WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.320 There's two things we can all agree on about dashcams. 00:00:03.320 --> 00:00:08.640 First is that they are absolutely necessary if you've ever been in or witnessed an accident, 00:00:08.640 --> 00:00:12.080 which specifically speaking is you and everyone you know. 00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:16.440 The second is that regardless of the price, they all look pretty terrible. 00:00:16.440 --> 00:00:20.320 Even when I picked a winner three years ago, there were absolutely edge cases 00:00:20.320 --> 00:00:23.800 where it clearly fell short. And I know short. 00:00:23.800 --> 00:00:28.600 But technology march is ever onward, right? So we bought today's bestselling 00:00:28.600 --> 00:00:34.120 and most highly reviewed dashcams to see if finally I can be satisfied. 00:00:34.120 --> 00:00:37.520 Are there features other than image quality that'll make a difference to our top choice? 00:00:37.520 --> 00:00:41.520 Do you basically get what you pay for? Or are there some diamonds in the rough? 00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:45.840 And how is it that this one costs 30 times as much 00:00:45.840 --> 00:00:51.720 as this one? So many questions. Like, how will I segue to our sponsor? 00:00:52.560 --> 00:00:57.560 As you might expect, deploying 10 dashcameras at once 00:01:04.440 --> 00:01:08.840 for a review means we needed a large windshield and a good power source. 00:01:08.840 --> 00:01:13.800 We settled on our work truck, a Ford F-150 with a Sabrant 16-in-1 USB hub 00:01:13.800 --> 00:01:19.000 plugged into a Jackery Explorer 2000 Pro. Due to the long wiring runs and the importance 00:01:19.000 --> 00:01:24.920 of not losing power to any of our cameras, we used nine of our new four meter LTT cables 00:01:24.920 --> 00:01:29.360 available now at LTTstore.com. Now it is worth noting that some of our dashcams 00:01:29.360 --> 00:01:32.400 included additional rear or interior cameras 00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:36.360 for multi-channel operation. These can be super handy for rear enders 00:01:36.360 --> 00:01:40.320 and passenger-related incidents. However, they're always lower resolution 00:01:40.320 --> 00:01:44.760 than the front camera, so our image quality comparisons are going to focus on the primary. 00:01:44.760 --> 00:01:48.640 With that out of the way, our first three contestants are Lordy. 00:01:48.640 --> 00:01:52.160 How am I supposed to pronounce this? E-E-E-WAH? 00:01:52.160 --> 00:01:55.360 Maybe it doesn't matter. All three are attractively priced 00:01:55.360 --> 00:02:00.040 around $50 to $100 on promo, so I think I can forgive them for being a little lighter 00:02:00.040 --> 00:02:05.480 on the features and a little higher on the jank and weird names, like this box. 00:02:05.480 --> 00:02:10.640 To Jan Vim's credit, they do at least have a website, but the box for their two-channel camera system 00:02:10.640 --> 00:02:15.480 includes instructions that appear to be for a completely different brand, Jan World. 00:02:15.480 --> 00:02:20.800 Oh, are you? Stepping up a little bit in price, we get the three-channel Subcon. 00:02:20.800 --> 00:02:24.960 Aside from an additional camera, its main standout feature is the inclusion of HDR 00:02:24.960 --> 00:02:28.400 or high dynamic range, but at this price, 00:02:28.400 --> 00:02:32.960 using a low-tier image sensor, it may be combining multiple exposures 00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:37.920 to better capture the brightest and darkest parts of the scene, but it's unlikely to be doing so well. 00:02:37.920 --> 00:02:41.680 Finally, there's the four-channel E-E-Wee. 00:02:41.680 --> 00:02:47.520 Its main claim to fame is lots and lots of cameras. Front, back, and two of these funky flexible ones 00:02:47.560 --> 00:02:52.080 that can pan and tilt 180 degrees. Since the main unit is so wide, 00:02:52.080 --> 00:02:56.600 we have to mount it a little lower on the windshield, but for anyone who isn't running 10 dash cams, 00:02:56.600 --> 00:02:59.840 that probably won't be a problem. It's the first to include Wi-Fi, 00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:05.560 and it also ships with a 128-gig card, helping propel it to the fourth best-selling dash cam 00:03:05.560 --> 00:03:09.000 on Amazon. If only that were an indication of quality. 