is the rear camera necessary?

[jaytea]

I have been reading the forums for a while and have been watching countless videos on dashcams and I think I've decided on the f800, not the pro because the cloud function doesn't seem very useful to me

What I can't seem to decide on is whether or not I need the rear camera. I can get a decent deal for both the 1ch and 2ch.
Most will say, "if I'm getting a deal on the cam anyways, why not just get the 2ch?"
While I agree with that, I'd rather spend the extra ~100 or so on a power bank or bigger memory card.
But if there's a good reason for getting the 2ch, I don't mind doing that either.

What are your thoughts after having purchased either the 1ch or 2ch?

 

[AS400]

It is useful as you may get rear-ended one day.
Don’t catch yourself saying “I wish I had a rear camera” after the fact!



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[Nik]

I live in a place where, if I'm rear ended and the other party refuses to make a report to his insurance, it's very difficult to make insurance claims unless you have video evidence.

2ch is a must in my opinion. On FB, we have drivers asking for footage on their own accidents every other day.

 

[DashcamDPR]

It's extremely handy to have, than not have.

I wouldn't be without mine despite the fact it's not caught any incidents worth bragging about, nor has it caught any incidents directly involving myself, but if someone were to run into the back of you, if your rear cam shows them persistently distracted for the 10 or so minutes prior to such incident, it definitely strengthens any case you have especially if they were on the phone, drinking alcohol, eating a bowl of cereal, knitting, or anything else they may have been doing instead of focusing. Added to that, if someone runs into the back of you then attempts to do a quick U-turn getaway, you'll be glad of it.

 

[DT MI]

Besides everything else mentioned sometimes you just capture something interesting/unusual/humorous/etc.

 

[kamkar]

If you plan on exposing sharing the idiots / fun stuff you encounter in traffic, then any number of cameras are well worth it.
But for covering your own ass in case of a traffic dispute i firmly believe a single front camera will be just fine, that guy rear ending you or side swiping you from behind.
Well you dont have to get that on tape when he claim you changed lane or what ever he will lie about to try and save his own ass, CUZ your front camera will have you driving nice and easy in your lane and dong nothing else.
So what ever happen cant be your fault.

So:
Front camera = good ( must have )
Front & rear camera = Nice, but not a must have in my book.
Side cameras = well i have those too, but it is quite rare i go to them for footage, most stupid seem to go on in front of the car.
Front Zoom camera = that i really like as it give a more natural view, though at the expense of field of view, but with mine i can read plates as far out as i can with my own eyes, and things "far" away that are a couple of pixels in a regular wide angle camera are suddenly something you can identify.
Cabin camera = have that too, but just for fun dont feel i have a legitimate need for it, for Uber and so drivers it is a must have too.

Normal wide angle Vs my "zoom" camera.

Regular footage + a little side camera at the end.

A little rear and front + front zoom

 

[AS400]

A rear camera also gives you a little “history” of what was coming behind you before it became an issue ahead of you.
I am also planning on adding side cameras for additional evidence.


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[SawMaster]

Your front cam proves your lane position, traffic signal notations, and (hopefully) your steady sane driving. Your rear cam shows your lane position and steady driving. In that way they prove your innocence in a crash. So to that degree, the rear cam is a backup to the front in case it fails. The more solid evidence you have against someone, the less they will try to argue their innocence, so if someone is driving like a maniac or tailgating before they sideswipe you then you've got leverage against them. You may capture their front plate number if they try to run or their face if there's no front plate.

I think a front cam is vital and a rear cam is important, with side cams being a good idea. Through some rotten luck, I've just had to borrow a vehicle for daily transport. On getting it home the first thing I did was install a front cam, then I checked the fluids under the hood and the lights. When I can I'll stick a cam in back. I won't have it more than a week or two but I want that protection.

Phil

 

[VSGCowboy]

I personally think that it is short sighted, and unwise to not get a rear camera. You are already spending the money on the main system, why not spend a bit more to get the full 2 channel system?

Honestly, it is far better to have the rear camera and not need it, than to need the rear camera and not have it.

 

[AS400]

Here is another reason:
Show your friends you got pulled over!
All those nice lights flashing behind you will certainly bring you lots of “likes” and “OMGs” in social media.


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[jaytea]

thanks for the replies everyone.
seems like i'll be getting the 2ch kit.

 

[Williamsplace]

I bought a 2 cam kit but the rear cam is waiting for better days, I don't have the balls yet to pull my new Jag apart to pass the fat cable through to the tail gate, so just running the front cam for now.

 

[thehank]

I'd rather spend the extra ~100 or so on a power bank or bigger memory card.
But if there's a good reason for getting the 2ch, I don't mind doing that either.

What are your thoughts after having purchased either the 1ch or 2ch?

What's the point of the power bank? On the F800 Pro you can set it so the cameras don't drain your battery. So there's no need for the Cellink deal. Also, google some coupon codes for BlackBoxMyCar - I used "usdash30" when checking out, so it took off $30. I paid $379 for the 2CH. And another $28 for a Samsung 128GB microSD card

For me I'd be pissed if I was hit from behind, if my memorycard ran out of space, and especially during parking mode. Get the 128GB card, or at least a camera that can upgrade to it. And buy it a month or so down the road.

