Please advise me on a dash cam that covers the sides of my car

Hailieee

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Hello I need advise , I park my car on the road as I don’t have a drive and it keeps getting damaged by drivers going past (might be buses too). Is there any way I could get a dash cam to cover all areas in my car or would I have to buy four cameras I’m totally new to this so any advise would be grateful thanks in advance.
 
ATM i think the K2 might be the best option for side coverage, its meant for use on motorcycles, but i am sure it cam also be used in a car.

Its a dual channel camera so you get 2 cameras that record onto a single memory card, much nicer than having to go retrieve individual memory cards in each camera.
Our good friend @niko up in Ireland should have them on the shelves soon ( it is a new product )

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...aluminium-camera-mount-and-dvr-housing.33980/

I am not quite sure what kind of parking guard the K2 will have, but as its the same hardware as some dashcams i assume that will be the same as those cameras too.

I have a older version ( single channel ) with sort of the same camera housing, you can see it installed on the back side of my right side B pillar in this video.
you can also see how my left side mobius are installed.

Be advised side windows dont have wipers so droplets on then can and will impair the view at times, it might be a good idea to use some form of repellent on the glass like rain x and so on.

One thing is for sure with this kind of application you will want cameras that have prebuffered parking mode, meaning you will have a few seconds from before the trigger event on video too, otherwise a car ripping off a mirror at speed, that you will never even see on a camera without prebuffered event recording.
 
Hello I need advise , I park my car on the road as I don’t have a drive and it keeps getting damaged by drivers going past (might be buses too). Is there any way I could get a dash cam to cover all areas in my car or would I have to buy four cameras I’m totally new to this so any advise would be grateful thanks in advance.

You might benefit from perusing the discussion here on DCT, "Is there such thing as a side view dashcam? (For your car doors)". The thread may help you in your quest for a side facing camera.

There are several options for "parking mode" especially for multi direction capture but my personal preference is to use separate cameras recording full time powered via power banks. (or vehicle power with battery management)

A recently introduced camera, the B1W has good potential for side camera use as it offers decent performance at modest cost so that purchasing two cameras is still a reasonable proposition.

See this thread for some info. https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/b1w-side-facing-camera.33748/#post-399620
 
Hello I need advise , I park my car on the road as I don’t have a drive and it keeps getting damaged by drivers going past (might be buses too). Is there any way I could get a dash cam to cover all areas in my car or would I have to buy four cameras I’m totally new to this so any advise would be grateful thanks in advance.
Welcome to DCT.

A side-facing camera like the B1W might be useful, but it may struggle to capture the number plate of a passing vehicle that hits your car if it's going 30mph or more. I think a side-facing camera is better for capturing slower speed events to the side of your car, like incidents in a car park for example.

You could try a dual channel setup with front & back cameras, recording continuously while parked with power supply from a powerbank. The front / back cameras will have a better chance of capturing the approaching / departing vehicle than the camera looking out the side. With sound recording turned on, you will hear if another car hits yours.
 
Welcome to DCT.

A side-facing camera like the B1W might be useful, but it may struggle to capture the number plate of a passing vehicle that hits your car if it's going 30mph or more. I think a side-facing camera is better for capturing slower speed events to the side of your car, like incidents in a car park for example.

You could try a dual channel setup with front & back cameras, recording continuously while parked with power supply from a powerbank. The front / back cameras will have a better chance of capturing the approaching / departing vehicle than the camera looking out the side. With sound recording turned on, you will hear if another car hits yours.

That's a good point about plate capture of fast moving cars with a side cam. The OP does mention purchasing four cameras so I think he would already have that covered. I would advocate for having side coverage as well as front and back as it would document the actual impact even if doesn't capture the plate number. Of course, as a long time side camera and 4 camera coverage guy I've learned that a side impact or sideswipe isn't the only reason for having a lateral facing camera.
 
I would agree that 4 cameras is the ideal solution, but not everyone wants that may cameras, cables, cards, powerbanks etc. For someone who appears to be starting out with no dashcam at present, I would recommend covering the front & back views first. Side view cameras can be added later if desired.