00:03:09.000 --> 00:03:15.880 It claims to have WDR, but dash cam manufacturers use terms like HDR and WDR 00:03:15.880 --> 00:03:21.200 pretty loosely. So why don't we talk about what they mean? Newer tech, like Sony's Clear HDR 00:03:21.200 --> 00:03:24.640 on their Starvis 2 sensors, captures two different images. 00:03:24.640 --> 00:03:27.720 One high gain and one low gain for post-processing, 00:03:27.720 --> 00:03:33.200 which can add a little bit of noise and clarity loss, but can produce an overall more detailed image. 00:03:33.200 --> 00:03:36.800 The Starvis 2 also supports digital overlap HDR, 00:03:36.800 --> 00:03:40.360 which uses sequential short and then long exposures, 00:03:40.360 --> 00:03:43.760 which can add motion blur. Which of these implementations gets used 00:03:43.760 --> 00:03:51.080 can significantly affect quality, and we've also found cases where HDR claims are made 00:03:51.200 --> 00:03:55.280 with absolutely no evidence of them doing either of those things. 00:03:55.280 --> 00:03:59.440 Then there's WDR. In theory, it performs the same function as HDR, 00:03:59.440 --> 00:04:04.880 using hardware and software to capture and combine multiple near-simultaneous exposures 00:04:04.880 --> 00:04:08.880 for a more balanced image. This is to help preserve detail in both the highlights 00:04:08.880 --> 00:04:13.560 and in the shadows. However, many vendors use digital WDR, 00:04:13.560 --> 00:04:19.280 a cheaper, less effective solution that uses only software to adjust shadows and highlights. 00:04:19.280 --> 00:04:23.560 So we're not gonna pay too much attention to these feature claims, 00:04:23.560 --> 00:04:27.260 because real world image quality is what matters. Let's take a look. 00:04:27.260 --> 00:04:32.920 All three of our under $100 cameras are pretty much equal at reading license plates in motion. 00:04:32.920 --> 00:04:36.400 Equally bad. If I had to choose one, 00:04:36.400 --> 00:04:39.960 maybe the IE has the better overall image quality, 00:04:39.960 --> 00:04:44.760 the sky isn't quite as overexposed, and the power lines are more visible here. 00:04:44.760 --> 00:04:49.080 The Subcon manages a pretty pleasing image with a vibrant blue sky and green grass, 00:04:49.080 --> 00:04:53.120 and they all look pretty equal to me for the legibility of the van's letters here. 00:04:53.120 --> 00:04:56.400 Moving on to Twilight, the IE has the best static focus 00:04:56.400 --> 00:04:59.960 with the 198 sign being the most clear out of the three. 00:04:59.960 --> 00:05:03.600 But while the Yonvim's lack of even pretend HDR 00:05:03.600 --> 00:05:08.120 results in the sky being darker than the other two, it comes out ahead on the readability 00:05:08.120 --> 00:05:12.960 of the truck's letters here when it drives by, and that's because of its higher 30 FPS capture. 00:05:12.960 --> 00:05:16.200 The Subcon meanwhile is unremarkable in our Twilight test. 00:05:16.200 --> 00:05:19.240 Moving on to nighttime, this footage is very interesting. 00:05:19.240 --> 00:05:23.760 Again, the Yonvim with its higher frame rate wins the day with the clearest image. 00:05:23.760 --> 00:05:28.240 The 151.9 price on the street sign is more legible than the others, 00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:31.240 and as for the Subcon, it's definitely the loser here 00:05:31.240 --> 00:05:36.000 without a focus and blurry video. After testing all the lower tier and cheaper cameras then, 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:40.040 our top pick kinda depends on your needs. For capturing motion video, 00:05:40.040 --> 00:05:45.020 we recommend the Yonvim. However, if your main priority is parking surveillance mode, 00:05:45.020 --> 00:05:49.080 the IWI is substantially more expensive, but likely a better fit, 00:05:49.080 --> 00:05:53.800 recording with nearly 360 degree coverage. Both use a sticker style mount though, 00:05:53.800 --> 00:05:58.000 and if you prefer a reusable suction cup, then the Subcon might stand out for that reason. 