There is a temptation to point the camera directly forwards but this affects the image contrast as it has to compensate for all the bright sky in the frame. Point it slightly down to reduce this and the number plate detail should improve.
Great review and presenting what I need to think about for my own purchase. I haven't had an incident yet but I expect with just one occurrence that even a $200 one would pay for itself. It feels like there is an increase in poor drivers and lowering morals.
I've had Blackvue dashcams on my cars for about 6 years now, not the cheapest but worth every penny. Blackvue cameras are small cylindrical cameras that are easily mounted behind the rear view mirror and from the driving seat you would never know they are there. 2 years ago someone reversed from a parking space across a road and into my daughters parked car, the repair bill came to £3500 so that camera has paid for itself many times over.
Had dashcams for years. Have a well known brand which still has glitches sometimes. Even with front and rear cameras it still leaves the side of the car exposed in car parks but while driving they are great. Always connect them to vehicle power and don't rely on the switchable power as you quickly destroy the battery in the camera. The side repeater cameras on the Tesla work great for side protection in car parks.
Thanks Ryan, I think the little dots around the mirror are to reduce sunlight between the visors, just filling in the gaps as it were. if you want to move the camera up there, fix clear sticky plastic film over the dots and fix you camera ton that, this what I have done and its been fine so far, make the clear plastic bigger than you need to give extra adhesion, after all you can see throught it. :-)
Tesla is the only manufacturer I know that provides dash cam footage and Sentry Mode security features as standard in their cars. Seems like a great feature to have. Especially since they record front, side and rear. Might be helpful in an accident since people seem to not want to take responsibility for their actions unless forced to. For the price it seem like a great add on for any car.
Seems to be good value for money as it does all the basics plus some. I've had a front facing dash cam for about 2 years and a rear facing cam for for 18 months. Good quality SD cards are essential though. My wife and I recently witnessed a collision where a motorcycle T-boned a car at a traffic light junction. The motorcycle rider was quite badly injured. We were the only witnesses and the police were delighted that we had a dash cam record. We still had to give statements but the dash cam captured the details a frame frame basis. (The human eye/memory is often inadequate in these circumstances). I also use the recorded footage to critique my own driving. I believe that dash cams should be a standard feature on all new cars.
My issue is the huge size of the thing, looks like a camera from about 5 yrs ago Problem is, you’ll have to remove it every time you leave the car Have a look on Amazon at some of the smaller micro cameras, just as good picture but conceal within the car and no need to remove Also, but the best you can afford Don’t get attracted to cheap
I use a free dash cam app on my phone. Last year it showed that I was stationary when a car tried to squeeze past without waiting for me to reverse out of the way. They claimed it was my fault. Emailed the video to the insurance company and got my £200 excess back. The phone camera even showed the number plate of the car. Result.
I always check out 'Techmoan' for dashcam reviews....he has tested loads and gives well presented reviews on them see his website for a good guide and advice on dashcams and lots of reviews and his you tube channel for other stuff.
I’ve yet to see dashcam footage that has really good quality or at least enough to see number plates and faces clearly unless they are right in front of you and low speed. I have seen some good quality but do still seem to miss detail though they are better but you pay several hundred pounds. I’ve had them for a good few years now and have to agree rear cameras are never as good. Rexin do a nice discreet camera with a slim form factor that sticks via a self adhesive pad and will stick to those dotted shaded areas without problems. Great review and as you say a bargain for the price.
I purchased the Dash Cam 4K Abask, Dash Cam Front and Inside with GPS, Car Camera with UHD. I had a stereo shop install the unit with a hardwire kit. The camera works wonderful but we had a crash into a light pole in the parking lot. I wanted to remove the SD Card but can't figure out HOW to remove it. Can you advise?
One issue, you must not have the camera mounted in the drivers field of view. I use two separate cameras, on in front and one at the rear. The front I have been using for some years, the rear I installed this week, because a driving school Mini tried to overtake me on a double white lines with a car coming towards us. If I had the rear camera at the time, I would have sent the clip to the police, as the driver was obviously an idiot. As regards a comment below, about the cameras not being good enough to get number plate details, I can assure you that neither of my cameras are expensive One was free from a Daily Mail Offer and the rear one was purchased from Argos for £40 and both record number plate detail well.
Do you think it would sit out of view down at dashboard level and be able to be mounted? 20% discount doesn't apply in the U.S. Thanks for sharing! Off to spend $55.00 on ABASK
You've sold one. At that price, and for a car which has no cameras, it's a no-brainier. Most town accidents are at low speed, and rear shunts tend to be at even lower speeds, so the cameras are adequate for purpose. Thanks Ryan.
hi I've brought this fash cam and was wondering why while driving the dash cam goes blank?? is it still recording. Really I want the screen to remain on at all Time. I will be glad for any feedback 👍🏾
I can't read the number plate on the video when playing but can see them when video paused. And does your 12v socket turn off when parked, wont catch anything when parked unless you have continuous power. If camera is impeding your view then Police will fine you
As you mentioned, the manual isn’t too clear.For instance. I have this set up and I can’t see how to access rear camera footage playback from the camera. Is it only available when downloading footage from the card to a computer?
