Dash cams are not mandatory in Australia, but their use is gaining momentum among car owners—and for a good reason. A dashboard camera serves as an ‘eyewitness’ to road accidents, road rage, break-in, vandalism, and other occurrences within its ‘view’. It may even monitor its surroundings when the car is not in motion, or its engine is not running. This car accessory has become indispensable in preventing insurance frauds, reckless driving, road crimes, and car theft. The laundry list is long; no wonder we all have our eyes peeled for the best dash cam to buy in Australia.
So, how do you choose the best dash cam? First, it's important for you to understand what a dashcam does and what its features are.
Key Features & Functions of a Dash Camera
A dashboard camera (aka dash cam or car digital video recorder) is an in-car video recording device mounted on the dashboard or high up in the centre of the windscreen behind the rearview mirror. It continuously records and saves everything that it ‘sees’ in front, so it should be positioned to capture the widest field of view through the windscreen. Most dash cams also record what they ‘hear’ from the cabin, so beware of these digital eavesdroppers!
Here are the main features and functions of a dash cam:
1. Built-in LCD – depending on the type of dash cam you buy, it may or may not have a built-in display screen. This feature allows you to see the camera's alignment when setting up or playback the video files. For the type without a display screen, you will need to take out the memory card and view the media files stored in it in your desktop or laptop. On the upside, LCD-less dash cams are less distracting to the driver and more discreet. For ease of use, they typically come with a WiFi-enabled feature to let you connect to your phone where you can playback the files.
2. Video Resolution – this spec tells you about the quality of footage your camera captures.
- VGA – the lowest quality output of 640 pixels width x 480 pixels height = 307,200 pixels (approx. 0.3 megapixels). You may also see some dash cams with 848p x 480p resolution, called WVGA (Wide VGA).
- HD or High Definition – image resolution of 1,280p x 720p (or simply 720p) = 921,600 pixels (approx. 1 megapixel).
- Full HD or Full High Definition – output resolution of 1,920p x 1,080p (or simply 1080p) = 2,073,600 pixels (approx. 2.0 megapixels).
The market offers optics specs like 1.0, 1.3, 2.0, 5.0 or 12 megapixels, but you get the idea. The higher this number, the sharper the resolution, and the higher the price, too.
The standard these days is full HD resolution (1080p). The market is awash with ultra HD and marketing-hyped higher-resolution options, but may not necessarily make a lot of difference in identifying other vehicles or their number plate.
3. Viewing Angle – this number refers to the span of the camera’s view and is typically within 120-180 degrees. Choose the widest viewing angle, which will allow your camera to record incidents occurring from its leftmost to the rightmost.
4. GPS – dash cams may have either a built-in GPS or an external GPS mounted beside it. This functionality captures vital pieces of info, such as your speed and location, which you may later need to dispute speeding violations or account for the turn of events in an insurance claim. In vehicles with ADAS or advanced driver assistance systems, the GPS module activates the forward collision and lane departure warnings.
5. Power Source and Battery – generally, dash cams are powered by the car’s cigarette outlet. Make sure that it has at least 4 metres of cable to the port to allow for tucking around corners and edges. Recording starts the moment you turn on the engine and stops when you turn it off. Dash cams with an internal battery will have a few minutes to save its footage after the engine stops.
Some models may require hardwiring to allow for continuous recording and monitoring when the vehicle stops. This type of installation supports the vehicle's motion detection and surveillance systems but will need other devices to ensure that the cam does not discharge the car’s battery.
An alternative to hardwiring would be to use a dash cam battery pack, which can be charged by the car’s 12V cigarette socket while the engine is running. Many car owners prefer this option because it does not wear out the car’s battery and is easy to install as opposed to hardwiring, which requires a mechanic or auto electrician. It easily blends in the car interior, withstands high temperature, and allows recording of up to 72 hours, depending on the dash cam’s model and number of channels.
6. Continuous Loop Recording – when your cam's memory storage is full, this feature allows the dash cam to record continuously by overwriting the oldest file. An impact-detection function (aka G-sensor or gravity sensor) isolates files associated with impact incidents and protects them from being overwritten or deleted. Using the GPS feature, it stamps the isolated segment, including the events leading to and after it, with date, time, and location.
