We’re living in the era of the dash and reversing cam, get acquainted with the best on the market…
Dash cams are one of those accessories that you don’t really need, until one day when you really, really do.
Once mostly the preserve of Russian motorists well versed in capturing grainy snuff film-grade acts of onroad lunacy, personal dash cams have well and truly made the mainstream.
With the advent of accessible 4K video tech and a steadily increasing demand, you’re now getting a whole lot more pixels for your buck than even a few years ago.
On top of this, most quality units on the market in 2020 are GPS-enabled, allowing incident geo tagging, on screen speedometer display, speed/ red light camera warnings and more.
Top brands like Uniden are offering WiFi enabled units that allow direct footage transfer to your smartphone via an app. They’ve got large inbuilt LCD colour screens, parking modes plus impact and motion detection features.
Seriously, you’d be mad not to protect yourself with real evidence in the event of an on or offroad incident. Dash cam footage can also be very useful when it comes to expediting insurance claims.
They other major development in the vehicle camera world in recent years is the aftermarket reversing cam.
Sure, these things have been around in one form or another for ages, but as with dash cams, the quality has come a long way and you’re now able to get a lot of bang for your buck. Quality units are now available from ARB, Uniden, Navman and Garmin.
We took a deep dive into the world of onboard dash and reversing cams and put together a shortlist of nine feature-packed, ultra high quality units from the most reputable aftermarket tech players in the game.
UNIDEN IGO CAM 85R
The black box.
- Detailed footage with up to 4K resolution on the front camera plus full HD (1080P) on the rear.
- Ultra wide 160-degree lens ensures you capture all relevant detail.
- Supercapacitor provides better battery life.
- WiFi connectivity allows transfer of footage and previewing on your smartphone.
- 4-inch LCD screen with large, accurate speedometer display.
- Red light and speed camera alert function.
- WDR function balances light on high contrast days and at night.
- Inbuilt GPS provides video geotagging function.
- 3-Axis G-Sensor shows direction of impact plus more data in the event of a collision.
- Inbuilt sensor detects sudden vibration and wakes cam from hibernation mode when parked to record for a limited time.
RRP $349.95
UNIDEN DASH VIEW 30R
Dual protection.
- Capture accurate and detailed footage with up to 2.3K resolution on the front camera plus full HD (1080P) on the rear.
- Built-in dual band WiFi with smartphone app for Fast App Cam.
- Red light and speed camera alerts.
- Parking mode with inbuilt sensor detects sudden vibration and wakes cam from hibernation mode when parked to record for a limited time.
- Optimise night vision and low light recording with WDR and Smart One Touch Function.
- Comes complete with 32GB MLC High Endurance MicroSD memory card plus hard wiring kit for parking mode.
- Backed by Uniden’s two-year warranty.
RRP $499.95
UNIDEN APP CAM SOLO 4G SOLAR PANEL KIT
100% wire-free full HD 4G cellular camera.
- Watch your 4WD, boat, camper trailer or caravan from anywhere in the world via totally wireless 4G connection.
- Full High Definition 1080p resolution.
- Totally portable and mobile and able to run anywhere via solar panel recharge kit.
- SD card backup for storage and seven days cloud backup for the life of product, with longer cloud-based storage plans available.
- Thermo Sense function detects heat and movement. Weatherproof and lasts up to 90 days on standby mode.
- Two-way talk and siren alert.
- Remote viewing via smartphone app with smart notifications and live camera viewing.
- Backed by Uniden’s 12-month warranty.
RRP $649.95
ARB REVERSING CAMERA + MONITORING SYSTEM
Eyes on the back of your head.
- Improved visibility when towing caravans and trailers or reversing any 4WD in tight circumstances.
- High-resolution 3.5-inch OLED screen plus inbuilt speaker.
- Auto activation feature when in reverse gear, plus manual activation via handy rear view mirror positioned button.
- Quality CMOS camera with 160-degree wide-angle lens.
- Camera dustproof and waterproof to IP68 rating.
- Comes with license plate mounting bracket.
- Compatible with Hema Navigator system.
- Backed by ARB’s three-year warranty.
RRP $479
ARB AUXILIARY CAMERA
Seeing double.
- Quality CMOS camera with wide-angle 160-degree lens.
- Dustproof and waterproof to IP68 rating.
- 5m cable allows versatile mounting options for all 4WD vehicles.
- Comes with handy license plate mounting bracket.
- Backed by ARB’s three-year warranty.
RRP $149
ARB INFRARED AUXILIARY CAMERA
Tactical tech.
- Provides up to 10m vision in dark conditions.
- Fully compatible with ARB reversing camera systems.
- Quality Sony CCD imager with inbuilt microphone designed for effective operation in all environments.
- Heavy-duty mounting bracket allows camera to be rotated up to 120 degrees.
- Strong, powder-coated aluminium housing.
- Dustproof and waterproof to IP68 rating.
- Backed by ARB’s three-year warranty.
RRP $239
NAVMAN DRIVEDUO SUV
4WD-spec unit.
- Inbuilt GPS functionality provides specialised large vehicle routing, geo-tagged video and more.
- Super 2K full HD dash cam recording with compression ensures you capture every vital moment.
- Comes pre-loaded with 4WD track data plus trip highlights including campsites.
- Verified monthly updates including safety alerts at no extra cost.
- Six-inch LCD touchscreen with 8GB internal memory plus MicroSD card expansion capability.
- 3-Axis G-Sensor shows direction of impact plus more data in the event of a collision.
- Backed by Navman’s two-year warranty.
RRP $479
NAVMAN MIVUE
Gotcha front & back.
- Dual channel front and rear camera recording.
- Inbuilt tyre pressure monitoring system.
- Navman’s EzyShare system allows footage to be instantly uploaded to your phone via WiFi for safekeeping.
- Monthly safety camera updates.
- Advanced Driver Assistance Systems including forward collision and lane departure warnings.
- GPS-tagged video records your position wherever you go.
- Backed by Navman’s two-year warranty.
RRP $599
GARMIN DASH CAM 65W
Compact, discreet, quality.
- 180-degree field of view ensures you capture the details that matter.
- High quality 2.1 megapixel camera with 1080p video capture that works in low light conditions.
- Forward collision and lane departure warnings plus red light and speed camera alerts.
- GPS-enabled automatic incident detection function.
- Voice command function allows you to start/ stop audio recording on the go.
- Wirelessly syncs with your smartphone via WiFi enabled VIRB mobile app.
RRP $349