A good dashcam should have the cameras on the windows and the screen separate , just for later review of what the two discrete cameras saw. This unit looks like a digital camera ( not good).
I have an abask dual dash cam, is it possible to stop the recording on the rear cam and keep only the front cam working to save space in the memory card?
Hi Ryan, to clarify does the camera require continuous power for the sentry function to work? Or will it operate on battery power until the next time you drive?
Collin Riley the wires are usually just power. The built in battery tends to suck. You want power to it, easily hide cables under trim. Took me 5minutes to run the rear camera cable in my Leaf.
Hi Collin, the wires are only used for power in most cameras. You can get camera fitting services so that all the wires are hidden and the power is hardwired directly into the fuse box
I have this for a week or two now, Its decent but when recording in bright daylight the sun blares the camera and at night the street lights are blaring as well. Any settings I should put to dim that blaring down? Also when you unplug it from the car the camera battery by itself lasts no more than four minutes Does any one else camera do that?
In your review you missed out the saving you may get on your car insurance for having a Dash Cam fitted. Also I think your review was to long for the information gained from it, which was in conclusion 🤔 A perfectly acceptable budget Dash Cam.
So sorry to hear about the circumstances behind this review... and the behavior of adults, but I hope this end your adventures and will instead see great or funny things through your dash cam.
Don't buy these dashcams, reason one, good views, good recording, memory card terrible it keeps saying please format, do not by from amazon....... Well that's my view anyway. It's entirely up to you.
I have an abask dual dash cam, is it possible to stop the recording on the rear cam and keep only the front cam working to save space in the memory card?
It's about time these things were fitted as standard.
Thanks for another informative video Ryan. Do you plan on showing us how you routed and hid the cables?
There is a temptation to point the camera directly forwards but this affects the image contrast as it has to compensate for all the bright sky in the frame. Point it slightly down to reduce this and the number plate detail should improve.
Great review and presenting what I need to think about for my own purchase. I haven't had an incident yet but I expect with just one occurrence that even a $200 one would pay for itself. It feels like there is an increase in poor drivers and lowering morals.
I've had Blackvue dashcams on my cars for about 6 years now, not the cheapest but worth every penny. Blackvue cameras are small cylindrical cameras that are easily mounted behind the rear view mirror and from the driving seat you would never know they are there. 2 years ago someone reversed from a parking space across a road and into my daughters parked car, the repair bill came to £3500 so that camera has paid for itself many times over.
Had dashcams for years. Have a well known brand which still has glitches sometimes.
Even with front and rear cameras it still leaves the side of the car exposed in car parks but while driving they are great.
Always connect them to vehicle power and don't rely on the switchable power as you quickly destroy the battery in the camera.
The side repeater cameras on the Tesla work great for side protection in car parks.
Just ordered mine today, can you please do a follow up video on what the icons mean and how you mounted the cameras and hid the wiring thanks
Hey Ryan,miss your EV tests and thoughts,are you ever returning to UA-cam?
We have a Leaf and are just thinking of getting a camera! Great video!
Thanks Ryan, I think the little dots around the mirror are to reduce sunlight between the visors, just filling in the gaps as it were. if you want to move the camera up there, fix clear sticky plastic film over the dots and fix you camera ton that, this what I have done and its been fine so far, make the clear plastic bigger than you need to give extra adhesion, after all you can see throught it. :-)
Tesla is the only manufacturer I know that provides dash cam footage and Sentry Mode security features as standard in their cars. Seems like a great feature to have. Especially since they record front, side and rear.
Might be helpful in an accident since people seem to not want to take responsibility for their actions unless forced to. For the price it seem like a great add on for any car.
I have this camera but i cannot figure out how to playback what was recorded and download it to my computer. That is why I watched this video.
Seems to be good value for money as it does all the basics plus some. I've had a front facing dash cam for about 2 years and a rear facing cam for for 18 months. Good quality SD cards are essential though. My wife and I recently witnessed a collision where a motorcycle T-boned a car at a traffic light junction. The motorcycle rider was quite badly injured. We were the only witnesses and the police were delighted that we had a dash cam record. We still had to give statements but the dash cam captured the details a frame frame basis. (The human eye/memory is often inadequate in these circumstances). I also use the recorded footage to critique my own driving. I believe that dash cams should be a standard feature on all new cars.