00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:01.720 Realistically, none of them wowed me though. Raising the question, 00:06:01.720 --> 00:06:04.920 could I just get the basic functionality that I need for less? 00:06:05.800 --> 00:06:12.720 Let's find out by tightening our budget and taking a look at the $19 Mayquills dash cam. 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:16.200 It's not especially well reviewed, it's not especially popular. 00:06:16.200 --> 00:06:19.880 But 19 bucks is 19 bucks. So if this thing is any good, 00:06:19.880 --> 00:06:24.120 we could save our viewers anywhere from three to four happy meals. Unfortunately, it's not good. 00:06:24.120 --> 00:06:27.960 The cheap plastic mount broke before we could even install it, and the packaging is so generic 00:06:27.960 --> 00:06:33.160 that it literally says brand on it. What the hell is 1296p? 00:06:33.160 --> 00:06:36.320 As for the image quality, ooh, I mean, I know it's cheap, 00:06:36.320 --> 00:06:39.840 but like, remember how there was text on the side of this van here? 00:06:39.840 --> 00:06:44.200 And this is our daylight clip. Moving on to twilight, it's even worse. 00:06:44.200 --> 00:06:49.120 That doesn't sparkle at all. As for nighttime, no wonder they call it brand. 00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:53.200 In conclusion, there's a minimum floor for what you should probably spend on a dash cam. 00:06:53.200 --> 00:06:56.480 But is there a maximum? Let's juice up our budget 00:06:56.480 --> 00:07:00.200 and see if this trio of 4K cameras 00:07:00.200 --> 00:07:04.000 is worth the extra money or not extra money. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:07.680 See in theory, these are priced anywhere from $100 to $200, 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:12.920 but all of them were available on a discount, putting them pretty much in direct competition 00:07:12.920 --> 00:07:18.040 with the iUi, bad news for the iUi, because instead of mystery meat image sensors, 00:07:18.040 --> 00:07:21.760 all of our next tier cameras boast a Sony StarVis II sensor. 00:07:21.760 --> 00:07:25.240 With that said, not all StarVis IIs are made equal. 00:07:25.240 --> 00:07:29.640 So it's kind of like saying a gaming PC uses GeForce. 00:07:29.640 --> 00:07:33.120 Which one? Well, Red Tiger wouldn't tell us, 00:07:33.120 --> 00:07:38.880 but it doesn't seem to be holding back their sales. The F7 NP is the number three best seller on Amazon 00:07:38.880 --> 00:07:44.040 with dual channel recording and a front camera that boasts up to 4K 30 00:07:44.040 --> 00:07:49.760 or 1080p 120 FPS. However, despite achieving 4K 30 FPS 00:07:49.760 --> 00:07:53.960 during our daylight test, our camera automatically and without warning 00:07:53.960 --> 00:07:58.600 dropped to 25 FPS for twilight and nighttime shots. 00:07:58.600 --> 00:08:01.920 More like red kitten. Our second hundred plus dollar model 00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:07.280 was the Rove R2 4K dual. This was Amazon's second best selling dash cam 00:08:07.280 --> 00:08:13.080 when we bought it. And despite its confusing name, it is not in fact a dual 4K camera. 00:08:13.080 --> 00:08:17.120 The rear camera is only 1080p. But on paper, the value is still there 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:21.240 with an IMX675 primary sensor, not to mention some nice extras 00:08:21.240 --> 00:08:24.680 like a free 128 gig micro SD card. 00:08:24.680 --> 00:08:28.200 The final camera in this group is the JZones V630. 00:08:28.200 --> 00:08:34.120 It also claims to use a StarVis IMX675 and is the only three channel camera in this group, 00:08:34.120 --> 00:08:39.560 which could be a nice extra value. On top of that, they claim to have a lifetime warranty. 