7. Memory – see if the memory card’s slot location allows you to remove and reinsert the card without detaching the cam. Check the card’s memory (some models don’t come with a card) and the dash cam’s maximum storage limit to see if they’re compatible with your needs. Higher memory means more hours of footage before the camera starts overwriting older recordings.
8. Night Vision – this refers to the cam's ability to capture clear footage during low light conditions. However, you need more than the seller's claim to ensure that the dash cam you choose will work in low-visibility situations. If this feature is crucial to you (if you work night shift, for instance), your best bet would be a dash cam that uses active illumination technology. It means that the camera is equipped with inbuilt IR LED lights that illuminate the span of its view. Other techs, like thermal imaging and high dynamic range, sound convincingly sophisticated but may still result in inferior quality.
9. Parking and Motion Detection – we’ve already mentioned this function, but it still merits a statement or two. In parking mode, the dash cam hibernates but wakes up when it detects motion or impact. Since this feature is activated when the car is not in motion, it requires the cam to be hardwired to the car’s battery fuse box as mentioned earlier or use a battery pack. You don't want to miss this added layer of protection when you regularly park your car in unsecured places.
10. Software and Connectivity – most footage files can be viewed via any media player, but it's worth checking before buying a dash cam because some models may only be viewed from proprietary software. Though often provided free, proprietary software requires installing, which makes accessing less seamless.
You also need to check for Bluetooth and WiFi features to allow easy pairing between the dash cam and your smartphone. Ask if there’s a mobile app that will extend the dash cam's control to your phone or tablet. The advantage of this feature is that it reduces the need for you to continually remove-reinsert the memory card from the cam to your computer and vice versa. Adjusting settings and viewing or downloading files can then all be done via your phone.
Important Considerations When Buying a Dash Cam
1. What’s your budget?
You can find a decent dash cam at less than $100, and that already comes with a 1080p full HD resolution, built-in LCD, and parking mode. It may have a narrower field of view, possibly 120 degrees, and fewer connectivity options. Many models in this price range could support micro SD cards with up to 128 GB of memory.
Dash cams upwards of $700 come packed with more features. These models will have a wider viewing angle, ultra HD resolution (also hyped as 4K or four times the standard HD), built-in battery, GPS, mobile app, and often include a rear cam. You should strike a sweet spot when deciding on the price range—not too cheap that you’d want to replace it right away, or too expensive that you’d hate to even think about it.
2. Which features are important to you?
Find the best combination of features at the price that you can live with cheerfully. Certainly, you don't need a dash cam that could go on park detection mode for 72 hours if you don’t ever leave your car that long. If you typically travel by day and keep your car secured in the garage at night, then it's possible to tone down features. You may not need night vision, excessively high specs, GPS overlay, connectivity, and all the bells and whistles.
3. Hardwired or External Battery?
If you opt for a cam with park and motion detection mode, how do you plan on providing power? Will it be by hardwiring or with an external battery? Both will entail costs. For the first option, you will need to spend on a hardwiring kit and the services of an auto electrician. For the second, you will need to buy a battery separately (read: add $250-300 to your budget). Think about this now even before browsing at online dash cam stores.
Final Thoughts
The bottom line is that it's a personal choice—your preference, your decision. As long as you understand what a dash cam is supposed to do, what functions you need, and which features enable it to do which functions, you're good!
Most dash cams, even battery packs, can be installed DIY. However, if you have zero acuity about where the mounting pieces go, or if you need hardwiring, please get the pro! You’re most welcome to use our directory at Carpart.com.au. It’s an intuitive directory, so looking for auto electricians shouldn’t be so hard. State your suburb and zip, too, so it’ll help you zero in on the specialists nearest you!
And if you’re looking for specific dash cams, mounting parts, or any other car accessory, please don’t hesitate to send us a request for the part (yes, you don’t need to search), and we will do the searching for you. What happens next is that sellers will contact you with their best price. Isn’t that lovely? Send a request, skip the searching part, and start receiving quotes! Request a part today!
By Jeannette Salanga (JMSL)