Viofo A119 v3 Review, plus improvements over A119 v2

[Vortex Radar]

This week I just finished putting together my review of the A119 v3. I went into a good amount of detail in terms of features, daytime and nighttime quality, comparison with and improvements over the A119 v2, parking mode details, accessories, and so on. It was a fun project to work on.

 

[Mtz]

Best review about a dashcam I ever saw!

As a non-english speaker these was the first 28 minutes in my life I understood every word in a video without English subtitles. I don't know from what city you are, but for me you are speaking the best English.

I commented also a little on YouTube. Subscribed!

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[Moon]

Wow ... how good is this Guy ... he's all over it in 4K detail ... what a talker ... and no 'umms'

This dude is the Dashcam equivalent of Vincent Teoh in TV reviews ... impressive

ps. nice set of teeth

 

[Nigel]

he's all over it in 4K detail

I think it was interpolated , looking forward to the A129 Pro review with real 4K detail, when I have an hour or so free!

 

[IAmATeaf]

Really enjoyed watching the vid, great all round review touching on the info that really matter.

 

[Gama7362]

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is this card recommended to use ? TIA

 

[CaptureYourAction]

SanDisk Ultra Plus V10 128GB 130MB/s MicroSD Memory Card | Best Buy Canada

Make the most of your next photography session or video shoot with this SanDisk Ultra PLUS MicroSD memory card. Boasting a whopping 128GB of memory with a lightning-fast read speed of 130MB/s, this memory card allows you to take better photos and full HD video and improves app performance.

www.bestbuy.ca

is this card recommended to use ? TIA

I would stick with the Samsung EVO Select or EVO Plus. The SanDisk High Endurance should be good as well.

 

[Iggy]

I seriously was considering A119 v3 dash cam to upgrade to but finally decided on something else.
Garmin 56 Dash Cam
A few more things in the Garmin which was optional in the Viofo A119 V3
HD wasn't a big factor and got mine for a few $$$ less. ($170).
Time will tell I made the right or wrong decision.

 

[Nigel]

I seriously was considering A119 v3 dash cam to upgrade to but finally decided on something else.
Garmin 56 Dash Cam
A few more things in the Garmin which was optional in the Viofo A119 V3
HD wasn't a big factor and got mine for a few $$$ less. ($170).
Time will tell I made the right or wrong decision.

Well good luck, but the A119 V3 did make it into Vortex Radar's best dashcams of the year 2020:

Viofo did quite well in all categories!

 

[Dashmellow]

I seriously was considering A119 v3 dash cam to upgrade to but finally decided on something else.
Garmin 56 Dash Cam
A few more things in the Garmin which was optional in the Viofo A119 V3
HD wasn't a big factor and got mine for a few $$$ less. ($170).
Time will tell I made the right or wrong decision.

Respectfully, I think you've made the wrong decision, not necessarily because you didn't choose the A119 V3 but because you live in Phoenix, Arizona, an extremely hot climate, yet you purchased a lithium-ion battery powered camera instead of a super-capacitor operated one. Nothing good can come of that. Another downside to the Garmin is that it is a stalk mounted box that hangs down from the windshield. Such cameras will never be as stable and vibration free as a wedge style camera attached directly to the glass.

Nearly ten years of dash cam ownership and experience using and testing numerous brands and models has taught me that the primary considerations in choosing a camera to purchase are video image quality and reliability. All the fancy features are nothing more than superfluous bells and whistles that one should only consider once you're assured of the first two criteria.

 

[Iggy]

Respectfully, I think you've made the wrong decision, not necessarily because you didn't choose the A119 V3 but because you live in Phoenix, Arizona, an extremely hot climate, yet you purchased a lithium-ion battery powered camera instead of a super-capacitor operated one. Nothing good can come of that. Another downside to the Garmin is that it is a stalk mounted box that hangs down from the windshield. Such cameras will never be as stable and vibration free as a wedge style camera attached directly to the glass.

Nearly ten years of dash cam ownership and experience using and testing numerous brands and models has taught me that the primary considerations in choosing a camera to purchase are video image quality and reliability. All the fancy features are nothing more than superfluous bells and whistles that one should only consider once you're assured of the first two criteria.