A side-facing camera doesn't actually see very much of the side of the car. I know that my B1W cameras can't see my side view mirrors for example, which are probably the first things to be hit by passing cars and buses.
 
I would agree that 4 cameras is the ideal solution, but not everyone wants that may cameras, cables, cards, powerbanks etc. For someone who appears to be starting out with no dashcam at present, I would recommend covering the front & back views first. Side view cameras can be added later if desired.

A side-facing camera doesn't actually see very much of the side of the car. I know that my B1W cameras can't see my side view mirrors for example, which are probably the first things to be hit by passing cars and buses.
Mine can:

Actually, that was a Gitup Git1, but I don't have a rear side window to mount them in like you do, my rear side window is part of the door and opens. The front side window is a much more convenient place to mount it.
 
I would agree that 4 cameras is the ideal solution, but not everyone wants that may cameras, cables, cards, powerbanks etc. For someone who appears to be starting out with no dashcam at present, I would recommend covering the front & back views first. Side view cameras can be added later if desired.

A side-facing camera doesn't actually see very much of the side of the car. I know that my B1W cameras can't see my side view mirrors for example, which are probably the first things to be hit by passing cars and buses.

As we've discussed elsewhere, the amount of coverage of the side of the vehicle depends on the particular camera and the particular vehicle and how one chooses to aim the cameras. While the camera may not exactly "see" the side of your vehicle a lateral facing camera that can view the pavement adjacent to your vehicle will certainly capture the impact to the side of your car during an incident.

leftmobius-B lens .jpg

As a six year veteran of side camera use with nine different cameras using 12 different lenses I probably have a perspective on side view cameras that someone with a single model that's been in service as a side camera for only a few weeks along with perhaps some other brief experimentation does not.

As for not everyone wanting 4 cameras, since the OP specifically mentions 4 cameras in his post, it sounds like he is at least receptive to the idea.
 
ATM i think the K2 might be the best option for side coverage, its meant for use on motorcycles, but i am sure it cam also be used in a car.

Its a dual channel camera so you get 2 cameras that record onto a single memory card, much nicer than having to go retrieve individual memory cards in each camera.
Our good friend @niko up in Ireland should have them on the shelves soon ( it is a new product )

https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...aluminium-camera-mount-and-dvr-housing.33980/

I am not quite sure what kind of parking guard the K2 will have, but as its the same hardware as some dashcams i assume that will be the same as those cameras too.

I have a older version ( single channel ) with sort of the same camera housing, you can see it installed on the back side of my right side B pillar in this video.
you can also see how my left side mobius are installed.

Be advised side windows dont have wipers so droplets on then can and will impair the view at times, it might be a good idea to use some form of repellent on the glass like rain x and so on.

One thing is for sure with this kind of application you will want cameras that have prebuffered parking mode, meaning you will have a few seconds from before the trigger event on video too, otherwise a car ripping off a mirror at speed, that you will never even see on a camera without prebuffered event recording.
Thank you for your help
 
I don’t really want four cameras but if that’s what I have to do to catch who ever is doing this then I will but I was under the impression that front and rear cameras won’t catch it, I didn’t think it would be enough evidence but if it they have sound and hear it then maybe front and rear would be good thank you all for your help and advise I really appreciate it
 
As a six year veteran of side camera use with nine different cameras using 12 different lenses I probably have a perspective on side view cameras that someone with a single model that's been in service as a side camera for only a few weeks along with perhaps some other brief experimentation does not.

As for not everyone wanting 4 cameras, since the OP specifically mentions 4 cameras in his post, it sounds like he is at least receptive to the idea.
I don't doubt that you have far more experience in the use of side cameras than me, and I already agreed that 4 cameras would be the ideal solution for the particular issue of the OP's car being damaged by passing vehicles. I was merely suggesting that the OP could start with front & back cameras and see if that works, before adding side cameras.
 
@Hailieee
Can you see your car from the house when it is parked? If so, have you considered setting up a CCTV camera at your house to watch your car?
 
