Discrete dashcam recommendations

CAD

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Hi all,

I couldn't find a specific place to say hi so hopefully it is ok here?

A few weeks ago I was involved in an RTC whereby I was a victim of a head on hit and run. Unfortunately, by the time I was able to get out the car to get details the other car was long gone. Had I had a dashcam I would not be in the position where I am going to lose my no claims (even though I was not at fault).

Anyway, I have purchased a new car and I want to get myself a dashcam to try and protect myself a little in case it happens again.

My main criteria is one that is as discrete as possible, that ideally hides behind the rear view mirror. I am looking to install it permanently and will ideally like to hardwire this into my new car. As I drive every day for work and sometimes park in a public carpark, I would ideally like something with a parking mode that switches on and records when needed (of course I am aware that a dashcam wouldn't catch everything but looking to reduce the risk as much as possible).

Also, I don't want it to be a massive drain on my car battery if I were to leave it in parking mode all day.

So in short I am looking for something small and discrete that switches on when I turn the engine on and also has a parking facility for the odd days that I park in public carparks.

My budget is around £200 however can go a little higher if the right product is out there.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance
 
I have no experience of the above cam but it is thought of as very good by people that use it, another one to consider is the THINKWARE F770, maybe make a list of what exactly you want feature wise when comparing cams, then look at features to see if cams have what you want then watch some footage(lots) on youtube this is what I did, I particularly like the time lapse 1FPS option , on the F770 allowing up to 32 times as storage on same size sd card as well as verbal announcements for speed cams etc, verbally tells you if triggered and by what, this cam is £200 for front only, £250 for front/rear quality is stunning and easy hardwire kit included.
 
I have no experience of the above cam but it is thought of as very good by people that use it, another one to consider is the THINKWARE F770, maybe make a list of what exactly you want feature wise when comparing cams, then look at features to see if cams have what you want then watch some footage(lots) on youtube this is what I did, I particularly like the time lapse 1FPS option , on the F770 allowing up to 32 times as storage on same size sd card as well as verbal announcements for speed cams etc, verbally tells you if triggered and by what, this cam is £200 for front only, £250 for front/rear quality is stunning and easy hardwire kit included.
F770 is not discreet.
 
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Wedge shaped cameras are perfect for the discrete look, a118/a119 and the above mentioned street guardian

prices vary, depends on what you wanna spend really

I have 3 dashcams, two fixed in the car and one removable that I use in the work van or as an interior cam in the car, none are discrete but I'm about to get an A118c and may keep it and sell the one out the front of the car, since it can pretty much be seen from space!!

ALSO.... parking mode would require a permanent power feed, this can be from a hardwire kit and can be set to shut off if it drains the car battery below a certain voltage, or if your cigarette lighter 12v socket is permanent live (like my audi) you can leave it plugged in for a few hours at a time without issue

I accidentally left two dashcams plugged in overnight without any problems but i'd rather not risk that again, so my front one is now hardwired to a switched live, meaning it shuts off when the car's off, so I can't use "parking mode" but I can still leave my rear one plugged in if I want parking mode
 
Wedge cams (or cams with any other form-factor) aren't always the best for discretion. Every car is different so there cannot be one single 'best' solution even when for most cars a wedge cam 'hides' well ;) In a similar vein, some cars have problems (small battery, computer-controlled power scheme) which make continuous operation problematic without an outboard power source (powerbank or Cellink set-up). And not all cam choices can give you the features you want. So start with looking at features and form-factor of cams withing your budget. That will narrow down the selection considerably.

Decent parking mode function limits you to just a few cams, yet some cams do fine with continuous recording which gives you essentially the same thing- that's the option I use. While it is "old tech" now, the original Mobius does this well and it's tiny matchbox size can make it very discreet given some ingenuity in mounting. The SG9665GC is a wedge cam that is also excellent when used this way. I recommend you take a close look at these if you can't find a cam with parking mode that suits you.

Blackvue and Thinkware make cams which have good parking mode functionality but their form-factor may not mount discreetly and they may stretch beyond your budget. With any cam choice, you want t look at the videos and comments which owners of that cam post and determine if you're OK with what it does. Almost every cam has it's own forum here where you can find that info. Do a search in the "Where did you mount your cam" thread https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/where-did-you-mount-the-camera-post-your-pictures.502/ to see where others have mounted the cam in various cars to get an idea of whether it will work for you.

By this point you'll have your selection narrowed down to just a few cams, and if you then post questions regarding those we can do much better in helping you make the best selection. Because what works for us may not work equally well for you and every cam will be a compromise which only you can decide is acceptable or not.

