Adapting motorcycle cam for use as external rear dash cam in car

NewbieDan

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Hi all and thanks in advance for your input.

My actual goal is to have a dashcam in my car facing forward, and a license plate cam for my rear, but that combination I haven't yet been able to find.

Thinking maybe a camera designed for a motorcycle might do the trick for the rear. Could be dual channel with one camera brought to a typical dash cam location, or could use separate dash cam for front and motorcycle for rear. Found a sufficient battery pack to work for a long time while the car is off (I want it to record while parked too.) Don't really need a great screen since it will only be used for event playback rather than daily watching but I would like the recording to be at least 1080p.
So any suggestions for hi res, continual recording 1 or 2 channel units that loop, with a very small camera profile that can be mounted in license plate frame or attached to the rear of the car in that area?

Dan
 
Welcome to DCT!
SG has definite plans for adding an external waterproof cam to their SG9663DC 2-ch model, and it may also be compatible with their other planned cams ;) Not here yet but soon and given their history it should work very well (y) Otherwise AFAIK nobody is currently offering decent waterproof cams outside of the Motorcycle models un they usual dashcam lines. You can get them in the expensive systems made for commercial trucks, but most (or all) of those lack 1080P resolution :(

Keeping the lens clean can be a problem with exterior-mounted cams, and finding a good mounting solution may be darn near impossible if you want it to be both discreet and vandal-resistant. Lower mounting like near a license plate won't capture much if another vehicle is close behind you. And plate number capture is hit-and-miss with all cams, never a certainty. Even with all that going against you sometimes an external rear cam is your only real option :rolleyes: @jokiin might comment here on when we might see the SG waterproof cam released.

There's no perfect cam or perfect mounting solution but most of us find it better to keep the cams inside the car glass to eliminate the problems associated with external cams. That also allows a much wider selection of cams to be considered making it more likely that you'll end up with something you like first time round instead of having to try something else :cool: If you must go external and can wait the SG cam will surely be one of the best for this purpose no matter the price.

Phil
 
I too would avoid external cameras.
But some like SG plan to support that too, it is a solution for a thing like a truck where most of the bed will be in the footage if you put a camera in the rear window of a truck.
The truck issue you can also combat with another lens with a little Zoom to it so most of the bed will be out of frame and you will be able to read plates further back, which you cant do with a regular wide angle lens as their sweet spot are closer to the camera.

A reversing camera pretty much have to be out there on the back and down low, but that's pretty much the opposite of what are optimal for dashcams.

I have a video demoing the difference between a regular dashcam and its wide angle lens Vs a camera fitted with a 12 mm lens for longer reach.
Doing it this way are in the DIY realm as you can not get dashcams with so narrow lenses, but if i was a truck driver it are a option i would have to look closer at or even try out.
 
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Gentlemen,
Thank you for your replies. The reason for doing it this way is that I have a BMW 435i hardtop convertible. When the top is down, everything behind the front window is collapsed.
My only two choices are to put something at the rear view mirror facing backward (but that looks thru the car when the top is up), or something around the license plate. While the plate may not be as high, I have to make due with what I have. Even if I were to add a rear deck spoiler and put a camera in that, it still requires an outdoor camera.

Dan
 
Yeah the convertible cars are a challenge, and i doubt you can mount something on the back of the rear headrests, first cuz it is off center axis, and second i believe many convertibles have a little rear window.
Also the headrests are probably not rigid enough, so now i am thinking maybe you can make some bracket coming off the rear of the back seat and then rise the camera up a little in between the 2 headrests.

Driving a convertible seem to me like having a fruit company computer, there will be hoops to jump thru and sacrifices to be made.

I think have never owned either of the 2 things, just have my vivid imagination that's not yet severely taxed here.
 
Welcome to DCT!
SG has definite plans for adding an external waterproof cam to their SG9663DC 2-ch model, and it may also be compatible with their other planned cams

yes the other camera option we have coming is waterproof, can be used internal or external and will work with the SG9663DC and some other models that are coming
 
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