High resolution front cam, and exterior rear?

[Pete42]

Hi folks,

I‘m looking for a dashcam for my 3-door Mk1 Freelander. In case you’re not familiar with it, this is one of those 90s-style 4x4s with a folding canvas roof at the rear, and when the roof is down the rear window retracts into the tailgate. So I can’t mount any of the normal kind of rear camera that goes inside the rear window. I do have an existing analogue reversing camera, though it’s a little low in the rear bumper, and I should be able to arrange a mount for a weatherproof camera somewhere around the spare wheel. Getting wires into and through the car isn’t a problem.

I’d also like the front camera in particular - and also the rear as far as possible - to be as high-resolution as it can be. I see a lot of dashcam footage where the resolution isn’t high enough to read number plates, and in 2023 it seems like we should be able to do better than that.

Apart from these I don’t really want lots of complex features. Ability to record while parked seems sensible (again I’m not scared of running wiring in this car) and I’d like for the unit on the front windscreen to be as unobtrusive as possible - I’d prefer a decent iPhone app to a built-in screen for control, for example. Bonus points if the app works on CarPlay!

So far I haven’t been able to find a camera that meets these needs, but I’m new to dashcams and don’t really know the market. Any suggestions?

(I’m in the UK, but I assume these things are all made in China and available globally anyway. In any case, if I have a model number I can probably source it even if not formally sold here.)

Thanks,

Pete

 

[kamkar]

Welcome to the forum Pete42.

A few brands offer alternative waterproof exterior rear cameras.
I wouldn't go there though, your rear camera will constantly get dirty, which is fine for a low RES reversing camera, but murder on a dashcam.
It would be better if a rear camera are within the swept area of a rear wiper,,,,,, which i think the freelander have ?
Most cameras today have wifi and a option to do settings and DL footage to the phone, i however only do settings, which is nice as i have tired old eyes so the little screens on the camera require reading glasses.
I would not know about the fruit brand as it is one of my favoite hate brands, from before they made phones.

I had no problem reading plates with 1080p, but sure they have to be close due to the wide angle lens issue, but that is the same challenge with a 1440p or 4K camera.

These days though 1400p is the new 1080, 4K are getting more and more in play

 

[Pete42]

Ok, since you apparently don’t believe me, here is a picture of my car not having a rear window:



I understand the point about dirt on the lens, but if I mount it high up on the spare wheel, or on the third brake-light which you can just make out above it, it will hopefully stay cleaner than a reversing camera low down on the bumper. When I do have the rear window in place, the area outside the wiper isn’t significantly dirtier than the swept area.

4K is the resolution I’m hoping for, at least in front, if possible.

Pete

 

[Nigel]

Can you mount the rear camera on the back of a headrest?
Won't be a great image, but maybe good enough?
It is nice to have a rear camera, but a great image is not necessary, when someone drives into your rear it is automatically their fault!

 

[kamkar]

I dont think i have seen a freelander like that here in Denmark, even if that might even make it cheaper, which is a big deal with the big taxes on cars here.
My M8 have been driving land rovers for a long time, started with a old 88" then a few 130 " one even V8 but in the end he settled on a brand new one, i think that was when the Td5 came out.

I do consider the rear camera a secondary one, but mind you i would not be without one, and they fit so nice on my bottom of the barrel small Suzuki 5 door hatchback.

I thought Viofo had accessory WP cameras, but nope, that leave me with street guardian but they barely make a 1440p camera.

Unsure if Blackvue and Thinkware have accessory waterproof rear cameras, but they do make 4K systems, though some argue not the best ones, but expensive for sure.