Choosing a First Dash Cam

[niko]

Like the Lukas LK-7900 that I suggested you look at in another thread.

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You won't find automatic parking mode switching on dash cams in the price range you're looking at.
Like Niko said, a hand full of higher priced Korean cams (with capacitors and hardwired) is what you should look at if you want this feature.

Spot ON ! Just what I was talking about.
Its all about money.
The more functions you want, - the more you have to pay.

 

[Belial88]

THere are some cheaper dash cams where motion detection recording for parking mode can be activated with one push of a button.

Niko, it's always a game of a million questions with you. You got to know that I'm going to ask you 'well, what are those 'cheaper' korean cams?'...

There are some discharge limiters listed here. I personally haven't tried them but from my reading, the best option seems to be the ones where you can select the cutoff voltage. Some cutoff at too low a voltage and your car battery will be stressed and will fail prematurely.

Oh, derp I thought those blackvues, etc, were cams being discussed. Well $35+ for a discharge circuit is a rip-off, I can just buy a MC that does it for like $5-10 (it'd just take a few hours of research on the adafruit/sparkfun forums)...

You won't find automatic parking mode switching on dash cams in the price range you're looking at.
Like Niko said, a hand full of higher priced Korean cams (with capacitors and hardwired) is what you should look at if you want this feature.

My budget isn't fixed, $100 isn't that much. I'm not so sure parking protect is worth ~$100, but I'll look into it. Whereas before I wasn't considering higher end cams, since the GT300ws had decent night.

Okay, so I'll buy a circuit add-a-fuse: https://www.ebay.com/itm/221280592234
And solder it to the cig charger that comes with it and use some spare fuse with 1a+.

And i'll choose a g1w/vf300/gt300 depending on niko's review (and see if the lucas is worth considering). For parking protect I'll look into a charging limit circuit on adafruit to prevent battery dsicharge.

 

[niko]

Niko, it's always a game of a million questions with you. You got to know that I'm going to ask you 'well, what are those 'cheaper' korean cams?'...

My budget isn't fixed, $100 isn't that much. I'm not so sure parking protect is worth ~$100, but I'll look into it. Whereas before I wasn't considering higher end cams, since the GT300ws had decent night.

There are many of those Korean ones with auto-parking mode, but as you repeatedly showing that you looking for the cheapest dash cam, then i did not started looking from the catalogue of all those models. I dont remember all them from my head, and it would take a lot of time to do full search again which is useless, if your budget set to 70-100 usd, - from all conversations I understood you dont like overpaying 2-3 usd for same dash camera if can get cheaper elsewhere.

You very first line of this thread you open says:

• I'd prefer under $100

 

[Belial88]

And indeed I'd prefer under $100, but I'm open to anything. I'm not necessarily looking for the cheapest, I'm looking for good night city quality, and then value. I suppose I'd be categorized as a heavy car driver - I don't do anything particularly special, but I just spend a ton more hours than most people (~50k/yr). Given that, I think I need a nicer cam than some basic k6000 like for most people.

I think the gt300w is right where I want to be, but if I see that the G1w/Vf300w have only slightly lower video quality for such a huge price reduction, I'll definitely consider them instead. As far as I've seen, it seems really close and you can only tell when watching side by side, but youtube, distortion, etc, so I'm not sure what to get still. And considering the issues with park protect on the gt300w, I'll definitely consider higher end cams (I doubt I'll go for it though, but I have interest now where none was before).

I appreciate you directly answering my questions, I was perhaps giving you more crap than you deserve. You know I'm going to ask what cams you were talking about though

 

[fieldofview]

I think the gt300w is right where I want to be, but if I see that the G1w/Vf300w have only slightly lower video quality for such a huge price

Yeah, the GT300W/LS300W is my 2nd choice, the dynamic range image is a plus but the trade-off is no GPS and I'm interested in a speed time stamp. The price difference is $45 between the G1W and GT300W, that's the number you need to see if it's worth spending. Question is will you have buyer's remorse later and wish you had gotten the slightly better video quality? The other way to look at it is get the $60 camera, try it out and really find out what features you really need in a "good camera". Then when you get your keeper camera move the G1W to the rear window and it won't be a loss.

 

[Belial88]

That's an interesting proposition. I'll see which is better first, g1w vs vf300 and make a decision there.

 

[niko]

You know I'm going to ask what cams you were talking about though

Hehee, If I would have telepathy power, - I would play lottery/ play pokker ( reading other thoughts ) etc, and should not have go to work.