00:08:39.560 --> 00:08:44.680 But good luck with that, everybody. Right away, these cameras stand out from our budget options 00:08:44.680 --> 00:08:50.080 with the Rove achieving better daylight performance with clearer license plates than the red tiger. 00:08:50.080 --> 00:08:53.200 The JZones, meanwhile, seems overexposed here. 00:08:53.200 --> 00:08:57.560 While the Rove shows sun flare, it manages to keep the van's letters slightly clearer. 00:08:57.560 --> 00:09:00.600 In our twilight video, the Rove again comes out in front 00:09:00.600 --> 00:09:05.400 with a still image that has little flare and better detail in dark areas. 00:09:05.400 --> 00:09:10.360 It even focuses well on the smaller text next to the 198 on the street sign. 00:09:10.360 --> 00:09:13.880 We can clearly see the YAC letters on the side of the truck with the Rove, 00:09:13.880 --> 00:09:17.400 but the red tiger and the JZones struggle to give us a clear picture. 00:09:17.400 --> 00:09:23.600 At night, however, the red tiger wakes up, beating the Rove in sharpness on the gas price sign. 00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:28.440 With that said, none of these are miracle products and all three of them can't seem to focus well 00:09:28.440 --> 00:09:33.080 on the license plates here. The JZones seems to particularly struggle at night. 00:09:33.080 --> 00:09:38.000 Once again, then, the right camera is gonna depend on your needs. If nighttime is your top priority 00:09:38.000 --> 00:09:42.880 or if you like a nice compact camera unit, red tiger might be worth a look. 00:09:42.880 --> 00:09:46.640 But we liked the Rove overall better for its well-rounded performance 00:09:46.640 --> 00:09:50.160 and its inclusion of both a sticker and suction cup mount. 00:09:50.160 --> 00:09:54.880 If an additional recording channel is a must-have for you and you absolutely can't spend more, 00:09:54.880 --> 00:09:59.160 then the JZones isn't terrible either, but it didn't really stand out. 00:09:59.160 --> 00:10:01.800 Now, it's time to move up in the world. 00:10:02.680 --> 00:10:08.440 We're getting to the big dogs. Not in terms of price, but in terms of reputation. 00:10:08.440 --> 00:10:12.760 The Viofo A119 Mini 2 costs just $10 more 00:10:12.760 --> 00:10:16.320 than that last trio and was named Best Bang for Your Buck 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:19.720 by Dashcam Talk in both 2024 and 2025. 00:10:19.720 --> 00:10:24.640 And I can really see why they like this thing. It is super compact, just like the name says, 00:10:24.640 --> 00:10:29.560 which is great for minimizing distractions and it features a tiny one and a half inch diagonal screen 00:10:29.560 --> 00:10:33.880 and records at a middle of the road 2592 by 1944 resolution, 00:10:33.880 --> 00:10:40.120 which is, in my opinion, more than enough. But with competitors doing 1440p60, 00:10:40.120 --> 00:10:44.080 I am a little disappointed to see it limited to just 30 frames per second. 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:49.320 Also, it's just single channel and neither of the Viofo cameras that we checked out 00:10:49.320 --> 00:10:52.600 come with SD cards, so you'll need to adjust your budget accordingly. 00:10:52.600 --> 00:10:58.360 With all of that said, the image quality is just obviously better than anything we've seen so far. 00:10:58.360 --> 00:11:02.000 In our daytime shots, there's no overexposure on the sun and clouds 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:06.720 and the power lines are totally visible. The truck's writing is quite clear too. 00:11:06.720 --> 00:11:10.800 The squarish four by three aspect ratio is probably gonna be a love it or hate it thing, 00:11:10.800 --> 00:11:15.440 but I personally think that it's pretty cool. Clarity is great at dusk too. 00:11:15.440 --> 00:11:20.440 The 198 street sign is legible and the letters on the side of the truck are very focused. 00:11:20.440 --> 00:11:23.960 Not much to complain about here, but just be aware of where you install it. 00:11:23.960 --> 00:11:28.680 Maybe avoid the side of the windshield where we had ours and you'll likely get even better results. 