Dash cam recommendations

egyptiancotton

Hi folks. I've been mulling over the idea for a while but I've bitten the bullet and decided to buy a dash cam. I recently started a new job which involves a 95 mile round trip on the M4, and the number of near misses I see every day is shocking. So I'd like a dash cam to protect me in the event if I'm involved in a collision.

Nextbase seem to be the go-to brand for dash cams. I'm thinking of perhaps either the 312GW, 412GW or 512GW. The 512GW has a reflection-free polarising filter - is it worth it? I'm learning towards the 412GW or 512GW as they both have parking mode, but the 312GW and 412GW were Which? Best Buy in 2017. My local Halfords is offering a fitting service which includes hardwiring the dash cam. Although I've also read that Nextbase dash cam batteries tend to fail after about 12-18 months.

Although I've seen the Viofo A119s and the video quality seems to be brilliant.

Would be grateful for any advice.

DUTR

lloydyyy wrote: »

Hi folks. I've been mulling over the idea for a while but I've bitten the bullet and decided to buy a dash cam. I recently started a new job which involves a 95 mile round trip on the M4, and the number of near misses I see every day is shocking. So I'd like a dash cam to protect me in the event if I'm involved in a collision.

Nextbase seem to be the go-to brand for dash cams. I'm thinking of perhaps either the 312GW, 412GW or 512GW. The 512GW has a reflection-free polarising filter - is it worth it? I'm learning towards the 412GW or 512GW as they both have parking mode, but the 312GW and 412GW were Which? Best Buy in 2017. My local Halfords is offering a fitting service which includes hardwiring the dash cam. Although I've also read that Nextbase dash cam batteries tend to fail after about 12-18 months.

Although I've seen the Viofo A119s and the video quality seems to be brilliant.

Would be grateful for any advice.

Please see one of the umpteen threads with the same question.

missile

You might want to look at reviews?

charlotte1994

I would recommend a Nextbase, my mum has one and it's brilliant. You definitely get what you pay for. She doesn't have hers hard wired, I don't think you need to really. She has it suck to the windscreen and has it plugged into the car. She's had it about a year and it hasn't failed yet! The cheapo ones are ok but they're potato quality so you can't get all the details (like number plates etc). I have a Driftt Stealth mounted on my motorcycle helmet, that's brilliant, 1080p 30fps recording it's fab.

My friend also a nextbase and hers doesn't have a battery problem either, she has hers hardwired. Imo you don't need it doing as it'll be more of a pain if you get rid and need another fitting for a new cam. It's up to you, though! I think with dashcams you get what you pay for, you're 100% better off getting something a bit more expensive, but not too crazy. 312GW should be fine!!

bengalknights

I would recommend the Viofo or the Mai70 dashcams

pogofish

Can someone please unlock the sticky..!

DUTR

charlotte1994 wrote: »

I would recommend a Nextbase, my mum has one and it's brilliant. You definitely get what you pay for. She doesn't have hers hard wired, I don't think you need to really. She has it suck to the windscreen and has it plugged into the car. She's had it about a year and it hasn't failed yet! The cheapo ones are ok but they're potato quality so you can't get all the details (like number plates etc). I have a Driftt Stealth mounted on my motorcycle helmet, that's brilliant, 1080p 30fps recording it's fab.

My friend also a nextbase and hers doesn't have a battery problem either, she has hers hardwired. Imo you don't need it doing as it'll be more of a pain if you get rid and need another fitting for a new cam. It's up to you, though! I think with dashcams you get what you pay for, you're 100% better off getting something a bit more expensive, but not too crazy. 312GW should be fine!!

The thing is though, one would have to try lots of devices to eliminate others, I disagree with you get what you pay for, whether cheap or not, looking at the techmoan reviews (who has reviewed lot of devices) what I see is some cameras are good in day and some at night (but not both) .
Like you say IMO, to me having wires trailing over the car interior just looks naff! (it's like those with sat navs in the centre of field of vision) .
The real main issue with the devices is that the memory card is the important component, as few realise they can only be written to a finite number of times, there is no indication that this limit has been reached/exceeded until one comes to view wanted files , only to find they are corrupted.

EssexExile

DUTR wrote: »

Like you say IMO, to me having wires trailing over the car interior just looks naff!

I have a couple of inches of cable from the camera to the edge of the screen & a couple of inches appearing from the dash to lighter socket, the rest is all hidden.

Takmon

I have a cheap Dashcam that i got from eBay around 4 years ago for £12 and it's still working now. The video quality is pretty good and there is no problem in reading number plates. Just because it's cheap it doesn't mean it's rubbish and you can see videos on YouTube from people using the actual camera before you decide to buy.

The main negatives of a cheap camera are that you can only store around 3 hours of footage due to no compression and limited memory card sizes (usually 32Gb). But as a £12 does the job and it's something i may never need i didn't see any reason to pay more.

I also hardwired it myself using a fuse tap to the internal fuse box. It was a pretty simple job and doesn't need any special skills to do.

cajef

charlotte1994 wrote: »

she has hers hardwired. Imo you don't need it doing as it'll be more of a pain if you get rid and need another fitting for a new cam.

My Nextbase dashcam is hardwired, there is no problem when changing vehicles you don't need another fitting, just change the hardwire kit to the new vehicle, the main advantage is that all the cable is hidden and you are not using any of the vehicles auxiliary power sockets.

dannyrst

I got the NextBase 312GW after a nice old lady decided to drive onto my side of the road and wipe out my wing mirror, then blame me. It cost about £70 but worth every penny, the quality in light or dark is more than adaquet and the added journey details etc are handy. Keeps over 100 clips at 3 minutes each on a 32GB SD card.