tough dashcam wanted

[canadave]

Hi all,

I've been sorting through reviews here and on Amazon, reading articles, etc. for the past three days. I'm still not sure what is best for me to get, so maybe you can help break my brain deadlock.

Here's what I need in a dashcam, in order of importance to me:

1. Inexpensive (around $100-$125 USD or so, max)
2. Weather tough (I live in Edmonton, where winters can get down to -30C or even -40C, and summers can reach +30C)
3. Reliable (I really, really don't want this thing to break in a few months or a year. It's going to be tough enough convincing the wife to let me modify our car with this thing--if it breaks, I'm going to catch hell!)
4. As small and discreet as possible
5. Decent video in both daylight and nighttime (does not have to be superb, just not crummy--I'm not anal about video quality. That being said, in Edmonton in winter, nights can be really long--I drive to work every morning in darkness--so nighttime performance isn't something I can ignore.)
6. Ease of use (if having a screen on the camera makes it wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy more convenient to use, then I want one with a screen. If it's no big deal using one without a screen, then I'm fine without a screen).

GPS, parking, G-sensors, and other bells and whistles are unimportant to me.

I was looking at the A118-C, but people seem to be saying it can be unreliable? It seems to tick most of the boxes though. Also the Mobius, but I've read the nighttime video isn't very good.

 

[golfers27]

You may have to put a little more money to get what you want. There's lots of good people here willing to help.
Checkout the Street Guardian SGZC12RC or the SG9665GC at either Calgary Dash Cam or Amazon.cahttps://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=...m.com/&usg=AFQjCNGcBGA9K7KPdGPLHUsahR4mRMHrYA

 

[BMbler]

Möbius night perforformance does justify price and seem to fit your demands, else, SG.

 

[canadave]

Is A118-C not really a good option? SG is out of my price range (I'll be lucky if wife lets me spend the $100, let alone $300).

 

[golfers27]

I've never used the A118-C so I can't really say for sure. Check a few videos on youtube and use the search on this site for more info.

 

[jadohogan]

I suggest JADO D169S , Mini design , easy operation
working temperature : -30'C - 80'C
FHD1080P
Seamless recording , Cycle recording , G-sensor, Motion detection
LDWS

 

[ThePro]

Go for the A118C. It fits all your requirements except for the long term reliability.

 

[CDNinHH]

The A118C is a nice camera, discrete, good day video, ok night video. But as the saying goes "you get what you pay for"

 

[ThePro]

But as the saying goes "you get what you pay for"

Indeed, there's very few cameras in the budget that I can certainly say would last a long time, and none of those fit the requirements.

If the SG9665GC can be afforded by OP, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

 

[sludgeguts]

Not sure about the temps but I can recommend the Mobius for longevity.
It's also quite sturdy - I've dropped mine a few times , and not just out of my pocket, as I'm getting out of my bus (so it's fallen at least 8'). It's very popular in the RC community & I guess they give it a hard time on their little buggies or aircraft?

 

[russ331]

Here's what I need in a dashcam, in order of importance to me ... Inexpensive ... Weather tough ... Reliable ... As small and discreet as possible ... Decent video in both daylight and nighttime ... Ease of use ...

You've just described the Mobius C2 equipped with the optional capacitor kit. My oldest Mobius is 2 years 4 months old, the other is 1 year 9 months old. Not a single problem to report.

The A118C is a good camera, however, nighttime performance is mediocre. Comparison ...

A118 is top right & Mobius bottom left.



As for convenience, I also have two other screen-equipped DashCams, but I'm not bothered whether a camera has a screen or not.

 

[Deleted member 46308]

If the SG9665GC can be afforded by OP, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

+1

 

[sludgeguts]

If you're looking for longevity, my mobius is 21months old and used all day long in a big, rattly, bouncy bus. The camera has done 5200 hours' recording (pity the same cannot be said of the card!
So I figure I've had more than value for money out of it - not to mention the handful of scrapes and near misses where footage from the cam has proved my innocence.

 

[BMbler]

I suggest JADO D169S , Mini design , easy operation
working temperature : -30'C - 80'C
FHD1080P
Seamless recording , Cycle recording , G-sensor, Motion detection
LDWS
View attachment 19904

No offense, but offering untested impartially, unspecified price product, shaped as one of most unreliable DashCams...
Not an advice really! ?

 

[canadave]

OK everyone, one more question. If I get an A118-C, which appears to mount on the windshield with adhesive, is it possible to remove the adhesive (and thus the camera) if I sell the car?

 

[jokiin]

OK everyone, one more question. If I get an A118-C, which appears to mount on the windshield with adhesive, is it possible to remove the adhesive (and thus the camera) if I sell the car?

the bracket the camera attaches to is stuck to the windscreen, not the camera directly, not hard to remove though

 

[canadave]

Wow, fast answer thanks. Well, I think I'm going to go with the A118-C. I'm looking at one at Gearbest and one on Amazon.ca from Spy Tec. Is either seller better than the other? The Gearbest one is a bit cheaper, but I don't know anything about that seller. I've heard good things about Spy Tec though.

 

[jadohogan]

No offense, but offering untested impartially, unspecified price product, shaped as one of most unreliable DashCams...
Not an advice really! ?

Very confused ! D169S We sold hundrds of thousands of pices every year, you can find many test videos on Youtube , FYI .
I tested every famous brand products from Korean Taiwan and USA , We don't think their products better than us , FYI .
We don't agreed with your test way , if just test for specific person to use few month , we don't think these data is useful for us .

I don't know what the relibale products in your mind , but i have to tell you : before a products lanuched , we strictly test our products in differenet cities , different temperature , and different road for half year - 1 year

 

[jokiin]

Wow, fast answer thanks. Well, I think I'm going to go with the A118-C. I'm looking at one at Gearbest and one on Amazon.ca from Spy Tec. Is either seller better than the other? The Gearbest one is a bit cheaper, but I don't know anything about that seller. I've heard good things about Spy Tec though.

buy from Spytec, you'll have far better support if something goes wrong which unfortunately can happen, worth the small added cost

 

[ThePro]

Wow, fast answer thanks. Well, I think I'm going to go with the A118-C. I'm looking at one at Gearbest and one on Amazon.ca from Spy Tec. Is either seller better than the other? The Gearbest one is a bit cheaper, but I don't know anything about that seller. I've heard good things about Spy Tec though.

Spytec offers a year warranty and you can return to the US (or locally if it's within Amazon's return period). Gearbest you'd have to pay for shipping to China (which costs about the same price as the cam).

Price difference is worth it.