00:11:28.680 --> 00:11:32.600 Finally, this is a very clear night video. The signs are focused 00:11:32.600 --> 00:11:36.600 and the license plate on the car in front of us is a little challenging to read, 00:11:36.600 --> 00:11:40.560 but it isn't overexposed. This is pretty much a best case scenario. 00:11:40.560 --> 00:11:45.840 We really like this camera and can comfortably recommend it if you want a quality single camera solution 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:51.040 and you don't need some of the extras that we saw earlier. Also, Viofo, Biofo, 00:11:51.040 --> 00:11:54.680 they might have a gibberish Amazon brand name, but they've been around long enough 00:11:54.680 --> 00:11:57.720 to build a reputation for actually having post-sale support, 00:11:57.720 --> 00:12:00.880 which is easily worth a few bucks extra to me. 00:12:00.880 --> 00:12:05.560 But what if you wanted to spend a lot more than a few bucks extra? 00:12:05.560 --> 00:12:10.160 That's where the Thinkware U3000 comes in. 00:12:10.160 --> 00:12:14.480 This is another dash cam talk recommendation that I just had to see for myself. 00:12:14.480 --> 00:12:17.640 $380 for a dash cam 00:12:17.640 --> 00:12:21.960 and I need to use their special snowflake power cable instead of standard USB. 00:12:21.960 --> 00:12:26.600 This thing better be pretty special. And it kind of is. It's loaded with features, 00:12:26.600 --> 00:12:29.920 though it's up to you whether those features are important. 00:12:29.920 --> 00:12:34.160 One of the most interesting to me is the audible advanced driver assistance systems, 00:12:34.160 --> 00:12:37.160 such as lane departure warning, which if you have an older vehicle 00:12:37.160 --> 00:12:41.360 that doesn't include that, well, this is a pretty low budget way to add it. 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:44.760 And for power efficiency, the camera uses front and rear radar 00:12:44.760 --> 00:12:48.360 to monitor motion and parking mode. As for image quality, it's good, 00:12:48.360 --> 00:12:52.120 but didn't blow us away either. Good focus on the license plates 00:12:52.120 --> 00:12:55.120 for the cars in front of us, but the sky here is overexposed 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:59.880 and the power wires are being lost in the sun. There is clarity on the van's words though 00:12:59.880 --> 00:13:03.440 and the color saturation is surprisingly good, if that matters for your use case. 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:06.680 In our Twilight shot, the 198 sign is very clear, 00:13:06.680 --> 00:13:10.800 as is the smaller text next to it. However, we have seen clearer shots 00:13:10.800 --> 00:13:14.000 of the YAC letters on the truck in motion. It is still usable though. 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:19.680 Finally, nighttime quality was pretty disappointing with overexposure on the signs and license plates. 00:13:19.680 --> 00:13:22.840 The gasoline price is blurry and it looks like it reads 161 00:13:22.840 --> 00:13:26.640 instead of 151, giving me nightmares here you guys. 00:13:26.640 --> 00:13:31.720 Overall, this has a lot of extra features, but its video quality is a bit of a mixed bag, 00:13:31.720 --> 00:13:35.720 making it pretty hard to recommend for pure dash cam use. 00:13:35.720 --> 00:13:38.720 I'd almost rather have one of our budget multi-channel kits 00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:43.440 plus an A119 Mini 2 for its better forward-facing image quality. 00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:47.960 That is unless there was a way to have it all in one kit. 00:13:47.960 --> 00:13:52.240 That is the promise of the VFO A329T. 00:13:52.280 --> 00:13:55.920 It is at the very high end of our price range, 00:13:55.920 --> 00:13:59.520 but it's unique with two separate front-facing cameras. 00:13:59.520 --> 00:14:03.880 The main front camera records 4K at 60fps with HDR off 00:14:03.880 --> 00:14:07.320 or 30fps with HDR on like we recorded. 