and crucially, also sell additional bases and such for sensible prices.

One way to keep the costs under control is to compromise a little on the image resolution - do you REALLY need 4k resolution?

[Wolfer]

Thank you.

I think hard wired then for the other half, and same for the workhorse.

Then maybe just some front cam types for my others.

I will do some more research, thanks again

[Ham_and_Jam]

Wolfer said:

Thank you.

Then maybe just some front cam types for my others.

Dont just get front facing.

The only time Ive really needed mine was from the rear facing camera when some cockwomble shunted me at the traffic lights. They tried to deny any blame until he noticed the camera.

Only getting front facing is the same as only getting left facing cameras, your missing half the potential problems.

Get decent cameras and they will last you years. My Blackvue cameras are now in my third vehicle since being purchased.

[sgrimshaw]

Apologies if this is already well known ....

If you hardwire a dashcam it is considered a modification and should be declared to insurers ... not that that's a bad thing as they may well give you a small discount.