Rear View DashCam - Drift Ghost-S vs Replay mini XD Or Mobius

[bt75alfa]

Right I need to get your opinions - I purchased a Ghost S for use as a dash cam it works perfectly as a front mounted camera, it is a little fish eyed but captures everything I want and more! (I got it cheap so the price is less of a factor - I want quality) I wanted an action-cam as I came with the preconception that I wanted the quality over the cheapness. To me when an accident happens and I rely on it to work and to always work even in a bad accident.

I now need a rear mounted camera the quality is important but not possibly as important as the front - regularly touring through Europe - lane discipline and adhering to speed limits can vary greatly from other road users. It will be located in the back window/ on the Parcel shelf.

The possible options I have opted for are: (they all work as dashcams so this is not the question)

Drift Ghost S for 259 Euro
replay mini XD for 140 Euro
Mobibus - 115 Euro

The quality on the Ghost is 25Mbps 160 Degree FOV
Replay mini 15 Mbps 120 Degree FVO
Mobibus upto 18 Mbps... Depends on lens recommendation.


What are everybody's recommendations?

My opinions

The Ghost S - I like the quality of the Ghost S But not sure that all the quality is necessary and if the 160 FOV will be a hindrance from the rear. It also mounts very discreetly looking almost OEM from the outside (On the front). With just the big bubble lens being visible (Photos will go up later in the appropriate thread)

Replay mini XD For the price it looks like a good little bit of kit being aluminium and using a good quality lens, the from factor is nice but I am not sure if the quality is as good/ on par with the mobibus I am sure the build quality is better than the mobibus.

Mobibus - looks good for the price but maybe a bit cheap and cheerful - I question the longevity of the device as I may not check it is working at all times. !

Links to the respective products:
Ghost- S : http://store.driftinnovation.com/drift-ghost-s
Replay mini XD: https://www.replayxd.com/product/1080-mini/
And you all know the Mobibus....

 

[bt75alfa]

If I am going to the price of the Ghost -S I should also consider the Replay XD Prime X - http://www.replayxd.com/product/prime-x/ Its quite cheap on the UK amazon ... Let me know your thoughts I am tempted by the Ghost S as I have used it before, but intrigued by the other options as they are a bit different...

 

[kamkar]

Some ppl in here have been running mobius for a year at least with no problems, i too use it as a rear camera while i wait for more dedicated systems with 2 or more cameras on a wire.

For the kind of use and with price in mind i would go for the little mobius and additional capasitor kit, having the expensive drift camera in my rear window would make me not sleep at all even though i have a IP camera aimed on my car where its parked.
And i have my mobius 1 mm from the glass so no heater elements appear in the footage, and still its pretty discreete as it sit at the very top of the window and still beeing covered by the wiper.

 

[bt75alfa]

Thanks KamKar - I was thinking of coming up with a solution to hid it ... I was not going to leave it visible! It would be impossible to sleep.

Anyway I didnt realise that they were that reliable, do you have any video from the camera pressed up against the window, I am wondering what the view is like from the rear? As the idea now sounds intriguing to use the mobibus.

Additionally what lense are you using?

thanks BT

 

[2000rpm]

.......I now need a rear mounted camera the quality is important but not possibly as important as the front......

.....What are everybody's recommendations?....

I would look at one with an adhesive mount.
I have yet to find any suction mount - even those with a locking ring or latch - which will stay on a rear window for more than a day or two without falling off. Most fall off within a few hours.
Temperature fluctuation (including due to frost and the heating elements in a rear window) and slight ridges in the glass (the heating wires) make it impossible to hold the suction vacuum.

 

[kamkar]

i am using the now discontinued "B" lens, but i assume the C lens is just as good if not better.

I think the mobius was just intended to be used as a action camera not least in the RC hobby where a gopro and that like is often too big for some radio controlled things.
It have been around for a while now and still enjoy good support, it is the one camera i know that have had so many firmware updates over time, each making it a little bit better and add some features.
There have allso been a couple of step backs in firmware, but its things the users have overcome in no time.

Just have a look in our mobius subforum, and there is allso quite a fjew in the where did you mount your camera thread.
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/forums/mobius.38/
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/where-did-you-mount-the-camera-post-your-pictures.502/

My own mobius is here, but now have a different mount with a neodynium magnet and some metal, but location is the same.
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threads/where-did-you-mount-the-camera-post-your-pictures.502/page-14

 

[russ331]

I didnt realise that they were that reliable ... I am wondering what the view is like from the rear?

The view depends on whether you choose Lens A or B or C, & which Horizontal Field of View you select ... Narrow Or Wide Mode. In 1080p/30 the choice ranges from 75° to 131°.

I have two Mobius B cams, the oldest has been in daily use since October 2013. No problems with either of them.

 

[bt75alfa]

Thanks for all the replies - this has made me feel much more confident in going with the mobibus - making it look like a neat and realistic solution... So Before I go ahead does anybody have any feedback on any of the Replay XD devices ?

 

[bt75alfa]

One Other Question - Does this aim look OK or is it a bit too high - The original Idea was so I would not get the Satnav in the shot but now im thinking maybe its aimed a little too high what do you guys think ? Attached is just a screen snip thus the poor quality ..



@kamkar1 Or anybody else..

 

[GJHS]

Too high, too much sky will make change the exposure. The general idea is 60% road 40% sky, more or less.

 

[kamkar]

Yeah you will want to have more of the ground in the footage, this is so that the camera set itself to the "darker" parts of the picture.

Having it like you have there you will see the ground get pretty dark when the sun go behind a cloud, allso things in the shade might be harder to see in the footage.

Better to have the camera get its light mesurements off the "darker" road surface and then have the sky overexposed to some degree.

The default recomendations seem to be a 60 / 40 split, but there is no one who will keep you from experimenting

 

[bt75alfa]

Thanks guys for the feedback - I really regret permanently mounting the ghost on a low profile mount....! Spent the weekend adjusting the cam and relocating the satnav WRT your comments - thanks for the quick feedback!

Tested the ghost as a rear cam but the FOV is just too wide mounting it in the rear window, I just couldnt get a position that took advantage of the wide FOV...... looks like I will be getting the mobibus - But still the replay XD looks appealing the settings you can adjust on it looks interesting especially the auto exposure settings.... : http://www.replayxd.com/replay-xd1080mini-advanced/ Do you think this would aid its use as a dash cam or should I stop trying to reinvent the wheel using diffrent products and get the mobibus? I do not mind experimenting if you think there is potential for the mini to be used as a good dash cam