A unicorn: discreet, better than 1080p w/ HDR, SuperCap, and parking mode?

[ikjadoon]

Does this exist? I can't find anything like this: in my mind, these are critical features:

1. High IQ: strong night performance w/ greater than 1080p resolution at high bit-rate with HDR support
2. Reliable: uses a super capacitor and records while the car is off (parking mode)
3. Safe: discreet is best so nobody wants to steal it and it doesn't block my vision (no need for a screen, IMO)

I thought these features would be pretty standard on most dash cams, but not so much. Am I missing a whole swath of dashcams? I'd like this to be a one-time purchase and not need to upgrade every few months/years.

I need nothing else in a dashcam: no GPS, no Bluetooth, no WiFi. Just a high IQ, reliable, and safe dashboard camera. Maybe 2016 is too early for this?

 

[kamkar]

Best low light perfomers are 1080p, larger sensors = smaller pixels = less optimal low light performance.

For discreete the best must be the SGZC12RC, but it do have a little main unit you will have to stash somewhere.
BUT ! its only 1080p with the Sony IMX322 sensor.

if you hang on to the tail end of the year there will be better low light performers, by this i mean you will be able to see more of the soroundings in the night footage, but i dont think it will make the chance of capturing licenceplates at night better, at least not any that is at speed compared to the camera car.

New cameras will be based on the Sony IMX291 sensor, but will still be 1080p only.

 

[ikjadoon]

Oh, great point. I just assumed the 1440p / 1296p models had larger sensors, but probably not, haha....just like all the other cameras in the world, heh.

OK--Street Guardian sounds like the best right now; I hadn't heard of the SGZC12RC yet, but I'll look it up. I actually prefer that method; I have 2 glove boxes where I can stick stuff!

OK, sure--well, license plates are the big factor, but 1080p seems reasonable enough. IMX291--I'll keep my eyes peeled. I don't need one right now, so I can hang tight for a little bit.

 

[kamkar]

Sensors is pretty much split up in sizes, the ones used in dashcams are normally the small 1/3 " size, so cramming more pixels onto the same ares mean they have to be smaller and so not as good in capturing light.

The parking mode of all the SG products beside the SG9665GC is all prebuffered meaning you get 10 seconds of so from before the triggering event.

If you search youtybe for IMX291 you will find a fjew videos with the sensor in CCTV cameras, it do wonders with low light and have pixels around 1/3 larger than the ones in the current "king of the hill " the IMX322.

But sadly capturing somthing as little as a licenceplate in low light ( dont even have to be total night ) is still problematic, sure if a car pass you just a little faster than no problem, or if you drive by parked cars at a walking pace, then its no problem.
But the normal traffic speeds is really hard to do in low light.

This is limitations in the technology dashcams makers use, but it get better just about every year, but when we can capture a plate in low light is still in the future.

In Daytime its no problem to capture plates, offcourse since the dashcams use wide angle lenses it get worse if the car is 1 lane over from you, but on a Danish highway ( 1 land in each direction ) and speeds of 80 kmh its no big problem.

If you want you can allways get a little mobius to tie you over, its a well tested and decent performer, and have a size of a tic tac box.
it make a good rear camera or side camera when you get a better camera for the front.