When it comes to keeping records on the road, there is no better tool than a dashcam. Despite being highly popular and immensely helpful, dash cams aren’t legal in all parts of the world. But in the US, everyone should have one.
The question that many drivers have is where to position it. Luckily, we have a 2024 guide that answers the question. So don’t go anywhere as we’ll start right now.
What’s A Dash Cam?
Let’s assume that you’re one of those people that have no idea what a dashcam is. Well, allow us to explain that. A dashcam is essentially a camera that you mount on your car. The sole purpose of this gadget is to record while you drive. The purpose of doing this is to record any accidents that you might get into.
Since you’ll have proof of what’s happening on the road, it makes it easier to prove your innocence when in an accident. Some people put up dash cams for other purposes, such as recording strange events. But it’s safe to say that the dash camera 2024 is meant to help you if you find yourself in a car accident.
Where To Position the Dash Camera?
Source: blog.vava.com
We said that quite a lot of people struggle with this one. Not knowing where to place the camera can be a problem. But luckily, the answer is quite convenient. There isn’t a single best position for the camera.
Your car has multiple sections where placing a dash camera is of big help. One of those is on the windshield. This is quite possibly the best place to position it.
It is the one place that most people position it due to various reasons. The first and most important one is that it doesn’t get in the way. More so, it doesn’t obstruct your field of view. And thirdly, you give the camera the best possible field of view when recording.
So there aren’t any better places to position your dashcam than the windshield, right behind the rearview mirror. Some people also position the camera on the back glass, to record events as they unfold behind you. Some people even have two dashcams; one for the front and one for the rear.
If you’re going for the best car backup camera, then consider getting a less expensive unit as you should be spending most of your budget getting a high-quality model.
When it comes to buying a dashcam, campark dash cameras are the best ones to go for.
You can visit them at https://www.campark.net/collections/dash-camera to know more about their products.
How To Buy the Best Dash Camera
Simply buying a camera won’t do you any good. You need to do your research and find the very best money can buy. So, let’s see how to do that.
1. Camera Quality
The recording quality is one factor that you have to consider before splashing the cash on the best dash camera. Dash cameras in 2024 can record up to 4K and 1080p resolution.
These models might be more expensive, but they are the standard. You should always go for at least 1080p resolution, but if you’re serious about it, buy a dash camera with 2160p resolution.
The higher the quality, the better the recording. With a 2160p resolution, you will have no trouble recording everything that’s happening on the road. More so, you will have no trouble identifying certain things when an accident occurs.
2. Field Of View
Field Of View of FOV simply refers to how wide the camera sees or records. The bigger the FOV, the more it records. Some cameras come with narrow FOVs, which isn’t really good when recording the road.
For dash cameras 2024, always get a model with a much wider FOV. This will allow you to see everything as it unfolds and not miss a moment. But, there is a downside to a wider FOV.
Namely the bigger the FOV, the lower the quality of the recording. Since not every best car backup camera is a $3,000 model, a much bigger FOV on a less expensive unit can impact the image quality.
3. Frames Per Second
Frames Per Second or FPS is a measurement that tells you how many frames the camera takes in one second. The standard in the industry is 30 FPS – meaning 30 frames or pictures per one second. Since a dashcam is meant to record and not take photos, a 30 FPS rate is generally the standard to go to.
While it’s easy to find the best dash camera with 60 FPS, they can cost a bit more. You would be surprised to find out that the difference in price between a 30 FPS and a 60 FPS model is huge. When comparing the quality, a 60 FPS dashcam blows the 30 FPS one out of the water. Simply said, there is no comparing the two.
4. Bonus Feature – Night Vision
If you’re the sort of person that regularly drives at night, then consider this feature as one to watch. A night vision feature won’t be present on every model. Quite the contrary, the best car backup cameras don’t come with night vision.
When looking for these models, you will need to be very specific and mention them to the vendor. Since not everyone is interested in night vision, the manufacturers exclude this feature from most basic models.
They will design a few models with night vision, but don’t expect to see this feature on a $50 dashcam.
So if you do drive at night constantly, consider getting a dash camera with night vision. This feature will come in handy when needing to unpack key details at night.
One more thing to keep in mind is that night vision dash cameras aren’t that good when recording during the day. The image might be blurry, not as colorful, and generally feel “cold”.
But when it comes to recording in pitch black, a night vision model will make all the difference.
Conclusion
A dashcam should almost exclusively be mounted on the front windshield. While some also mount it on the side, the best position is right behind the rearview mirror. You can also place it in the back window if you’re going to record stuff behind you.