F800 Pro having 3 parking modes was the must have. I'd hat e to come out to a damaged car while inside watching TV. (Has happened a few times already). People are jerks and liars. One things is, wait for a deal and really think about doing it right the first time. That $250 is a waste if you come out to a damaged car while it's parked or the memory was overwritten.

 

[Data Thunderstorm]

I have been reading the forums for a while and have been watching countless videos on dashcams and I think I've decided on the f800, not the pro because the cloud function doesn't seem very useful to me

What I can't seem to decide on is whether or not I need the rear camera. I can get a decent deal for both the 1ch and 2ch.
Most will say, "if I'm getting a deal on the cam anyways, why not just get the 2ch?"
While I agree with that, I'd rather spend the extra ~100 or so on a power bank or bigger memory card.
But if there's a good reason for getting the 2ch, I don't mind doing that either.

What are your thoughts after having purchased either the 1ch or 2ch?

Yes. It’s absolutely necessary. Used to have a single dash cam up front, got rear ended by a perp who immediately reversed out of the back of my damaged vehicle and took off like a shot, at warp speed.

He got away.
The Police were eventually able to track down the vehicle based on my dash cam evidence of the perp vigorously absconding, but have now resorted to taking the registered owner of the vehicle to court, as he refuses to admit who was driving the vehicle at the time of the crime.

IF I had a rear dash cam setup, it would have been an open and shut case, with glorious HD footage of the perps hit and run actions, and crucially, a full frontal view of his ‘troll face’ physiognomy as he did a runner.

Hence my upgrading to a Thinkware F800 Pro dual cam setup, hardwired, professionally installed, and with a Cellink Neo 6 battery providing about 37 hours of parking mode recording capability.
Ergo, 24/7 surveillance guaranteed *

I won’t let any similarly inclined perp getaway this time! [emoji41]

* As long as you drive your car everyday for 20 to 30 minutes, which will keep the Cellink Neo 6 up to 100% by then end of your drive.

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[Deleted member 56879]

Besides everything else mentioned sometimes you just capture something interesting/unusual/humorous/etc.

There is something fundamentally wrong with our society today. And we wonder why there’s a breakdown in family social circle and obesity, other dependencies. I feel bad for this woman’s children. They’re probably sufficiently now screwed up as much as she is.

Yes, get the front and rear cam, sides, if they ever make a 4 channel.

We need all the protection we can get.




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[Deleted member 46308]

There is something fundamentally wrong with our society today. And we wonder why there’s a breakdown in family social circle and obesity, other dependencies. I feel bad for this woman’s children. They’re probably sufficiently now screwed up as much as she is.

Yes, get the front and rear cam, sides, if they ever make a 4 channel.

We need all the protection we can get.




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+1

 

[Data Thunderstorm]

Good news! The “Fast & Furious” young perp who slammed into the back of my car and immediately took off like a bat out of hell, was successfully prosecuted by the Police in the UK based on my supplied dash cam footage (from my old device before I upgraded).

He was fined £660 + £166 costs, and got 6 penalty points on his licence. The latter guarantees exorbitant insurance premiums (and I mean truly eye watering) for the next few years to come.

So, yes. Getting a 2 channel dash cam system is a wonderful idea - the Police WILL prosecute on supplied footage in the event of an incident and your insurance company will love you for making their job of proving liability an open and shut case.

The peace of mind you also get from this is a massive bonus - worth every penny.


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[SawMaster]

The peace of mind you also get from this is a massive bonus - worth every penny.

The likelihood of any one of us having an experience like yours is small, with lesser incidents only slightly more likely. But even knowing this, that "peace of mind" is indeed awesome and worth it, even if our cams never do anything more for us than deliver that. Peace is priceless

Glad to hear the outcome

Phil

 

[Nigel]

Good news! The “Fast & Furious” young perp who slammed into the back of my car and immediately took off like a bat out of hell, was successfully prosecuted by the Police in the UK based on my supplied dash cam footage (from my old device before I upgraded).

He was fined £660 + £166 costs, and got 6 penalty points on his licence. The latter guarantees exorbitant insurance premiums (and I mean truly eye watering) for the next few years to come.

So, yes. Getting a 2 channel dash cam system is a wonderful idea - the Police WILL prosecute on supplied footage in the event of an incident and your insurance company will love you for making their job of proving liability an open and shut case.

The peace of mind you also get from this is a massive bonus - worth every penny.


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So this is evidence that a rear camera is not essential, since the police got him anyway!

Presumably you got his plate on the front camera as he "took off like a bat out of hell"?
Or did the police go looking for other cameras?

Of course for people who don't have UK police, a rear camera might be a lot more necessary

 

[Error7]

Besides everything else mentioned sometimes you just capture something interesting/unusual/humorous/etc.

A big truck for a big lady.