Dashcams and car cameras

A dashcam – also called a car camera or dashboard camera – is a small camera in the car that films everything that happens on the road. You mount a dashcam on the windscreen, usually behind the rear-view mirror, and connect it to the car's cigarette lighter socket with a car charger with a long cable. As soon as the dashcam receives power (when you start the car), it switches on and starts recording, and when you switch off the car, the dashcam switches off again. So you don't really have to think about it anymore.

You put a Micro SD card in the dashcam, on which all videos are stored. A dashcam saves the videos in short clips of usually 3 or 5 minutes. As soon as the SD card is full, the oldest videos are automatically deleted to make room for new recordings. This means the dashcam records continuously, so your most recent journeys are always saved. This function is called loop recording.

The capacity of the Micro SD card and the quality of the videos ultimately determine how many videos can be stored. Most dashcams support Micro SD cards up to 128GB or even 256GB, which is good for about 20 and 40 hours of Full HD video respectively. With a 2CH dashcam with a rear camera, the total recording time is of course shorter, because the dashcam then has to store two videos at the same time.

Another unique feature of a dashcam is the G-sensor. This vibration sensor detects when you have a collision and saves the current video as a protected file. These protected videos can no longer be overwritten. This ensures that the most important recordings are always saved.

Image quality of a dashcam

Dashcams or car cameras come in all shapes and sizes and with all kinds of features. Most people, however, buy a dashcam with good image quality. Most dashcams film in at least Full HD resolution, but there are also plenty of dashcams with 2K (QuadHD) or 4K resolution. The resolution indicates how many pixels the videos consist of, and therefore how 'large' and detailed the videos ultimately are.

Although resolution does not necessarily say everything about a dashcam's image quality, it is an important factor. Larger videos with more pixels can capture more detail – such as people or number plates. A downside of a high-resolution dashcam is that the files are a lot larger, so you can store fewer videos on the SD card at the same time. That is why almost all dashcams also let you set a lower resolution.

The number of fps (frames per second) is another important factor when buying a dashcam. Most dashcams record at 30fps, which essentially means that 30 pictures are taken every second. Some car cameras can also record at 60fps or even 120fps. The videos are then a lot smoother, and it also becomes easier to watch something back in slow motion. At 60fps, however, the files are also twice as large as at 30fps, so your SD card fills up faster.

As parking security

Buying a dashcam for your car can also be very useful as parking security. A dashcam with parking mode keeps an eye on your car when you are not around.

The parking mode on a dashcam is a special recording mode for when the car is parked. It then automatically starts recording when someone walks or drives past the front of the car, or it records continuously at a low resolution. Ideal if you often suffer from vandalism or parking damage. To use a dashcam in parking mode, it must be connected with a hardwire kit or battery pack.

With many 2CH dashcams with a rear camera, the car camera can also be used as a parking aid. On these dashcams, the rear camera sometimes has an extra connection that you can connect to the power supply of the reversing lights. As soon as you put the car in reverse, the image from the rear camera is shown full-screen on the LCD display together with parking lines.

Number of cameras on a dashcam

A standard 1CH (1-channel) dashcam is usually mounted on the windscreen and films everything that happens on the road in front of you. A 2CH front and rear dashcam is often the same dashcam with an extra camera for the rear of the car. You connect this rear camera to the front dashcam with a long cable, and both cameras record at the same time. The footage is stored separately on the SD card in the front dashcam.

There are also 3CH and 4CH dashcams with 3 and 4 cameras respectively, which let you record almost everything in and around the car. 3CH dashcams are often car cameras with an extra interior camera, which is why they are widely used by taxis and driving schools. The AZDome M770 Pro 3CH and the 3-channel dashcams from Wolfbox are popular examples.

4CH dashcams are often complete dashcam systems with a separate monitor or module to which four cameras are connected. Many truck dashcams are 4CH dashcams. The Vantrue N5 is also a 4-channel dashcam, but here both the front and rear cameras have an additional third and fourth interior camera. As a result, the dashcam records almost 360 degrees in and around the car.

