Questions from a Beginner?

[FL-Artist]

I am a trying to get some good Video footage of my City Streets. I have been experimenting with a High Quality Phone/Cams Video, but it seems that no matter how I mount it, I am still getting a lot of the dashboard in the video! Which I Don't Want! I am wondering If using one of these Dash Cams, might solve that problem? ...Is the Video footage good Quality from them? Can the Dashboard be Eliminated from the Shot? and finally! I am mostly interested in making Quality Videos for use on maybe Youtube and such, so are these dashcams suitable for that purpose? or are they just designed to provide Accident Evidence Quality? Thanks John

 

[bpsmicro]

If I'm understanding your goal correctly, most people trying to do what you describe would likely use an "action camera" (GoPro, etc) mounted outside the vehicle. Depending on where you mount it, you can minimize bits of the vehicle in the shot and also classic problems like windshield reflection & glare. Obviously, that setup is intended for shooting a specific sequence and not something you just leave mounted all the time.
If you really want a dashcam, then you want to mount at the top of the windshield. You'll still get some vehicle hood most likely. If you have a good video editing package and some skill, you can edit that stuff out.

 

[Nigel]

or are they just designed to provide Accident Evidence Quality?

Yes, they are designed to record evidence, but some are better than others for video, and yes you can remove the dashboard, most dashcams don't have much dashboard because they are narrow enough angle to not have much. With a 4K camera you can zoom in a bit to remove the rest of the dashboard, or just chop the top and bottom off for a cinematic view.

I am a trying to get some good Video footage of my City Streets.

Like this from my Viofo A129 Pro dashcam?

Viofo A129 Pro Dual Dashcam - 4K Front + 1080 Rear

Viofo A129 Pro Dual Dashcam - 4K Front + 1080 Rear The dash camera we have been waiting for, a 4K version of our favorite A129 Duo that records real 4K at a decent bitrate, and works at night! There are a few people with early versions of this camera now, so here is a thread to post your videos...

dashcamtalk.com

 

[kamkar]

A dashcam as it is also wide angle will give you dashboard and bottom of A pillars in the footage too.
People that do scenic drive videos usually use camcorders so they can zoom those things out, alternative you can refit a action camera with a less wide lens, you can do the same for a dashcam but really dashcams use too low bitrates for really nice looking footage.
Dashcams are rough and ready accident recorders with 1/5 the bitrate of a higher end action camera for instance. ( bitrate = detail )

The guy that have this YT channel use to drop by in here and drop links to his videos, they are pretty nice, like i would do drive videos if i was that way inclined.

American Roads

Time-lapsed video collections of my trips along the highways and roads in America. Most of the videos will come from the southwest, particularly Southern Cal...

www.youtube.com

As said with a 4K dashcam you can crop in on the footage and so leave out dash and A pillars, it will of course leave a lesser image if you dont scale the remainder up in post processing.
I often upscale 1080p dashcam videos to 4K as youtube dont seem to ruin 4K footage as much.