Side cameras, are they worth it ?

[kamkar]

Or are they just a sign of a addiction to dash cameras ?

Well.
While i often argue a single good camera should suffice in covering you against the most claims against you, and also the chance captures of other people messing up also tend to happen in front of you.

And as i also have said often, if you like to expose the bad drivers out there, then you cant really have too many cameras.

Anyway for you to be able to decide i have just made this little demo of what you can expect of a side camera.

So what you will see here are footage off the Mobius B lens i have in the Left side of my car, it is just frame grabs displayed as freeze frames so i am only using about half of the footage where the car are in frame as we pass each other.
Weather ( lighting ) was modest and the speed i dident get up to the 80 km/h highway speed before we started to pass each other, but we are not crawling here.
Worked fine today, but i think it is safe to say that a side camera need more light as it only have a fraction of a second to get some captures in, at least when passing right past each other like in this footage.

 

[Harsh]

I feel they're equally important as a front or rear camera. Not something I've been able to achieve with the Mobius cameras for my hatchback, its just not discreet enough . A fixed glass near the A and D-pillars is such a boon for side installs, pity mine doesn't have either.

The driver's side rear door was dinged due to greedy parking attendants fitting in more cars within their allotted space. A pizza delivery biker smashed the ORVM and dented the driver's side door. I don't have footage of either event.

Not an addiction. More of an OCD thing, about our rides I mean.

 

[Dashmellow]

I don't think this 26 second "video" of random left side Mobius B footage is anywhere near enough information to help anyone make a determination about the value of side facing camera. It ignores all the different possibilities and scenarios of what can happen on either side of your vehicle.

For example, I had a kid on a bicycle run right in front of my car at an intersection forcing me into a panic stop not to run him over. I almost got rear ended because of it too! The front camera captured what happened as he crossed my path but the side camera told the real story as it showed this kid wildly and obliviously racing down the side street into a busy intersection full of flowing traffic, against the traffic light. If, god forbid, I had run him over, my side camera would have shown him to have been the cause of a potential tragedy whereas the front camera would only have shown me running him over. Oh yeah, the rear camera would have shown the guy rear ending me too and that surely might have been important to capture as well. Of course, this is why I run four cams.

When I had a guy very nearly side swipe me, the side camera showed him out of his lane and only a few inches from my fender. Another time I almost got T-boned in the middle of an intersection by a guy who ran a red light. My front camera would have been useless in that scenario but the side camera told the whole story in detail with the license plate number and the driver looking at a cell phone.

And perhaps my favorite use for side cameras is in parking lots where all kinds of crazy sh*t happens on a very regular basis. I started out running my side cameras as an experiment but they are now something that I wouldn't want to be without, especially when I am away from my vehicle.

Anyone who might really be interested in considering side facing cameras would benefit from perusing the, "Is there such thing as a side view dashcam" thread. The main point to consider is that there are so many other scenarios you might want or need a lateral facing camera for other than what you will see in this 26 seconds of driving on a major highway.

The concept of using side facing cameras may have been pioneered by some of us "enthusiasts" like me who began by experimenting with re-purposed older dash cams but it is not an "addiction" or an "OCD thing" as far as I am concerned; it is a practical one. The choice to use side cameras or rear cameras is common sense one for anyone wishing to have complete video protection surrounding their vehicle.

 

[kamkar]

Sure there are a lot of factors aside for the changing weather, and what you can expect to capture, this are more meant as a technical demo of what can be done with the little "cheap" mobius camera.
And these recordings with oncoming traffic are the most challenging ones i would think.

Add some sunshine and your captures get even better ( i have been meaning to aim my mobius more down )

 

[tabetha]

I must admit side cams are something I have been thinking about, I would like a 2 cam set up with if possible separate lenses from camera body so as hidden as possible

 

[DashcamDPR]

I'm gonna sell all my cams, and my car, and buy this...

 

[Dashmellow]

Sure there are a lot of factors aside for the changing weather, and what you can expect to capture, this are more meant as a technical demo of what can be done with the little "cheap" mobius camera.
And these recordings with oncoming traffic are the most challenging ones i would think.