Thank you both (Nigel and Dashmellow) for helping me make a better decision.
I just tested the Garmin 56 this morning and was not impressed either. I just returned it to Amazon.
So now I have to decide ..... Get a A119 V3 or the A129 Pro

 

[Nigel]

Get a A119 V3 or the A129 Pro

Depends mainly on if you want a single or dual camera, other extras like bluetooth and wifi are nice but not essential.

If you want to make movies then the 4K is nicer, but as a dashcam the 2K is perfectly adequate and sometimes better in lower light levels.

Given your location, light levels are probably not an issue, but if you want to use parking mode a lot then the A119 might be the better choice, the A129 Pro may shut down for a while due to heat on hotter days.

 

[Iggy]

Depends mainly on if you want a single or dual camera, other extras like bluetooth and wifi are nice but not essential.

If you want to make movies then the 4K is nicer, but as a dashcam the 2K is perfectly adequate and sometimes better in lower light levels.

Given your location, light levels are probably not an issue, but if you want to use parking mode a lot then the A119 might be the better choice, the A129 Pro may shut down for a while due to heat on hotter days.

Thanks for your thoughts
All I need is a single channel front camera that is better than my present A119S V2 which I believe is 1080p
Don't need the battery in AZ so I guess the A129 Pro is out then
I do use in when travelling in my motorhome and guess could be used as a movie camera for vacation shots like going thru the mountains, Yellowstone National Park or seeing wild animals on the road.
So is the 4K A129 Pro camera that much better than the A119 V3?

Oh my head is spinning LOL What to do?

 

[Nigel]

All I need is a single channel front camera that is better than my present A119S V2 which I believe is 1080p

Why is your A119S not sufficient?
(I know what the differences are, just don't know your reasons, and they may be relevant to choosing an alternative...)

 

[Iggy]

Why is your A119S not sufficient?
(I know what the differences are, just don't know your reasons, and they may be relevant to choosing an alternative...)

The A119S V2 has been good and nothing wrong with it but thought maybe a higher resolution was the reason I was looking.

 

[Nigel]

The A119S V2 has been good and nothing wrong with it but thought maybe a higher resolution was the reason I was looking.

Well, A119 V3 will give 2x the resolution, A129 Pro will give 4x the resolution (2x zoom).

"could be used as a movie camera for vacation shots like going thru the mountains, Yellowstone National Park or seeing wild animals on the road. "

I have both on my windscreen, and for movies I will always use the 4K. In fact for everything I will always look at the 4K first, only if something important is blurred due to motion blur will I check the A119 V3 footage to see if it did any better, sometimes it does. Both are good cameras, but the A129 Pro does have 2x the detail in good light and does give a generally better image quality. Only exception is in low light when sometimes the A119 V3 has less motion blur and in the dark when the A119 V3 has less image noise but not much difference in detail.

 

[Iggy]

Well, A119 V3 will give 2x the resolution, A129 Pro will give 4x the resolution (2x zoom).

"could be used as a movie camera for vacation shots like going thru the mountains, Yellowstone National Park or seeing wild animals on the road. "

I have both on my windscreen, and for movies I will always use the 4K. In fact for everything I will always look at the 4K first, only if something important is blurred due to motion blur will I check the A119 V3 footage to see if it did any better, sometimes it does. Both are good cameras, but the A129 Pro does have 2x the detail in good light and does give a generally better image quality. Only exception is in low light when sometimes the A119 V3 has less motion blur and in the dark when the A119 V3 has less image noise but not much difference in detail.

It looks like I will try and go with the A119 V3 for now. Found it for $100

 

[Dashmellow]

It looks like I will try and go with the A119 V3 for now. Found it for $100

I think you made a good decision. The V3 will perform well, especially in low light and also during the daytime and it will be less prone to high heat issues from the hot desert climate where you live than the A129 Pro.

 

[ricnergy]

I would stick with the Samsung EVO Select or EVO Plus. The SanDisk High Endurance should be good as well.

I got the Samsung Pro Endurance 64 GB for USD $17.99. It is one of the best to endure the summer high temperatures here in Texas.

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Discover the latest features and innovations available in the MicroSDXC PRO Endurance Memory Card w Adapter 64GB. Find the perfect Memory & Storage for you!

www.samsung.com

 

[Iggy]

Just picked up a Samsung Pro Endurance 128 GB for USD $31.88 at Newegg. Sale is over and I think its back to $36 or $38