Mounting on the windscreen

A dashcam is usually mounted on the windscreen, preferably in a spot where it doesn't distract the driver but still records the road well. To the right behind the rear-view mirror is often a good spot. Some dashcams can also be mounted on the dashboard, but the view is then often a lot worse. In addition, the recordings will be upside down, although this can sometimes be corrected with software.

Most people buy a dashcam with an adhesive mount. The mount stays on the windscreen and the dashcam can usually be removed from the mount easily. The advantage of a dashcam with an adhesive mount is that it is often more securely attached and vibrates less. Some dashcams (also) have a suction cup mount. These dashcams are a little easier to fit and remove, but these car cameras are often somewhat more sensitive to vibrations, and the suction cups lose their grip over time.

There are also dashcams that you place over your car's existing rear-view mirror. These are often 'Full Mirror' mirror dashcams, which also act as a digital rear-view mirror. With these dashcams, the image from the rear camera is shown full-screen on the display. Owners of motorhomes and vans in particular buy this type of dashcam.

Dashcam with or without an LCD screen?

In addition to the features above, we distinguish between dashcams with and without an LCD screen. A dashboard camera with an LCD screen is a little easier to operate, but also somewhat larger and more conspicuous. The LCD screen can also be handy for quickly watching certain videos back. Usually, a screensaver automatically dims the LCD screen after a few minutes of driving so that it doesn't bother you.

Dashcams without an LCD screen are a little more compact and less noticeable in the car. You operate these car cameras with your smartphone or tablet, and you also watch the footage back via Wi-Fi. Whether you are better off with a dashcam with or without an LCD screen is a matter of taste.

There are also special mirror dashcams, which are in fact complete digital rear-view mirrors. They have a large LCD touchscreen on which the image from the rear camera is displayed. These mirror dashcams are especially useful in vehicles with limited rear visibility, such as vans or motorhomes.

Legislation and insurance

In the Netherlands and most other European countries, filming with a dashboard camera is simply allowed. In most countries you can therefore buy a dashcam with peace of mind. Do be careful about uploading dashcam videos to the internet, especially when people or number plates are recognisable. In the event of a serious offence or crime, it is better to hand the dashcam footage directly to the police.

Dashcams are not allowed in every country. Filming with a dashboard camera is prohibited in the following countries and can lead to (very) high fines:

- Luxembourg
- Austria
- Switzerland
- Portugal

So in some countries using a dashcam is not allowed, but in other countries it is actually mandatory. In those countries you are not entitled to car insurance if you don't have a dashcam in your car. This obligation applies in Russia and South Korea, among others, and nobody takes to the road there without a dashcam anymore.

In many other countries – including the United Kingdom – you get a discount on your car insurance when you use a dashcam. Dashcams save these insurance companies so much time and money that they can lower the insurance premium. Dashcam footage saves insurers a lot of time when determining who was at fault in an accident. In addition, insurers lose a lot of money on unjustified payouts because it cannot be properly established who caused an accident. Moreover, the widespread use of dashcams saves a lot of money throughout the chain, because accidents are prevented as people start driving more carefully. That makes using a dashboard camera beneficial and safe.

Additional requirements

To film with your dashcam, you usually only need an SD card. All of the dashcam's files are stored on the SD card. It works much the same as with a photo or video camera. Most dashcams are supplied without an SD card as standard; otherwise this is specifically stated in the title or description (usually by mentioning the capacity of the included card, for example LUKAS LK-9379 WD 16GB).

To install a dashcam professionally or discreetly in the car (or have it installed), you can use a hardwire kit. You connect this to the fuse box or another power point in the car to supply the dashcam with power (even with the ignition off, e.g. for parking mode). Another advantage, of course, is that it keeps the car's cigarette lighter socket free for charging your phone.

Using a dashcam outside the car

We are also often asked whether a dashcam can be used outside the car, for example to monitor the car from the outside. In principle you can also use a dashcam outside the car, provided you have a power supply for your dashboard camera. At home, for example, you can connect a dashcam to the mains with a standard USB phone charger. Mounting a dashcam outdoors is usually not possible, as dashcams (with the exception of some motorcycle dashcams) are not waterproof. You also have to take mounting into account: dashcams come as standard with a suction cup or adhesive mount designed for a sloping windscreen. Not every dashcam can be aimed in the right position easily, or at all.