Add some sunshine and your captures get even better ( i have been meaning to aim my mobius more down )

But, the title of your thread is "side-cams, are they worth it"? And then you said, "for you to be able to decide i have just made this little demo of what you can expect of a side camera. " So I guess I responded as I did because I felt that the 26 second video didn't really address any of the issues surrounding whether they are "worth it" or what you can expect or give anywhere near enough information to help anyone decide. I think all of that and more has already been thoroughly covered in the other lengthy thread about side cameras.

So, now you are saying it was just "meant as a technical demo"? How is it that? It only shows one situation where you could use a dash cam, regardless of the weather.

Sorry, @kamkar1. I'm not trying to be adversarial, I just don't get the point of this thread. I suppose I could post all kinds of photos and examples of the different side cam scenarios and situations I'm talking about but that would just be a repeat of everything that is already in the other side cam thread which is two years old and has 187 posts.

 

[kamkar]

Thats alright.
I am just throwing stuff out there so people have something visual to base their own decisions on, and i think most will be looking at least at first on what can i get while driving.
It is pretty rare ( as i recall ) people with needs for parking mode have asked about what side mounted cameras can do for them in this regard, and here i have to rely on others cuz i dont even use parking guard on my front camera.
But it is evident that a side camera are also a sweet thing to have on the parking lot.
But i am pretty sure if i ever go for parking guard then i would want at least my driver side camera to be on guard too.

That other thread while fine and all as i recall it dont have much in regard to live footage and so on, and the aspects about coverage - what cameras to use and how to install them and so on are all good information
I like most that have side cameras would not be without them now, but in my case it is pretty rare i go to one of them for footage, so taking out the mobius today was the first time in a couple of months i think.
And this was just to do something about my spur of the moment idea.

I am sure if i get a system with the 2 side cameras recording on a single SD card, and those recordings will be with a accurate time/date stamp as they are synced to GPS time, then i am sure i more often would use the side cameras to immortalize what ever dumb ass pulling a stunt near my car.
But as it is now with 2 separate cameras and with only sort of accurate time stamps on the files, then i often bypass those 2 cameras in my uploads to youtube.

I am still firm on just a front or a front + rear camera are the optimal way to go, the side cameras while nice and all then i dont feel like they are worth the investment, at least not if you just want to use your cameras as documentation in crashed or scams.
It is only when the talk come to exposing bad drivers i really start to like the side cameras, but so far i have not had a single event that was just on a side camera ( not factoring my drive thru videos )
For the most the main event are on the front or rear camera and if i add any side footage it are just as a result of the level of anger the other person have installed in me.

 

[CheckYourLights]

I used to in my Subaru. I had a two BlackSys CF-100s set up for all around coverage, but I did not have the wires hidden too well and they made it a pain to do anything in the rear of the car. One of these days I would like to set it up a little better though.

 

[Harsh]

For example, I had a kid on a bicycle run right in front of my car at an intersection forcing me into a panic stop not to run him over. I almost got rear ended because of it too! The front camera captured what happened as he crossed my path but the side camera told the real story as it showed this kid wildly and obliviously racing down the side street into a busy intersection full of flowing traffic, against the traffic light. If, god forbid, I had run him over, my side camera would have shown him to have been the cause of a potential tragedy whereas the front camera would only have shown me running him over. Oh yeah, the rear camera would have shown the guy rear ending me too and that surely might have been important to capture as well. Of course, this is why I run four cams.

When I had a guy very nearly side swipe me, the side camera showed him out of his lane and only a few inches from my fender. Another time I almost got T-boned in the middle of an intersection by a guy who ran a red light. My front camera would have been useless in that scenario but the side camera told the whole story in detail with the license plate number and the driver looking at a cell phone.

