According to their prices, those more expensive cameras have better finish, better materials, better QC, better support etc.
Why do you say that? I thought the build, etc, was exactly the same? I asked niko and he did not say there was any noticeable difference in build quality. As for support, it doesn't sound like any of these companies have good support, even DOD appears to have poor support. I mean support is a matter of whether they take it back or not if it's defective, which I'm sure they'll all do.
The compromise to the vf300w, as I understand, is the 12mb/s recording.
If the gt300w, 450, 550, 680w, etc, have better build quality and QC for sure, then I'll buy that instead, but I have read nothing that indicates that is the case. Only people guessing that to be the case. But we know that isn't always true, because for example the GT300w for ~$100 vs the $200 dod ls300w.
I understand you 'get what you pay for', and I don't mind paying $100, but I'd like to make a smarter, informed decision. There's a reason everyone isn't saying 'omg gt300w crap why dont you get the $250 lukas, you get what you pay for" because certain cams give you more than 'what you pay for' and are a really good value.
I have read nothing to indicate that the vf300w is any worse than a gt300w, only that it's 12mb's and completely, unnoticeably lower quality in recording. Except by Kain, who has shown his ls3000 to be much worse, but is the ls3000 = vf300w, or is it a totally different, not even novatek cam?
But I'm definitely learning more. I've worked in IT for 11 years, and I've never been so overwhelmed with an electronics purchase. I think the big cause of that is lack of product that is US sold or based. I cant go anywhere and get my hands on these to play with and see in person. Other than police, I think its still pretty rare for US drivers to have these.
