Hot weather: which dashcams can handle it and which can't?

[rolypolyman]

I live in Texas and am looking at buying a lower-end dashcam in the next month. Which models can stand up to sitting in a hot car? Removing it every time I'm out of the car really isn't an option.

Early this year I had a DVR-027 I bought on Amazon (this exact listing, seller XKX), which I later figured out was a knockoff. It worked fine up until June, when it gradually went out of focus, which I'm positive was from to the hot temperatures loosening up the focus ring adhesive. In July it stopped working altogether. Proof positive you get what you pay for.

I'm looking at paying around $75-100 now. Hot weather durability is my #1 purchase concern, picture quality is #2. Any advice, or at least any anecdotes?

EDIT: To be more specific, I want to avoid a camera that won't easily get heat damage while it's off. When it's in use and powered, there would be air conditioning.

 

[niko]

For hot weather good only dash cams with capacitor, not batteries. Unfort within your budget there are no capacitor based dash cams. Nearest good one with capacitor that I can recommend us Panorama II.

Or you can wait few moth for Mobius with capacitors, but it doesnt have a display ( if its important for you ) and video is not that great at night as on Panorama2 ( different dash cam classes, wrong to compare them ), however latest mobius with B-lens has very good night-vision recording that can be compared to other top dash cams from the same class ( based on Novatek NT96650 CPU + AR0330 CMOS ).

 

[rolypolyman]

I guess I should clarify that I use air conditioning when I'm using the camera. It's when it's sitting for hours in a hot, parked vehicle where it's an issue. During this time the camera would be off. I don't park anywhere where it would be stolen so I prefer to leave it mounted.

 

[fatpanda]

You will only get what you pay for, spend a few more dollars and get a quality camera such as the VicoVation TF2.

 

[Gurkha9]

Any camera with a battery sitting in the hot Texas sun will fail eventually. So take your pick within your price range.

 

[Quick]

Lukas 7900 ACE. - operating range up to 176*F, storage temp up to 194*F
Top end dash cam. Top end picture quality.
A bit more than twice what you want to spend. Of course you already spent half that much on the one you're throwing away.

 

[Gurkha9]

Yeah the Lucas is a good choice but so is anything really with a capacitor as far as heat tolerance goes (OP's #1 purchase concern)

 

[niko]

Lukas 7900 ACE. - operating range up to 176*F, storage temp up to 194*F
Top end dash cam. Top end picture quality.
A bit more than twice what you want to spend. Of course you already spent half that much on the one you're throwing away.

Lukas 7900 is good dash cam, but certainly not "top end", not in dash cam choice, nor in video quality. It is good, stable for mid-price-range of high-end dash cams. These days top-end standards are pushed much higher than Lukas 7900 has.

 

[Quick]

Yeah the Lucas is a good choice but so is anything really with a capacitor as far as heat tolerance goes (OP's #1 purchase concern)

And probably a good idea to stay away from anything with a lcd display

 

[jokiin]

And probably a good idea to stay away from anything with a lcd display

why do you say that?

 

[Quick]

Many (most?) LCD displays will not tolerate the heat encountered inside a closed car. Sometimes they will start to function again after cooling down.
I was beta testing for an OBDII scanner/gauges thing and it was one of the problems they had to deal with. They either improved it or fixed it. I'm not sure if it was just a matter of a higher quality/cost display.

 

[bn880]

Its possible to design LCD's to function in high heat environments. Look for example at all the Garmin devices or military equipment.

 

[jokiin]

Its possible to design LCD's to function in high heat environments. Look for example at all the Garmin devices or military equipment.

yes if it's made for automotive environments it's fine

 

[Quick]

yes if it's made for automotive environments it's fine

And my understanding is those are (relatively) significantly more cost? (the one in the product I was referring to above was close to 3" x 5"
Are most all the dash cams using the ones spec'd for automotive use?

 

[jokiin]

And my understanding is those are (relatively) significantly more cost? (the one in the product I was referring to above was close to 3" x 5"
Are most all the dash cams using the ones spec'd for automotive use?

we use automotive grade parts, I'm sure the cheap products don't

 

[Quick]

we use automotive grade parts, I'm sure the cheap products don't

Exactly. ^^

side note: since I just thought of another suggestion for your products.
User adjustable focus. Something like a set screw hidden under a plug or label that a user could access with an allen wrench or something.
Loosen the set screw and you would be able to screw the lens in or out. Maybe a support nightmare but you could hide it under a sticker and not document it. or make it a at-your-own-risk void your warranty type of thing.

 

[jokiin]

Exactly. ^^

side note: since I just thought of another suggestion for your products.
User adjustable focus. Something like a set screw hidden under a plug or label that a user could access with an allen wrench or something.
Loosen the set screw and you would be able to screw the lens in or out. Maybe a support nightmare but you could hide it under a sticker and not document it. or make it a at-your-own-risk void your warranty type of thing.

appreciate the idea, it wouldn't work with our design (or our lens) but all ideas are appreciated regardless

 

[Gurkha9]

Curious as to what GT7S and GT7D products are? A7L-A based which means even further down the road before we can get our hands on them?

 

[jokiin]

Curious as to what GT7S and GT7D products are? A7L-A based which means even further down the road before we can get our hands on them?

there will be a couple of other variants as well, S is single camera, D is dual and yes the 7 is for A7LA, we will be using a few different models of the A7LA (there are 8 different A7LA chipsets), will give more detail on that as those get closer

 

[Quick]

Ballpark time frame?