The concept of using side facing cameras may have been pioneered by some of us "enthusiasts" like me who began by experimenting with re-purposed older dash cams but it is not an "addiction" or an "OCD thing" as far as I am concerned; it is a practical one. The choice to use side cameras or rear cameras is common sense one for anyone wishing to have complete video protection surrounding their vehicle.

With over population and the consequent driving and parking conditions, how much ever care one takes here. Dings, dents, scratches and minor mishaps are inevitable. So at some level it does become kind of an OCD thing from a damage POV.

I do completely agree about the practicality and advantage of an overlapping 360° coverage set-up like yours. Exactly the reason why I'd explored mounting the Mobius cameras on the sides. Tried all possible mounting methods that I could think of but without a fixed glass space the side installs I managed, looked in-your-face and crude at best.

 

[Dashmellow]

With over population and the consequent driving and parking conditions, how much ever care one takes here. Dings, dents, scratches and minor mishaps are inevitable. So at some level it does become kind of an OCD thing from a damage POV.

I do completely agree about the practicality and advantage of an overlapping 360° coverage set-up like yours. Exactly the reason why I'd explored mounting the Mobius cameras on the sides. Tried all possible mounting methods that I could think of but without a fixed glass space the side installs I managed, looked in-your-face and crude at best.

I think the main idea with dash cams is to capture the "big" events that can protect you legally. Maybe it's OCD. For me dash cams were a vital thing that became somewhat of a hobby. It wouldn't be the first time I've immersed myself in one endeavor like this or another.

Speaking of OCD, the only obvious solution for you is to glue your rear windows shut and proceed from there. Are you a serious dash-camer or what?!?!

 

[kamkar]

My cameras have been hit a little, i would say 1/3 to 1/2 of times people get in and out of my back seat then the cameras get hit, funny enough that it is always the C3, the mobius up high dont see any hits, where the C3 are half way down the B pillar.
But it is extremely rare i have people on the back seat ( 2 times every year on average ) and camera never get knocked off, so i can live with it.
But i am looking forward to see smaller dedicated side cameras, or dual channel cameras with 2 small remote cameras that can be used in the sides.

 

[Harsh]

Speaking of OCD, the only obvious solution for you is to glue your rear windows shut and proceed from there. Are you a serious dash-camer or what?!?!

Or I could do this



Done nicely!

 

[Dashmellow]

Or I could do this

View attachment 32683

Done nicely!

Well, yeah, that's nice and all but all y0u really would need is a caulking gun full of construction adhesive. You could use the leftover caulking to attach the dash cams!

 

[Harsh]

Well, yeah, that's nice and all but all y0u really would need is a caulking gun full of construction adhesive. You could use the leftover caulking to attach the dash cams!

Not an option I'm willing to consider.

 

[Harsh]

Done nicely!

Excuse my ignorance, that's the original GTI two door version, not a modification.

 

[Dashmellow]

Not an option I'm willing to consider.

What a pussy! You're obviously not serious about dash cams.

Seriously though. I think it might be possible to come up with a side window mount for a window that opens. The problem would be that it might not be so stealthy and it could get in the way now and again in certain situations. It needs the right camera, probably one with a small horizontal tubular remote lens module design that would attach to the headliner.

 

[Dashmellow]

Excuse my ignorance, that's the original GTI two door version, not a modification.

That's it! You need a new car!

 

[Harsh]

What a pussy! You're obviously not serious about dash cams.

I don't know what you're talking about, my wife thinks I'm crazy!

Seriously though. I think it might be possible to come up with a side window mount for a window that opens. The problem would be that it might not be so stealthy and it could get in the way now and again in certain situations. It needs the right camera, probably one with a small horizontal tubular remote lens module design that would attach to the headliner.

I've thought about mounting the D lens Mobius next to the C2 in the rear, but looking inside. Will be better than no side view at least. If the D lens is not suitable, can swap the C2 with the D.

That's it! You need a new car!

Its not even two years old, maybe in another two or three... A or D pillar glass fixtures are definitely going to be a prerequisite.

 

[DT MI]

I don't know what you're talking about, my wife thinks I'm crazy! ....

All wives think that of their husbands.