Indeed with good parking mode there should be a good chance to get a capture on the front or rear camera, but it will of course not be of the act itself.

And it must happen a lot since many new cars fold their mirrors in when parked, though personally i find this very silly.
 
@Hailieee
Can you see your car from the house when it is parked? If so, have you considered setting up a CCTV camera at your house to watch your car?
Yes I can see the car from my hous so that is a option but would it catch there plate number ? I thought it might be better in the car but like I say I’m new to all this. I just want to make sure that if I’m spending money on cameras and stuff that I get the evidence I need when events like this happen .
 
I don't doubt that you have far more experience in the use of side cameras than me, and I already agreed that 4 cameras would be the ideal solution for the particular issue of the OP's car being damaged by passing vehicles. I was merely suggesting that the OP could start with front & back cameras and see if that works, before adding side cameras.

I understand. As for speaking of having more varied experience with side cameras I was really responding more to your comment, "A side-facing camera doesn't actually see very much of the side of the car." From my experience a side camera with the appropriate FOV will capture virtually everything that happens on the side of the vehicle right up to inches from your door even if the camera doesn't actually show the door.

As for the OP, I figure he can sift through all of our varied remarks and reach his own conclusions.
 
Yes I can see the car from my hous so that is a option but would it catch there plate number ? I thought it might be better in the car but like I say I’m new to all this. I just want to make sure that if I’m spending money on cameras and stuff that I get the evidence I need when events like this happen .

A front and rear dash camera would probably be best for capturing plate numbers of an approaching vehicle or one leaving the scene.

Also, If you generally park on one side of the street only then perhaps you could manage with a dual front and rear camera and a single lateral facing camera on the vulnerable side for good measure?
 
Indeed capturing the plate on a CCTV camera are just as big a challenge, they are not easy to capture with dashcams either.
I pretty much only expect to see those in my footage on the best of days.
My street CCTV camera dont capture any plates but it is also in my 2 floor living room window shooting down at a steep angle, so only cars coming out of the kindergarten on the other side of the street are possible.

Even at a much flatter angle CCTV may be ruled out for a few reasons,
1, Your car or other cars pretty much block the view of cars in the street.
2. Even if a car bump your car it will have to be a pretty significant bump to be able to see that in the CCTV footage.

You are in for a challenge indeed, npt least if this often happen in the low light hours of the day, cuz then a plate have to be moving at a pace at or slower than walking speed to be able to capture it in low light.
 
Why not a front and rear camera, and just angle them to where you get more street perspective. Many cameras have parking mode where you can do timelapse, incident bump, or motion detection. F800Pro can actually take a 256GB card which you'll want if you're on the street, with tons of cars passing.
 
Many cameras you cant actually angle to the side, only up and down.
Also you would have to do this when parking which most will soon forget, so best to have a system / cameras already in place and do their thing automated.
My system only work when driving, i have no parking mode on any of my cameras, parking dings while i would hate to get them / more of them, then they don't really worry me that much as i only see my current car as a means of transport.
If i drove my dream car, then it would be a whole other matter, though i would first buy my dream 15 ton armored personnel carrier i would drive day 2 day, and then after that maybe buy a nice Mercedes or so to bring out when i feel like flaunting it and risk my driver license.
 
Many cameras you cant actually angle to the side, only up and down.
Also you would have to do this when parking which most will soon forget, so best to have a system / cameras already in place and do their thing automated.
My system only work when driving, i have no parking mode on any of my cameras, parking dings while i would hate to get them / more of them, then they don't really worry me that much as i only see my current car as a means of transport.
If i drove my dream car, then it would be a whole other matter, though i would first buy my dream 15 ton armored personnel carrier i would drive day 2 day, and then after that maybe buy a nice Mercedes or so to bring out when i feel like flaunting it and risk my driver license.

There are quite a few with parking modes, which is automated. And sure not all can angle from manufacturer, but doesn't take that much creativity to get it angled.

But to each their own!
 
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