00:14:07.320 --> 00:14:11.640 The secondary camera is a 4x optical zoom telephoto unit 00:14:11.640 --> 00:14:16.360 and adding to its bag of tricks, this camera supports an external SSD 00:14:16.360 --> 00:14:21.520 for more reliable recording. But for $600, 00:14:21.520 --> 00:14:25.280 I better see image quality that absolutely blows my mind. 00:14:25.280 --> 00:14:28.560 And all right, consider my mind blown. 00:14:28.560 --> 00:14:32.640 I can clearly see both license plates on the cars in front of us. 00:14:32.640 --> 00:14:38.160 There's no overexposure in the sky and the power lines are clearly visible in the bright sun. 00:14:38.160 --> 00:14:42.080 All the writing on the side of the truck is legible, even the smallest text. 00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:47.120 And this is the telephoto lens. Wow, that's awesome. 00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:51.200 I can clearly see all three of those cars license plates 00:14:51.760 --> 00:14:56.680 and something that no other camera even came close to. Check out the license plate on the van. 00:14:56.680 --> 00:15:01.080 We could have aimed the camera a bit higher, but it's still great moving to twilight. 00:15:01.080 --> 00:15:05.960 Again, this is the clearest video of this intersection we've seen. The 198 sign is super clear 00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:09.200 and the 56th Avenue Cross Street sign is also legible. 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:12.560 Wow, the license plate on the truck is almost legible here too, 00:15:12.560 --> 00:15:16.680 but that part of the image is too small and the YAC text is blurry here as well. 00:15:16.680 --> 00:15:19.960 Pulling out the telephoto though, look at that license plate on the truck. 00:15:19.960 --> 00:15:24.440 This image is so clear that we can see it before it gets to the intersection. 00:15:24.440 --> 00:15:29.520 The YAC letters are still blurry with this lens though. Finally at night, we once again get great video capture. 00:15:29.520 --> 00:15:33.400 The signs are clear and the license plate on the car in front is totally legible. 00:15:33.400 --> 00:15:37.440 That's not even the money shot yet. Here's the telephoto at night time. 00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:40.440 Not only is the gas station price crystal clear, 00:15:40.440 --> 00:15:45.440 but look at those license plates. At night, it clearly captures all the plates 00:15:45.440 --> 00:15:48.720 in the same lane as us and we even get somewhat usable images of plates 00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:52.040 in the opposite lane. That is quite remarkable. 00:15:52.040 --> 00:15:55.900 So this is one of those times when you clearly get what you pay for, 00:15:55.900 --> 00:16:00.760 even if you're paying a lot. In summary then, if simply proving fault in an accident 00:16:00.760 --> 00:16:04.640 is your main concern, an affordable HD camera will probably do you just fine. 00:16:04.640 --> 00:16:08.360 If you need to catch key details like a license plate after a hit and run, 00:16:08.360 --> 00:16:11.720 you'll definitely want to spend extra on a 4K resolution dash cam 00:16:11.720 --> 00:16:15.160 with the highest frame rate you can get. And if you want extra bells or whistles 00:16:15.160 --> 00:16:18.600 like ADAS or cloud storage, there are some good options out there, 00:16:18.600 --> 00:16:22.160 but you might end up opening your wallet more than you might have thought 00:16:22.160 --> 00:16:25.280 to get one that also offers compelling image quality. 00:16:25.280 --> 00:16:28.680 Tell us what's important to you guys in a dash cam and leave a comment below. 00:16:28.680 --> 00:16:31.880 Are you looking for image quality first or features? 00:16:31.880 --> 00:16:36.080 Or is it just enough video to prove that you weren't at fault? 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:39.920 Are you maybe looking for a segue to our sponsor? If you guys enjoyed this video, 00:16:39.920 --> 00:16:44.040 check out our recent webcam roundup. It's not the most glamorous of work, 00:16:44.040 --> 00:16:46.320 but someone's gotta do it.