Unfortunately ( or I guess fortunately ) I am simple person like most of us and can not read other thoughts, unlike Mel Gibson in "What Women Want"

 

[niko]

Yeah, the GT300W/LS300W is my 2nd choice, the dynamic range image is a plus but the trade-off is no GPS and I'm interested in a speed time stamp. The price difference is $45 between the G1W and GT300W, that's the number you need to see if it's worth spending. Question is will you have buyer's remorse later and wish you had gotten the slightly better video quality? The other way to look at it is get the $60 camera, try it out and really find out what features you really need in a "good camera". Then when you get your keeper camera move the G1W to the rear window and it won't be a loss.

Very good points!
I would recommend adding 10usd more to G1W budget ( 60 + 10 ) = 70 usd you will get VF300W, - it is 90-95% close to DOD LS300W by video quality and same as DOD LS300W built quality ( no wobbling mount unlike on G1W ), at least at night. Just finished night side by side tests. Will be putting together side by side day time tests and try to publish whole test result within few days.

 

[Yas]

Abrupt -- it is -- although -- please see the video I took.
I bought DOD CR60W as my first DashCam. This is the video by CR60W.

I am poor at English.
But I am glad if these videos becomes your reference.

further note
I changed setting of it to show video. I am sorry.
Thank you for pointing out niko

 

[niko]

Abrupt -- it is -- although -- please see the video I took.
I bought DOD CR60W as my first DashCam. This is the video by CR60W.

I am poor at English.
But I am glad if these videos becomes your reference.

Those video have private status on youtube. Can you make them available for others.
Also, please share a RAW video files.
Thank you.

 

[niko]

And indeed I'd prefer under $100, but I'm open to anything. I'm not necessarily looking for the cheapest, I'm looking for good night city quality, and then value. I suppose I'd be categorized as a heavy car driver - I don't do anything particularly special, but I just spend a ton more hours than most people (~50k/yr). Given that, I think I need a nicer cam than some basic k6000 like for most people.

I think the gt300w is right where I want to be, but if I see that the G1w/Vf300w have only slightly lower video quality for such a huge price reduction, I'll definitely consider them instead. As far as I've seen, it seems really close and you can only tell when watching side by side, but youtube, distortion, etc, so I'm not sure what to get still. And considering the issues with park protect on the gt300w, I'll definitely consider higher end cams (I doubt I'll go for it though, but I have interest now where none was before).

I appreciate you directly answering my questions, I was perhaps giving you more crap than you deserve. You know I'm going to ask what cams you were talking about though

I have put together side by side test G1W vs G2W vs DOD LS300W.
You may see video from here:

http://dashcamtalk.com/forum/index....5mbps-gps-dash-cam-dvr.1449/page-4#post-28653

Soon will have VF300W vs DOD LS300W

 

[Belial88]

^ Looks like the G1W and G2W are same (but you mounted g2w much further back). The LS300w doesn't so much as look brighter, as seem clearer. Not a huge difference in video quality, that's kinda interesting though.

I'd love to see how the vf300w turns out. If it's better I might go for one of those instead of a legit gt300w.

Thanks!

 

[niko]

^ Looks like the G1W and G2W are same (but you mounted g2w much further back). The LS300w doesn't so much as look brighter, as seem clearer. Not a huge difference in video quality, that's kinda interesting though.

I'd love to see how the vf300w turns out. If it's better I might go for one of those instead of a legit gt300w.

Thanks!

If you read G2W thread, you see it has a wider view lens angle, that why its seems "much further back".

 

[Belial88]

oh, i thought it was identical hardware. Interesting.

 

[niko]

oh, i thought it was identical hardware. Interesting.

G2W hardware can be the same, it's just lens angle are ultra-wide, thats why objects looks further than on other dash cameras.

 

[Belial88]

yea, I'll just see how the vf300 compares and make a choice based on that.

 

[niko]

yea, I'll just see how the vf300 compares and make a choice based on that.

Ok. Will do asap.
Just to clarify: its a vf300W, so people dont get confused.

 

[Belial88]

When is your G1W vs VF300w vs GT300w coming out? I'm really interested in seeing how it is. The G1W leaves something to be desired at night (there's a clear difference, you don't have many license plates and other cars in the video, which would have been nice, but you can see at the start you can read the license plate of the car parked in front with the gt300w but not the g1w/g2w) so I'm interested if the vf300w is a good cam.

And how do you feel about the G1W vs G2W, out of curiosity? Do you like the panorama feature?

 

[niko]

When is your G1W vs VF300w vs GT300w coming out? I'm really interested in seeing how it is. The G1W leaves something to be desired at night (there's a clear difference, you don't have many license plates and other cars in the video, which would have been nice, but you can see at the start you can read the license plate of the car parked in front with the gt300w but not the g1w/g2w) so I'm interested if the vf300w is a good cam.

And how do you feel about the G1W vs G2W, out of curiosity? Do you like the panorama feature?

Can not promise exact date. It takes a lot of time to put all 4 videos files together, synchronize, etc. I will see when I will get free time.

 

[Belial88]

Well, what's your thoughts on it at least?