And welcome to DCT :D
Phil
 
F770 is not discreet.
I disagree, I know that I don't notice mine and no one else has mentioned it the shape completely gets obscured by the shape of the interior mirror even though it is in front of by mirror it being the same colour it doesn't stand out as it's shape is "obscured" by mirror shape, it's certainly more discreet than any that hang down whose odd shape in the screen gives them away, just my opinion yours may differ
 
Blackvue is discreet and would recommend if this is your main requirement. the F770 is not discreet as someone has mentioned but the picture quality is much better. I opted for the F770 due to features and quality. The Blackvue was second due to it being discreet, if only the quality rivaled the F770
 
F770 is not discreet.

I'll agree to disagree on that.

I just installed the 2 channel version of the f770 and consider it to be one of the most descreet cameras on the market that has front and rear cameras whilst sporting a seemingly robust parking mode.

If anyone is looking closely then obviously it's obvious as to what it is, but it's hardly indescreet.
 
I'll agree to disagree on that.

I just installed the 2 channel version of the f770 and consider it to be one of the most descreet cameras on the market that has front and rear cameras whilst sporting a seemingly robust parking mode.

If anyone is looking closely then obviously it's obvious as to what it is, but it's hardly indescreet.
depending on what car do you install on. What kind of rear mirror on this car. Discreet like beauty, everyman has his own define.
 
Thanks for the replies.

I'm still yet to purchase one having been away however am keen to get one sorted.

Having thought about it a bit more I think I can forgo the parking mode given that it impossible to cover all angles of the car when parked anyway.

My main criteria of descret still stands and I guess my idea of descret is something that cannot be seen from the drivers position and is hidden as much as possible from the outside looking in!

thanks again for your help

:)
 
...given that it impossible to cover all angles of the car when parked anyway....
Increase your budget, buy 4 cameras - problem solved. rofl-111.gif
 
You should be able to hide the bulk of the camera on the sun strip (tint or perforated dots)

If you car doesn't have one you can put in tint/perforated film on the inside glass. There's also exterior tint/vinyl stickers.
 
Almost all of the newest cars do well with the 'wedge' form factor provided that it will clear the mirror and any sensor housings which are located there. Tell us which car it is and maybe someone can give you more precise suggestions ;)

Phil
 
This is the most discreet. All mat black, centered and looks like OEM stock so will not attract attention. From inside it's hidden behind rearview mirror, and from outside it's right behind the dotted black shade screen. Camera clears it at the bottom. I just bought it on Aliexpress for $60CAD...when installed i'll try following up with a review.
 

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I've got 3 Mobius cams, had them coming up for 5 years (I believe?). In over half a dozen incidents, nobody has pointed them out whilst we were discussing fault - and judging by their insurance claims, they didn't spot them either.
 
This is the most discreet. All mat black, centered and looks like OEM stock so will not attract attention. From inside it's hidden behind rearview mirror, and from outside it's right behind the dotted black shade screen. Camera clears it at the bottom. I just bought it on Aliexpress for $60CAD...when installed i'll try following up with a review.

Sorry, I have to disagree with you. This setup has about +70% more "footprint" than other real discrete daschams like Mobius, A118, A119, etc.
Most discrete one will be remote lens, but unfortunately there are not many perfect solutions out there yet.
 
I've got 3 Mobius cams, had them coming up for 5 years (I believe?). In over half a dozen incidents, nobody has pointed them out whilst we were discussing fault - and judging by their insurance claims, they didn't spot them either.

Yeah, one of the things I've noticed about the Mobius is that even when people are looking right at them from outside of a vehicle they don't usually think, "camera".
 
Yeah, one of the things I've noticed about the Mobius is that even when people are looking right at them from outside of a vehicle they don't usually think, "camera".

the form factor doesn't really look like a camera which is an advantage, the mount is only thing that gives things away in a lot of cases, particularly if the larger suction type that they sell for it, with a little bit of effort making a custom mount though they can be much more discrete
 
Yeah, one of the things I've noticed about the Mobius is that even when people are looking right at them from outside of a vehicle they don't usually think, "camera".

I had it in my hand at a picnic outing and nobody notices. I send them youtube links of the recordings, then they say they didn't see me with a camera.:)
 
the form factor doesn't really look like a camera which is an advantage, the mount is only thing that gives things away in a lot of cases, particularly if the larger suction type that they sell for it, with a little bit of effort making a custom mount though they can be much more discrete
All my mounts are the cheapo cycle helmet mounts stripped back as far as I can. With the cradle firmly screwed into the mount, the only real adjustment needed is up/down. It really is as minimalist as I can possibly make it
 
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