My issue is the huge size of the thing, looks like a camera from about 5 yrs ago
Problem is, you’ll have to remove it every time you leave the car
Have a look on Amazon at some of the smaller micro cameras, just as good picture but conceal within the car and no need to remove
Also, but the best you can afford
Don’t get attracted to cheap
I use a free dash cam app on my phone. Last year it showed that I was stationary when a car tried to squeeze past without waiting for me to reverse out of the way. They claimed it was my fault. Emailed the video to the insurance company and got my £200 excess back. The phone camera even showed the number plate of the car. Result.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 2,000,000 Views, Ryan! Congratulations! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I always check out 'Techmoan' for dashcam reviews....he has tested loads and gives well presented reviews on them see his website for a good guide and advice on dashcams and lots of reviews and his you tube channel for other stuff.
I’ve yet to see dashcam footage that has really good quality or at least enough to see number plates and faces clearly unless they are right in front of you and low speed. I have seen some good quality but do still seem to miss detail though they are better but you pay several hundred pounds. I’ve had them for a good few years now and have to agree rear cameras are never as good. Rexin do a nice discreet camera with a slim form factor that sticks via a self adhesive pad and will stick to those dotted shaded areas without problems.
Great review and as you say a bargain for the price.
I purchased the Dash Cam 4K Abask, Dash Cam Front and Inside with GPS, Car Camera with UHD. I had a stereo shop install the unit with a hardwire kit. The camera works wonderful but we had a crash into a light pole in the parking lot. I wanted to remove the SD Card but can't figure out HOW to remove it. Can you advise?
Thank you good video👍
One issue, you must not have the camera mounted in the drivers field of view. I use two separate cameras, on in front and one at the rear. The front I have been using for some years, the rear I installed this week, because a driving school Mini tried to overtake me on a double white lines with a car coming towards us. If I had the rear camera at the time, I would have sent the clip to the police, as the driver was obviously an idiot. As regards a comment below, about the cameras not being good enough to get number plate details, I can assure you that neither of my cameras are expensive One was free from a Daily Mail Offer and the rear one was purchased from Argos for £40 and both record number plate detail well.
Thank you for video have this camera how do I keep it on while driving
Do you think it would sit out of view down at dashboard level and be able to be mounted? 20% discount doesn't apply in the U.S.
Thanks for sharing!
Off to spend $55.00 on ABASK
Is it normal for the light to be ON while driving at night? I could not turn off the light on the camera
You've sold one. At that price, and for a car which has no cameras, it's a no-brainier. Most town accidents are at low speed, and rear shunts tend to be at even lower speeds, so the cameras are adequate for purpose. Thanks Ryan.
hi I've brought this fash cam and was wondering why while driving the dash cam goes blank?? is it still recording. Really I want the screen to remain on at all Time. I will be glad for any feedback 👍🏾
Don’t you wish someone would find a way to hack the leaf tekna’s cameras to act as a dash cam
I can't read the number plate on the video when playing but can see them when video paused. And does your 12v socket turn off when parked, wont catch anything when parked unless you have continuous power. If camera is impeding your view then Police will fine you
Can’t beat a Garmin dash cam mini
As you mentioned, the manual isn’t too clear.For instance. I have this set up and I can’t see how to access rear camera footage playback from the camera. Is it only available when downloading footage from the card to a computer?
A good dashcam should have the cameras on the windows and the screen separate , just for later review of what the two discrete cameras saw. This unit looks like a digital camera ( not good).
I have an abask dual dash cam, is it possible to stop the recording on the rear cam and keep only the front cam working to save space in the memory card?
Hi Ryan, to clarify does the camera require continuous power for the sentry function to work? Or will it operate on battery power until the next time you drive?
What type of card did you buy to keep recording? I purchased one in Amazon and did not fit.
want: bluetooth cameras, no wires
Collin Riley the wires are usually just power. The built in battery tends to suck. You want power to it, easily hide cables under trim. Took me 5minutes to run the rear camera cable in my Leaf.
Hi Collin, the wires are only used for power in most cameras. You can get camera fitting services so that all the wires are hidden and the power is hardwired directly into the fuse box
I have this for a week or two now, Its decent but when recording in bright daylight the sun blares the camera and at night the street lights are blaring as well. Any settings I should put to dim that blaring down? Also when you unplug it from the car the camera battery by itself lasts no more than four minutes Does any one else camera do that?
How do you put out the sd card?
In your review you missed out the saving you may get on your car insurance for having a Dash Cam fitted.
Also I think your review was to long for the information gained from it, which was in conclusion 🤔 A perfectly acceptable budget Dash Cam.
Thanks Gerry. You’re probably right. I do tend to babble on a lot. You should see how much I cut from every video 😳😂
I miss the vlogs. Is all ok?
So sorry to hear about the circumstances behind this review... and the behavior of adults, but I hope this end your adventures and will instead see great or funny things through your dash cam.
Don't buy these dashcams, reason one, good views, good recording, memory card terrible it keeps saying please format, do not by from amazon....... Well that's my view anyway. It's entirely up to you.
I always back in so that will not happen.
You do realise the camera will be an extra drain on your ev range.
Next to nothing.
lol
I have an abask dual dash cam, is it possible to stop the recording on the rear cam and keep only the front cam working to save space in the memory card?